DescriptionGlaciers scoured out the Flathead Valley during the last ice age about 12,000 years ago. As the glaciers retreated, the Polson terminal moraine dammed up melting ice, creating Flathead Lake. In more recent history, between 1885 and 1910, steamboats traversed the length of the lake from Demersville on the north to Polson on the south, transporting passengers and freight. The lake is named for the Salish tribe, who were erroneously labeled “flathead” by the Pend d’Oreille tribe, who mistakenly thought the Salish bound their babies on cradleboards, artificially flattening the backs of their heads.Contributing InstitutionMontana Historical Society Library and ArchivesGeolocation[1] Elevation2896 ft.CountyLake CountyFlathead County
