Kalispell () is a city in and the county seat of Flathead County, Montana, United States. The 2020 census put Kalispell's population at 24,558. The latest estimates put the population at 31,296. Among cities in Montana, it is the 8th largest by area, 7th most populous, and 8th fastest growing from 2010 to 2020. The name Kalispell is a Salish word meaning "flat land above the lake".
History
Early founding
The first European settler to explore the Flathead Valley was likely surveyor Peter Fidler of the Hudson's Bay Company in the 18th century. From 1870, permanent settlement and the introduction of livestock brought permanent changes, as did the near-eradication of local bison populations.
In 1884, a short-lived town called Ashley was founded where Kalispell was later built. Three years later nearby Demersville was founded. Demersville quickly grew to be the largest town in the area, but when the Great Northern Railroad bypassed the town it was abandoned just as quickly, with people moving the short distance to the new town of Kalispell.
Railroad expansion and incorporation
thumb|left|Aerial view of Kalispell, 1925
As the Great Northern Railroad built its continent-spanning railroad line in the 19th century, a need for a Divisional point in the Flathead Valley was identified. Using his own capital, Charles Edward Conrad, a businessman and banker from Fort Benton, Montana, formed the Kalispell Townsite Company with three other men, all from Great Northern board of directors. The town took its name from the local native tribe, adding an extra "L" for good measure. "Kalispell" is a Salish word meaning "flat land above the lake". and Conrad built a large mansion there in 1895. Since then, the city has continued to grow, reaching 19,927 in 2010. This growth persisted despite the railroad being rerouted from its original route over Haskell Pass, via Kalispell and Marion, Montana, to a more circuitous but flatter route via Whitefish and Eureka already in 1904.
Growth and formation of county seat
thumb|left|Main Street, Kalispell
As the largest city in northwest Montana, Kalispell serves as the county seat and commercial center of Flathead County. The city is considered a secondary trade center with a trade area of approximately 130,000. The city is home to Logan Health Medical Center, which has a 150-bed hospital facility. The railroad history through Kalispell ended in 2018 when the city purchased and tore up the long abandoned track through the city. The city of Kalispell removed the remaining downtown trackage, relocating the railroad to Glacier Rail Park, a new industrial park just north of town and abandoning of the original route.
Homeless population
In 2023, Kalispell became nationally known for its combative actions against the homeless population in the town. The city government had previously begun passing ordinances in 2022 that punished anyone that helped homeless people in Kalispell, such as giving out food, supplies, or money. They also shut off water and electricity in the local park so it couldn't be utilized by homeless in the area. The county commissioners also released an open letter calling on residents to actively unite against the homeless, which resulted in groups of younger people violently assaulting homeless in the town. The New York Times published an article in January 2024 about the homeless population of Kalispell, noting that many were residents who had recently undergone financial trouble that led to them losing their homes, such as having a divorce.
The city council revoked the permit of the town's homeless shelter in September 2024, forcing the closure of its warming center in October 2024, putting much of the homeless population at risk of death during winter months as noted by the shelter's director. The shelter filed a lawsuit that same month against the city, arguing that the city council had failed to present any violation of local law or ordinances by the shelter that would support the revocation of the permit. The federal judge overseeing the court case approved a preliminary injunction in November 2024 that allowed the warming center to remain open for the duration of the case.
Geography and climate
thumb|left|Climate chart for Kalispell
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , of which is land and is water.
Kalispell is north of Flathead Lake, the largest natural freshwater lake in the western U.S. by surface area.
The city has a warm-summer humid continental climate (Köppen: Dfb), with long, cold, and moderately snowy winters, hot and dry summers, and short springs and autumns. Snow usually occurs from late October/early November to March.