Whitefish is a city in Flathead County, Montana, United States. The population was 5,032 at the 2000 census. It is home to a ski resort called Whitefish Mountain Resort. Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer hails from Whitefish. The Great Northern Railway was built through what is now Whitefish in 1904, which sparked development of the town. Early employers were the railroad and nearby logging industries. By the late 1940s, with the successful construction of a ski resort (a collaboration between outside developers and local businessmen) the tourism sector was becoming increasingly important. In 2006, over 68,000 passengers embarked and disembarked through the historic Whitefish Depot, a stop on Amtrak's Empire Builder line, with some percentage of those being headed to the ski resort. Whitefish was also called Stumptown as the area was cleared for the train-station.