CONTENTS The Treasure State 4 Quick Facts 6 Geography 8 Climate and Weather 12 Plants and Animals 14 History 18 Did You Know 24 People 26 Cities 30 Transportation 34 Natural Resources 36 Industry 38 Sports 40 Entertainment 42 Timeline 44 Glossary 46 Index 48 MONTANA 1889 BIG SKY COUNTRY
MONTANA THE TREASURE STATE Montana is nicknamed The Treasure State because of its mother lode of gold silver and other precious minerals buried under the Earth’s crust Montana’s other nickname is Big Sky Country The state’s craggy mountains forests and wide-open plains make the horizon seem to disappear into an endless field of blue Sometimes when standing on a mountain peak or driving down a lonely prairie road it seems as if you have the whole state to yourself Montana has a colorful history It is home to many Native American tribes The Lewis and Clark Expedition traveled through the area in the early 1800s Sprawling cattle ranches gold rushes and copper mines gave Montana a Western flavor despite its location in the northern United States Today many visitors travel to Montana Glacier National Park grizzly bears soaring mountains and prairie sunsets are just a few examples of the state’s spectacular natural beauty Montana’s wide-open spaces have led to its nickname Big Sky Country 4 MONTANA
