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Montana

State nickname: Treasure State

Other U.S. States
Capital Helena
Largest city Billings
Governor Brian Schweitzer (D)
Official languages English
Area 381,156 km² (4th)
- Land 377,295 km²
- Water 3,862 km² (1%)
Population (2000)
- Population 902,195 (44th)
- Density 2.39 /km² (48th)
Admission into Union
- Date November 8, 1889
- Order 41st
Time zone Mountain: UTC-7/DST-6
Latitude 44°26' N to 49° N
Longitude 104°2' W to 116°2' W
Width 410 km
Length 1,015 km
Elevation
- Highest point 3,901 m
- Mean 1,035 m
- Lowest point 549 m
Abbreviations
- USPS MT
- ISO 3166-2 US-MT
Web site www.mt.gov
Montana is a state in the Western and Midwestern United States. The name probably comes from the Spanish word montaña ("mountain"). The state ranks fourth in size but has a low population and population density, with much of the state being rural. The economy is primarily ranching-based, with some agricultural crops (wheat, barley, sugar beets) and a significant lumber and mineral industry.

The western one-third of the state is primarily mountainous terrain, while the eastern two-third is part of the northern Great Plains. Originally inhabited by American Indians, The Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804–1806 was the first group of European-American explorers to cross Montana. Modern-day Montana became Montana Territory in 1864 and later became the 41st state in 1889. The state became the first to elect a female member of Congress, Jeannette Rankin. Despite its sizable American Indian population, Montana is one of the most homogenous states—nearly nine-tenths of Montanans are White. The state is generally regarded as Republican; many are surprised to hear that the state has a Democratic governor (Brian Schweitzer), Democratic-controlled legislature (the Montana State Legislature), and one Democratic U.S. Senator (Max Baucus).

The state capital is Helena. The largest city is Billings. Its U.S. postal abbreviation is MT. The USS Montana was named in honor of the state.

Contents [hide]
1 Geography
2 History
3 Law and government
4 Economy
5 Demographics
5.1 Population
5.2 Race
5.3 Ancestry
5.4 Religion
6 Important cities and towns
7 Education
7.1 Colleges and universities
8 Professional sports teams
9 Famous People from Montana
10 Ski areas
11 Miscellaneous information
12 Transportation
13 Further reading
14 External links

[edit]
Geography

Missouri Breaks region in central MontanaMain articles: List of Montana counties, List of Montana rivers

Montana and Canada share a 545 mile (877 km) northern border. The state borders the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. This area is often called the "High Line." To the east is the border with North Dakota; to the southeast is a short border with South Dakota. In the south is the Wyoming border, and on the west and southwest is the Idaho border.

With a land area of 145,552 square miles (376,978 km²), the state of Montana is the fourth largest in the United States (after Alaska, Texas, and California). Major rivers in the state include the Missouri, Clark Fork of the Columbia, Milk, Flathead, and Yellowstone. Montana is also one of many areas to claim the disputed title of "world's shortest river" (the Roe River).

Montana contains Glacier National Park and portions of Yellowstone National Park. Other sites include the Little Bighorn National Monument, Bighorn Canyon National Recreational Area, Big Hole National Battlefield, and the National Bison Range. There are also a number of National Forests and National Wildlife Refuges. The Federal government administers 36,000,000 acres (146,000 km²). 275,000 acres (1100 km²) are administered as state parks and forests.

St. Mary's Lake in Glacier National ParkThe surface of the state is highly diverse. In the west it is extremely mountainous. The Bitterroot Mountains form part of the western boundary line, and east of this the main chain of the Rocky Mountains cross the state. Between these ranges is a great basin, forming one-fifth of the entire area. East of the Rocky Mountains is a rolling tableland, part of the Great Plains, which extend into the Dakotas.

On the east slopes of the Rocky Mountains lies the Sun River Valley (west of Great Falls). Three stately buttes are familiar landmarks. These buttes, Square Butte, Shaw Butte, and Crown Butte, are made of igneous rock, which is dense and has withstood weathering for many years. The underlying surface consists of shale. Many areas around these buttes are covered with clay surface soils. These soils have been derived from the weathering of the Colorado Formation.

In the south near the Yellowstone River the mountains reach an altitude of over 10,000 feet (3,000 m) and the peaks are perpetually covered with snow. Besides the prominent mountain ranges there are many spurs, detached ridges, and smooth, sloping buttes. The mountains are intersected by numerous valleys and canyons, through which flow several beautiful rivers. The highest point in the state, Granite Peak, is 12,799 feet (3,901 m) high.

The principal river systems in Montana are the Clark Fork of the Columbia, the Missouri, and the Yellowstone. The Clark Fork of the Missouri (not to be confused with the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River) rises in the Rocky Mountains near Butte, and after flowing west turns north and forms portion of the Idaho boundary. The Missouri river, formed by the Jefferson, Madison and Gallatin rivers crosses the central part of the state, flows through the Missouri breaks and later enters North Dakota. The Yellowstone, a tributary of the Missouri, rises in Yellowstone Park in Wyoming, flows northeast across the state through canyons and gorges, and enters the Missouri River a few miles east of the North Dakota boundary.

Vegetation of the area includes pine, larch, fir, spruce, aspen, birch, redcedar, ash, and alder trees. Additionally, flowers native to Montana include asters, bitterroots, daisies, lupins, poppies, primroses, columbine, lilies and dryads. Sagebrush and various species of grass are common plants in the region, and forests cover 1/4 of the state.

Native Americans were the first inhabitants of modern-day Montana. Groups included the Crows in the south-central area, the Cheyenne in the southeast, the Blackfeet, Assiniboine and Gros Ventres in the central and north-central region and the Kootenai and Salish in the western sector. The smaller Pend d'Oreille and Kalispel tribes were found around Flathead Lake and the western mountains, respectively.

Subsequent to the Lewis and Clark expeditions and after the finding of gold and copper in the state in the late 1850's, Montana became a United States territory (Montana Territory) on May 26, 1864 and the 41st state on November 8, 1889.

Fort Shaw, (Montana Territory), was established in the spring of 1867. Fort Shaw is located west of Great Falls in the Sun River Valley. Fort Shaw was one of three posts authorized to be built by Congress in 1865. The other two posts in the Montana Territory were Camp Cooke on the Judith River and Fort C.F. Smith on the Bozeman Trail in southcentral Montana Territory. Fort Shaw, named after Colonel Robert G. Shaw, who commanded one of the first all African-American regiments (54th Massachusetts) during the American Civil War, was built of adobe and lumber by the 13th Infantry. The fort had a parade ground that was 400 feet square and consisted of barracks for officers, a hospital, and a trading post and could house up to 450 soldiers. Completed in 1868, the fort was used by military personnel until 1891.

After the close of the military post in 1891, the government established Fort Shaw as a school to provide industrial training to young Native-Americans. The Fort Shaw Indian Industrial School was opened on April 30, 1892. The school had at one time 17 faculty members, 11 Indian assistants and 300 students. The school made use of over twenty of the buildings originally built by the Army. In 1902, a group of female students from the Indian school began playing basketball and traveled throughout Montana, defeating high school teams as well as some college teams. In 1904 the girls basketball team traveled by train to the St. Louis World's Fair. Over five months' time the team was challenged by numerous other basketball teams and won every contest, returning to Fort Shaw with the "world champion" trophy. On May 1, 2004 a monument in honor of the basketball team was unveiled at the entrance of the present day Fort Shaw Elementary School.

The Enlarged Homestead Act of the early 1900's greatly affected the settlement of Montana. This Act expanded the land that was provided by the Homestead Act of 1862 from 160 acres to 320 acres. When the latter Act was signed by President Taft, it also reduced the time necessary to prove up from five years to three years and permitted five months absence from the claim each year.

In 1908, the Sun River Irrigation Project, west of Great Falls was opened up for homesteading. Under this Reclamation Act, a person could obtain 40 acres. Most of the people who came to file on these homesteads were young couples who were eager to live near the mountains where hunting and fishing were good. Many of these homesteaders came from the Midwest and Minnesota.

Montana was the scene of the Native Americans' last effort to keep their land. For instance, the last stand of U.S. Army Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer was fought in Montana near the present day town of Hardin. Montana was also the location of the final battles of the Nez Perce Wars.

Cattle ranching has long been central to Montana's history and economy. The Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site in Deer Lodge Valley is maintained as a link to the ranching style of the late 19th century. It is operated by the National Park Service, but is also a 1900 acre (7.7 km²) working ranch.

The capital of Montana is Helena and its current Governor is Brian Schweitzer (Democrat) who was sworn in on January 3, 2005. Its two U.S. senators are Max Baucus (Democrat) and Conrad Burns (Republican). Montana's lone congressman is Denny Rehberg (Republican).

Though generally considered a Republican state ( George Bush won it by twenty percentage points with 59.1% of the vote in 2004), Montana elected its first Democratic Governor in 16 years in 2004, and both chambers of the legislature are currently controlled by the Democrats. The state last supported a Democrat for president in 1992, Bill Clinton's first election. Only five of Montana's counties tend to vote for Democratic candidates in national elections, they are Big Horn County, Glacier County, Silver Bow County, Roosevelt County and Deer Lodge County. In 2004, Missoula County voted Democratic, while it went Republican in 2000.

