| Taking a stroll through Bigfork is like turning the pages of a storybook. Bigfork is a picturesque and unique town filled with world class art galleries, fine restaurants, a famous live theater and quaint shops all settled between mountains, lakes and valleys. Our backyard is Glacier National Park, the Bob Marshall, Spotted Bear and Great Bear wilderness areas which are full of wildlife and recreational opportunities. Chosen as “One of the 50 Great Towns of the West” and designated as “One of the 100 Best Small Art Towns of the Nation,” Bigfork is truly one of a kind!
History
A baby compared to other towns in Montana, Bigfork is only 101 years old. Blackfoot and Flathead Indians were the first to enjoy the beauty and wilderness of this land. Pioneers and settlers followed as the nation grew and pushed towards the west. It wasn’t until 1901, nearly a century after the exploration of Lewis and Clark that a man named Everit L Slitter came to the area. Slitter, a pioneer from Minnesota procured 140 acres of land. Slitter married his high school sweetheart Lizzie Osborne and together they platted 94 lots and 11 blocks of land. Also they planted a variety of fruit trees until they had the biggest orchard on the Flathead. The earliest community of Bigfork was a logging camp. It was a home for the workers who harvested the ancient trees native to this area. Most goods were moved via Flathead Lake by steamship and paddle boat. As for the name itself, there is some dispute. One story has it that the region was named for the Swan River, a “big fork” of the mighty Flathead River system. Another is that Slitter himself based the name upon his hometown of Big Fork, Minnesota. Yet, no matter how you spell it Bigfork is an amazing place that inspires us all.
Population: 1428
Climate Averages:
Summer - 78°
Winter - 36°
Schools:
Bigfork Elementary (K-8)
Swan River School (K-8)
Bigfork High School
Bigfork School District Office - (406) 837-7400
Bigfork Montessori - (406) 837-6786 (ages 3-6)
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