Title of book by Joseph Kinsey Howard which in 1981 was ranked the best book about Montana.

Montana: High, Wide and Handsome

T

Montana is divided into 56 counties.

The more populous counties have the smaller numbers.Example: Yellowstone Co. is 3 while Roosevelt is 17.

MONTANA-“ Big Sky Country”

“The Treasure State”

Montana became a territory in 1864. It’s first territorial capital was Bannack, a large gold camp which is now deserted.

Virginia City also served as the territorial capital.

In 1875, Helena, another city founded during the gold rush, became Montana’s permanent capital city.

Montana achieved statehood on November 8, 1889.

Montana is the fourth largest state in the nation. It comprises 147,046

square miles.

Montana’s motto is Oro y Plata,which means “Gold and Silver.”

• The plow, pick and shovel represent Montana’s agricultural and mineral resources.

• The beauty of MT is depicted in the mountain scenery and the Great Falls of the Missouri.

The state flag was adopted in 1905.

STATE BIRD- WESTERN MEADOWLARK

STATE FLOWER- BITTERROOT

STATE GEM-MONTANA AGATEYOGO SAPPHIRE

STATE FISHBLACKSPOTTED CUTTHROAT

TROUT

STATE TREEPONDEROSA PINE

STATE ANIMALGRIZZLY BEAR

(GO GRIZ!)

Montana State Symbols

LARGEST CITIES

How many of Montana’s ten largest cities can you name?

10 LARGEST CITIES (2005): BILLINGS, 98,721; MISSOULA, 62,923; GREAT FALLS, 56,338; BOZEMAN, 33,535; BUTTE-SILVER BOW,1 32,282; HELENA, 27,383; KALISPELL, 18,480; HAVRE, 9,390; ANACONDA–DEER LODGE COUNTY, 8,948; MILES CITY, 8,162

How many of Montana’s ten largest cities can you name?

Montana has several mountain ranges including: the Little Rockies, Snowies, Judith, Beartooth, Absaroka,

Pryors, Gallatin, Beaverhead, Lewis, Whitefish, Cabinet, Castle, Mission, Swan, Bitterroot, Highland,

Flint Creek, Anaconda, Bridger, Tendoy, Gravelly, Pioneer, Little Belts, Big Belts, Madison, Centennial,

Bear’s Paw and Crazies

Montana River Systems

Missouri ( empties into Mississippi then to the Gulf of Mexico)

Poplar, Milk, Marias, Musselshell, Sun

Yellowstone (largest tributary of Missouri)Bighorn, Tongue, Powder

Clark Fork of the Columbia (empties into Pacific)

Kootenai, Flathead, Blackfoot, Bitterroot

• The Hudson Bay Divide and the Continental Divide

Glacier National Park, Montana is home to two great river divides, the Continental Divide and the Hudson Bay Divide. The Hudson Bay Divide joins the Continental Divide at Triple Divide Peak in Glacier National Park to form an apex of three oceans. North America's three great rivers begin on this mountain's flanks. Water falling at Triple Divide Peak will split three ways and end up in the Pacific Ocean, the Artic Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean.

Snow and rain that falls in the northeast section of Triple Divide, a relatively small area in the United States located between the Hudson Bay Divide, the Rocky Mountains and the Canadian border, travels to the Artic Ocean. Three small rivers: the Waterton, the Belly, and the Saint Mary flow into Alberta, Canada as headwaters of the Saskatchewan River, which eventually spills into the Hudson Bay and makes its way to the Artic Ocean.

Rain falling west of the Continental Divide will flow to the Pacific Ocean. Pacific Creek flows west to the Flathead River and the Clark Fork, feeding the Columbia River, which makes its way across Montana, Idaho, and Oregon before draining into the Pacific Ocean.

Moisture from the south side of the Continental Divide goes to Atlantic Creek, which runs east to the Marias River then to the Missouri, which is formed by the confluence of the Gallatin, Madison, and Jefferson Rivers at Three Forks. The water then goes on to the Mississippi ultimately mixing with the tropical waters in the Gulf of Mexico.

