Plumber in Frenchtown

Frenchtown at a glance

Frenchtown is an unincorporated community in northwestern Missoula County with 1,958 people at the 2020 census. It lies on the historic Mullan Road, with Interstate 90 running through it 16 miles from Missoula.

What that means for your plumbing

Many Frenchtown properties sit on rural lots with private wells and septic systems. That puts the pump, pressure tank and septic line in the homeowner's hands. If drains slow down across the house, see sewer and drain lines.

The Clark Fork and the pond

South of town is the Clark Fork River, and Frenchtown Pond State Park, an 18-acre pond, sits on the western edge. Homes near water and on low ground can see high groundwater during spring runoff, which keeps sump pits and drains busy.

French-Canadian roots

Frenchtown was co-founded around 1858 by two French Canadians, Jean-Baptiste Ducharme and Louis Brown, who moved inland with their Métis families. The St. Louis Catholic Church was built in 1864 and a post office opened in 1868. More than 150 years later, the community still includes homesteads, farmhouses and newer homes on acreage. Properties with long histories often have buried lines to outbuildings and old hydrants that freeze in a hard winter. Mark where those lines run and shut off any that won't be used before the snow arrives.