Bonner-West Riverside, Montana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bonner-West Riverside, Montana
Census-designated place
Location in Missoula County and the state of Montana
Country	United States
State	Montana
County	Missoula
Area
• Total	1.61 sq mi (4.18 km2)
• Land	1.53 sq mi (3.97 km2)
• Water	0.08 sq mi (0.21 km2)
Elevation	3,288 ft (1,002 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,690
• Density	1,101.69/sq mi (425.34/km2)
Time zone	UTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP Codes	59851
Area code(s)	406
FIPS code	30-08462

Rock marking Two Rivers Memorial Park

John Mullan monument

Bonner-West Riverside is a small community in Missoula County, Montana, USA. It's called a census-designated place (CDP) because it's a special area used for counting people. The local Salish people call it Nʔaycčstm, which means "Place of the Big Bull Trout". This area includes several smaller communities like Bonner, Milltown, West Riverside, and Pinegrove. In 2020, about 1,690 people lived here.

The town of Bonner got its name from Edward L. Bonner. He was the president of a railroad company. Mr. Bonner also worked with a company that provided wood for the Northern Pacific Railroad. This company built a large sawmill in Bonner in 1886.

Milltown is named for the big mill that was there. West Riverside is located west of Milltown. Milltown used to be called "Riverside" because it was where the Blackfoot and Clark Fork rivers meet. Pinegrove was named either after a family called Pine or because there were many large pine trees in the area.

Exploring the History of Bonner-West Riverside

The area east of Missoula grew because of a sawmill. Andrew B. Hammond and his partners built this sawmill. They convinced the Northern Pacific Railroad to build tracks through Missoula. This helped them get big contracts to supply wood for the railroad.

In 1886, the Blackfoot Milling Company started working. It produced a lot of wood every day. The mill also provided wood for mining and construction. It grew very quickly and by 1889, it was one of the largest mills between Wisconsin and the West Coast. The Anaconda Company bought the sawmill in 1898.

How Bonner Became a Company Town

Bonner was a "company town." This means the mill owned the town, including houses for managers and a company store. By 1888, Bonner had a post office. In 1889, Bonner Hall was built, which had the first school. Later, more schools, churches, a library, and community gardens were added. Only people who worked at the mill could live there. The mill owned Bonner until 2007, when it was sold to private owners.

The Story of Milltown and West Riverside

Milltown was first called "Riverside." It was located a little downstream from Bonner. A man named John McCormick rented small plots of land to mill workers. They built simple homes, sometimes using wood from the mill. By 1892, Riverside had many homes and businesses.

In 1910, West Riverside was planned across the Blackfoot River. Here, people could own their land. More people moved there when the Western Lumber Company was built. Other areas like Piltzville and Pine Grove also grew with more homes and farms.

Major Events and Changes at the Mill

In 1919, a huge fire burned a large part of the mill. But it was rebuilt and working again by September of the same year. For many years, the Bonner Mill was thought to be the biggest of its kind in the world. The Anaconda Company sold the mill in 1972. It was sold again in 1993 and finally closed in 2008. It had been making wood for 122 years! In 2011, heavy snow caused much of the mill's roof to collapse.

The Dams and River Cleanup

Bonner Dam was built in 1884 to hold logs for the mill. Milltown Dam was finished in 1908. It was built to provide electricity to local mills and Missoula. Six months later, a huge flood happened. This flood brought a lot of dirt and harmful metals from mining sites into the Milltown Reservoir.

Because of this pollution, the area became a Superfund cleanup site. Bonner Dam was removed in 2005, and Milltown Dam was removed in 2008. The cleanup plan also includes efforts to help the community grow and develop.

Geography and Location

Bonner-West Riverside is in the middle of Missoula County. It is next to the city of Missoula on its west side. The Clark Fork River forms the southwest border of the community. The Blackfoot River flows through the area, separating Bonner and Milltown from West Riverside and Pinegrove. The Blackfoot River then joins the Clark Fork River.

Interstate 90 runs through the southern part of the community. You can get on it from Exit 109. Montana Highway 200 and Montana Secondary Highway 210 also pass through. These highways lead to Missoula and other cities like Great Falls and Butte, Montana.

The community covers about 1.62 square miles (4.18 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Climate in Bonner-West Riverside

Bonner-West Riverside has a climate with big changes in temperature during the year. Summers are warm to hot, and winters are cold. This type of weather is called a humid continental climate.

Population and People

In 2010, there were 1,663 people living in Bonner-West Riverside. There were 690 households, which are groups of people living together. About 33% of households had children under 18. Many households were married couples.

The people living here are from different backgrounds. Most are White, but there are also Native American, African American, and Asian residents. About 1.7% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.

The average age of people in the community was 32 years old. About 26% of the population was under 18.

Education

Students in Bonner-West Riverside attend schools in the Bonner Elementary School District and the Missoula High School District.

Images for kids

• 

  Rock marking Two Rivers Memorial Park

• 

  John Mullan monument

See also

In Spanish: Bonner-West Riverside (Montana) para niños