Montana is home to 11 native tribes, who live on 7 reservations.

The Sioux, Assiniboine, Gros Ventre, Salish, Kootenai, NorthernCheyenne, Crow, Little Shell Band, Chippewa, Blackfeet, and Cree

State Government:

• Brian Schweitzer, Governor• John Bohlinger, Lt. Governor• Linda McCullogh, Sec . of State• Denise Juneau, Supt. of Schools• Monica Lindeen, State Auditor• Mike McGrath; Chief Justice,

Montana Supreme Court

National Legislators

Representative:Denny Rehberg (R)

Senators:Max Baucus (D)Jon Tester (D)

Denise JuneauBlackfoot and

Mandan-Hidatsa

Ms. Juneau became the first Native American woman to win a statewide election in Montana in November of 2008.

Before her election, Ms. Juneau worked as an Indian Education specialist at OPI for the last 10 years.

Montana has had many well-known sports

figures such as: Evel Knievel (Butte, MT- stunt rider)• Dan Mortensen, Alice and Deb Greenough- Rodeo• Todd Foster- Olympic boxer- Gt. Falls, MT• Scott Davis -Gt. Falls- 1993 US figure skating champ• Shannon Cate, Tim Hauk, Dave Dickenson, Larry

Krystkowiak , Kris Schmidt (U of M)• Elvis Old Bull, Larry Pretty Weasel- Lodge Grass • Cass Bauer, Brick Breeden, Corey Widmer (MSU) • Ryan Leaf- Gt. Falls Wash. State Rose Bowl 1997• Scott McGowan- Poplar- First MT to break 4:00 mile

Which Montana annual event is listed among the “Top one hundred events in

America?”

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Which Montana annual event is listed among the “Top one hundred events in America?”

The re-enactment of Custer’s Last Stand

Montana has had many nationally prominent citizens including:

Mike Mansfield (Senator, Ambassador to Japan)Jeanette Rankin (first woman Representative-1916)

Dennis Washington- Industrialist, UM AlumMarcus Daly, Fritz Heinze, William Andrews Clark

(Copper Kings of Butte)

Pierre Wibaux, Grant-Kohrs, Granville Stuart-DHS Ranch-Cattle ranchers

Henry Sieben & Charles Bair- sheep ranchersJJ Hill- Railroad tycoon

AB Guthrie- author of The Way WestDorothy Johnson- author of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance; Buffalo WomanMonte Dolack- Missoula artistCharlie Russell- western painter/sculptorGary Cooper and Myrna Loy- famous actor/actress of early filmsCarroll O’Conner- Actor - U M alumJames Welch- author of Fools Crow, Winter in the BloodDana Carvey- “the church lady” from SNL

Montana also has many prominent Native Americans such as:

Denise Juneau Carol JuneauShannon AugareRyan Rushe

Janine Pease Margaret CampbellLarry Pretty Weasel Elvis Old BullScott McGowan Jonathan Windy Boy

Chief Joseph Chief Charlo Dull Knife Little Wolf Sitting Bull Gall

Crazy Horse Red Cloud

Montana TriviaWhat is the only other country in the world that has paddlefish? (Found in the Yellowstone River

in MT, USA)

What disease decimated many of Montana’s native population in the 1800’s?

How did Native artists dye their paint green?

Which rodeo is known as “The Granddaddy of them all?”

Answers:

China’s Yangtze River also has paddlefish.

Small pox

Dried duck dung

Wild Horse Stampede, Wolf Point, MT

More Trivia…

What are the four largest industries in the state?

What town lies in both North Dakota and Montana?

What town is at the geographical center of Montana?

Answers:

• Montana’s top four industries:– Agriculture– Travel and tourism– Timber – Mining

Fairview lies in both ND and MT. Its elementary is in ND and its high school is in MT.

Lewistown is the center of Montana.