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
MONTANA QUICK FACTS MONTANA Name Montana is taken from the Spanish word montaña meaning mountain or mountainous country State Capital Helena population 29,943 Date of Statehood November 8 1889 41st state Population 1,032,949 44th-most populous state Area Total Land and Water 147,040 square miles 380,832 sq km 4th-largest state Largest City Billings population 108,869 Nicknames The Treasure State Big Sky Country Motto Oro y plata Gold and Silver State Bird Western Meadowlark 6 MONTANA
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA State Flower Bitterroot State Gemstone Sapphire and Agate State Tree Ponderosa Pine Sapphire Agate State Song Montana Highest Point Granite Peak 12,799 feet 3,901 m Ponderosa Pine Lowest Point Kootenai River 1,800 feet 549 m Average July High Temperature 81 F 27 C Record High Temperature 117 F 47 C in Medicine Lake on July 5 1937 Granite Peak Average January Low Temperature 11 F 12 C Record Low Temperature 70 F 57 C at Rogers Pass on January 20 1954 Koolenal River Average Annual Precipitation 19 inches 48 cm Number of U S Senators 2 Number of U S Representatives 1 U S Postal Service Abbreviation MT QUICK FACTS 7
