In the middle of the Bitterroot Valley, in Ravalli County, is the county’s seat of Hamilton. Hamilton is home to over 4,000 people, and the immediate area around the town has somewhere over 12,000 people. Downtown Hamilton has several historic buildings with many unique shops and restaurants. Looking west on Main Street is a beautiful view of the mountains. Just finished in the spring of 2004, there is a newly revitalized downtown. New streetscape, trees, and street lamps make way to enjoy the unique downtown shops. Highway 93, which goes all the way through town, also boasts unique shops, grocery stores, and gas stations.
The Chamber of Commerce is located on the corner of Main and Highway 93. The city offices are located in the historic Bedford Building just across the street from the Ravalli County Courthouse. The Ravalli County Museum, housed in the old courthouse, was built in 1900. Each July, Hamilton comes alive as the entire town celebrates ‘Daly Days’ in honor of the city founder, Marcus Daly. This event includes arts, crafts, and food vendors on the streets. The local businesses hold their annual sidewalk sales, games for the kids, and just a block away at the park the Chamber of Commerce holds its annual Micro-Brew Festival; all this makes for a weekend of events, sharing, reminiscing with old friends, and meeting new friends. The events include a good ‘old fashioned’ street dance in the middle of town bringing the seniors and youngsters an opportunity to dance the night away together in a family atmosphere.
The town of Hamilton hosts a variety of fun events throughout the year including the Senior Pro Rodeo, which brings contestants from all over the United States and Canada, the Blue Grass Festival, Apple Days, and the Ravalli County Fair, are just a few of the events. Thanksgiving weekend brings the Christmas light parade complete with caroling, wood burning barrels to warm your hands, and hot cider for all to enjoy. Hamilton, the county seat, has an elected mayor in the community of 4,163 in the city limits and sits on an elevation of 3,572.
History:
Hamilton was not a pioneer village in the days it was founded. Instead, it was a planned town of wide streets and avenues, a complete economic center for an area of farms and stock ranches. History of Hamilton began when Marcus Daly, a great finance figure of the 1880 era in Butte and Anaconda mining development, made his way into the Bitterroot Valley seeking interests other than mining. About 1887, Daly bought up small saw mills west of the present site of Hamilton and almost overnight had established a lumber making industry on the bank of the Bitterroot River. Marcus Daly’s next move was to bring two men from another state to plan and develop his dream town. They were James Hamilton and Robert O’Hara, who came from Minnesota in 1890. Daly named Hamilton after James Hamilton and the town was incorporated in 1894, and Mr. O’Hara was named the first mayor. Daly’s town had a bank, stores, school, and four churches – a ready-made Hamilton!
Bitterroot Valley Communities:
