Kalispell
Montana
Kalispell, Montana is the county seat of Flathead County located in northwest Montana. Total population of the incorporated city is 24,558 with Flathead County having a resident population of 104,357 as of the 2020 decennial census.1,2
The name Kalispell is a derivation by early explorers from the native Kalispel tribe of the Salish-speaking nations which is approximated in their tongue as Qlispé and was misspelled and mispronounced as Kullyspel by David Thompson of the Northwest Fur Trading Company when he first contacted the natives on the shores of their lake in northern Idaho circa 1809. This contact was on what he named Kullyspel Lake but which the French-Canadian trapper-settlers renamed Pend Oreille Lake.3
The Montana city was first sited as Ashley on the west side of modern Kalispell along Ashley Creek so named for one of the earliest settlers in that location. The settlement was active by 1884 but by 1887 most of the population was located further southeast along the navigable Flathead River, the favored trade route into the area. This settlement, Demersville, prospered from 1887 until the Great Northern Railroad under James Hill built tracks through the valley in the 1890s. Montana had become the Montana Territory in 1864 but statehood arrived later in 1889. The focus of commerce moved north along the rails to the current townsite originally platted by C.E. Conrad. Charles Conrad had been successful at Fort Benton which in the 1880s was the largest town on the upper Missouri River but Conrad moved further west by 1891 and became prominent in the early history of Kalispell. One history of the town credits him with the final spelling in changing the “C” to a “K” and adding the second “L” to the end to ensure his pronunciation of the town name.
After Flathead County was created out of the northern part of Missoula County in 1893, Kalispell was named the county seat the following year.
For historical perspective on life in the early era when “civilization” was slowly coming to the Flathead, in 1887 two Kootenai natives were lynched at Demersville and three prospectors were killed by natives on Wolf Creek east of Bigfork. Lest one think worse than reality, the soldiers sent from Fort Missoula to establish order were African-America troops.4
FOOTNOTES:
1 https://data.census.gov/profile/Kalispell_city,_Montana?g=160XX00US3040075
2 https://data.census.gov/all?q=Flathead%20County,%20Montana
3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalispell,_Montana
4 https://npshistory.com/publications/usfs/region/1/flathead/history/chap4.htm
*footnotes are from sources which are more extensive but conflict in some details
Another version of Kalispell's early history
from Forest History Society
In 1809, David Thompson, of the Northwest Fur Trading Company, gave the name Kullyspel to the Indians on the shores of Pend Oreille Lake in northern Idaho. He named the lake Kullyspel Lake and called his trading post Kullyspel House. With its various spellings, Kullyspel is one of the oldest names in the Northwest.
When the French-Canadian explorers, trappers, and voyagers came south (from Canada), they applied the name Pend Oreille to almost everything Thompson had named Kullyspel. Today, the lake Thompson called Kullyspel Lake is named Pend Oreille Lake.
The naming of the town of Kalispell has long been a subject of controversy. Various tales have been told of the naming, but the commonly accepted story is that it was named by C. E. Conrad. Conrad is credited with coining the modern spelling In order to insure the correct pronunciation, he changed the “C” to “K”; Conrad added an “l” at the end of the word to make it more probable that it would be accented on the syllable.
Northwest historians discredit the story that James Hill, builder of the Great Northern Railway, named the city of Kalispell.
Kalispell, previously called Ashley, was made the county seat of Flathead County in 1894. The Great Northern Railroad was extended through Flathead County in 1891-92. The main line was built through Kalispell. Later, the main line was routed through Whitefish. Kalispell was then served by a spur from Columbia Falls.
In 1880, there was a small town 5 miles southeast of the present location of Kalispell on the Flathead River. It was called Demersville. Later, the town of Demersville was moved and became the city of Kalispell.
REFERENCE:
https://foresthistory.org/research-explore/us-forest-service-history/u-s-forest-service-publications/region-1-northern/the-flathead-story/table-of-contents/chapters/naming-of-kalispell/
USGB Decision Card - Kalispelm
Front Side October 4, 1892
United States Geographic Board Thing named} in Flathead Co, Montana Names: Kalispell; town Kalispell city U.S.G. Board decision 1930 Census Bulletin 1920 city 1910 city 1900 city Not reported in 1890
USGB Decision Card - Kalispelm
Reverse Side
(handwritten, from the back of the Approved Change Registration Card, printed 1920)
[original] Approved. October 4, 1892
Kalispel town & Lake – Montana
Kalispell
Kalispelm
USGB Decision Card - 1912
United States Geographic Board
Adopted name } Kalispell
Thing named } city Flathead County, Montana
(7-1-31)
Names:
Kalispel (by) U.S. Geographic Board
Kalispel (by)U.S. Geological Survey Index Sheet Montana
Kalispel (by) Report of Com. Indian Affairs 1909, p. 131
Kalispell (by) Postal Guide
Calispel (by) Local Usage
Kalispell (by) Incorporated name of town,
Fred S. Perry, County Clerk
P.M. Kalispell March 25, 1912
Submitted by Cinn & Company
Date: March 4, 1912 Card prepared by C.S.S.
Recommendation of Executive Committee
Date March 4, 1912 (sign off’s)