Flathead County is celebrating the impact geographic information system or GIS technology has had on county government operations with an event on Wednesday, Nov. 16.

On what’s known as GIS Day, the county GIS Department will hold an open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the historic Flathead County Courthouse, 800 South Main Street, Kalispell.. Staff will answer questions and demonstrate the geospatial tools they use each day to gather, analyze and visualize geographic data.

The county is joining other organizations worldwide in hosting events on GIS Day to celebrate the work of GIS professionals and serve as a way to inspire future innovators to advance the technology.

Jack Dangermond, founder and president of GIS company Esri, envisioned people collaborating and sharing how GIS affects everyone which led to the establishment of GIS Day which was first observed in 1999. The explosion of geospatial technology since then has expanded that idea into a global event that shows how geography and the real-world applications of GIS are making a difference in business, government and society.

For more information on how Flathead County is innovating through the application of GIS, visit