Welcome to Stevensville!

Montana's first permanent  settlement is culturally rich and historic town. It is a unique blend of businesses which address the needs of the local community. Stevensville "Where Montana Began" ,is located approximately 25 miles south of Missoula in Ravalli County in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana.  It is situated on the east bank of the Bitterroot River at the lower end of a valley that is about 100 miles long and 20 miles wide between the Sapphire Mountains on the east and the Bitterroot Mountains on the west.  The highest peak in the Bitterroot Range is Trapper Peak south of Darby, at 10,157 feet.   

The Bitterroot Valley is located on the extreme western edge of the state, in what is considered the "Banana Belt" of Montana.  The town elevation is 3,370ft.  Stevensville is at latitude 46.51N. the Longitude is -114.092W.  Average annual precipitation is 13 inches.  Average monthly temperatures range from a low of 16.7 degrees F in January to 83.5 degrees F in August.  The growing season averages 120 days in length, from approximately May 15 to September 15.  The area was once known for its apple production and is still home to a number of orchards and truck farms.  Farmers markets are held all season long in Stevensville, Hamilton and Missoula. 

The area is the ancestral home of the Salish-Kootenai people, who were resetled on what is now the Flathead Reservaton.  The Lewis and Clark Expedition passed twice through what is now Stevensville on their journey to and from the Pacific.  Jesuit missionaries established St. Mary's Mission in 1841, at the request of the Salish.  Fort Owen, a trading post, was founded in 1850.  Hamilton, about 20 miles to the south, is the county seat.  Missoula, 25 miles to the north, is the regional business center and the closest commercial airport, Missoula International Airport, is located there.  Households within Stevesville 59870 zip code number approximately 4200.  Adjacent communtities are unincorpororated Victor 59875 on the south (2200 households) and Florence 59833 on the north (2300). 

The incorporated Town of Stevensville had an estimated population of 1784 in 2003, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.  Ravalli County had a estimated population of 39,376 in 2004, an increase of 9.17% from the 2000 census.  In the 1990'2, Ravalli County was the fastest-growing county in the state (44.2%). 

Stevensville is home to the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge, St. Mary's Mission, Fort Owen State Park, the Stevensville Historical Museum and The Stevensville Playhouse.  The Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area, the largest in the lower 48 states, is located in the mountains directly to the west of Stevensville and is accessible through numerous trailheads on the Bitterroot National Forest.