Several Indian reservations are located in Montana: Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, Crow Indian Reservation, Rocky Boys Indian Reservation, Blackfeet Indian Reservation, and the Flathead Indian Reservation.

[edit]
Economy
The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that Montana's total state product in 2003 was $26 billion. Per capital personal income in 2003 was $25,406, 47th in the nation. Its agricultural outputs are cattle, wheat, barley, sugar beets, hay, and hogs. Its industrial outputs are mining, lumber and wood products, food processing, and tourism.

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Demographics
[edit]
Population
Historical populations
Census
year Population

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1870 20,595
1880 39,159
1890 142,924
1900 243,329
1910 376,053
1920 548,889
1930 537,606
1940 559,456
1950 591,024
1960 674,767
1970 694,409
1980 786,690
1990 799,065
2000 902,195
As of 2004 the population of Montana was estimated to be 926,865. 16,500 of state residents are foreign-born, accounting for 1.8% of the total population. Montana's population increased 128,000 between 1990 and 2004, a 16% growth.

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Race
89.5% White
6.2% Native American
2.0% Hispanic
0.5% Asian
0.3% Black
1.7% Mixed race
[edit]
Ancestry
The five largest reported ancestries in Montana are:
German (27%), Irish (14.8%), English (12.7%), Norwegian (10.6%), American (5.1%).

German ancestry is the largest reported ancestry in most of Montana. Residents of Scandinavian ancestry are a plurality in parts of the state, particularly in the northeast. There are several predominantly Native American counties, especially in the north and east. The residents of the western Rocky Mountains are largely of British origin.

Christian – 82%
Protestant – 55%
Lutheran – 15%
Methodist – 8%
Baptist – 5%
Presbyterian – 4%
United Church of Christ – 2%
Other Protestant or general Protestant – 21%
Roman Catholic – 24%
Mormon – 3%
Other Religions – <1%
Non-Religious – 18%
[edit]
Important cities and towns
Montana's largest city is Billings.

Anaconda-Deer Lodge County
Billings
Bozeman
Butte
Glasgow
Great Falls
Havre
Helena
Kalispell
Miles City
Missoula
Three Forks

[edit]
Education
[edit]
Colleges and universities
Montana University System or MUS consists of:
Montana State University - Billings
Montana State University - Bozeman
Montana State University Northern- Havre
University of Montana - Missoula
Univeristy of Montana Tech - Butte
[[[1]University of Montana Western- Dillon]]
Also:

Missoula Osprey
Great Falls White Sox
Helena Brewers
Billings Mustangs
[edit]
Famous People from Montana
Dave McNally
Dana Carvey
Gary Cooper (from Helena)
Evel Knievel (from Butte)
Phil Jackson (from Deer Lodge)
Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam
Ryan Leaf (from Great Falls)
Chet Huntley (from Billings)
David Lynch (from Missoula)
Michelle Williams (from Kalispell)
Joe McIntosh (from Billings)
Ty Paine (from Billings)
[edit]
Ski areas
Montana has several ski areas including:

Big Mountain near Whitefish
Big Sky near Bozeman
Blacktail near Lakeside
Bridger Bowl near Bozeman
Discovery near Philipsburg
Montana Snowbowl near Missoula
Moonlight Basin near Bozeman
Red Lodge Mountain near Red Lodge
Showdown Ski Area near White Sulphur Springs
Turner near Libby
[edit]
Miscellaneous information
State flower: Bitterroot (Lewisia rediviva) (since 1895)
State tree: Ponderosa Pine since 1949
State animal: Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) (since 1862
State bird: Western Meadowlark since 1931
State fish: Blackspotted Cutthroat Trout since 1977
State Song: "Montana" since 1945
State Ballad: "Montana Melody" since 1983
State Gemstones: Yogo Sapphire & Agate
State Fossil: Duck-billed Dinosaur (Maiasaura peeblesorum) since 1985
State Butterfly: Mourning cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) since 2001
State Grass: Bluebunch Wheatgrass since 1973
State Motto: "Oro y Plata" (gold and silver)

Shortest river in the world: The Roe River
In the movie 'Star Trek: First Contact', Montana is the location of the historical first contact between humans and an alien race, the Vulcans.
[edit]
Transportation

The current Montana sample license plate. A variety of other license plate images are available in Montana as fund-raisers for non-profit organizations.Major highways include: