Montana - wikipedia Montana This is the latest accepted revision , reviewed on 25 October 2017 . Jump to : navigation , search This article is about the U.S. state of Montana . For other uses , see Montana ( disambiguation ) . `` Montanan '' redirects here . For other uses , see Montanan ( disambiguation ) . `` Big Sky Country '' redirects here . For the song by Chris Whitley , see Big Sky Country ( song ) . State of Montana Flag Seal Nickname ( s ) : Big Sky Country , The Treasure State Motto ( s ) : Oro y Plata ( Gold and Silver ) Official language English Demonym Montanan Capital Helena Largest city Billings Largest metro Billings Metropolitan Area Area Ranked 4th Total 147,040 sq mi ( 380,800 km ) Width 630 miles ( 1,015 km ) Length 255 miles ( 410 km ) % water Latitude 44 ° 21 ′ N to 49 ° N Longitude 104 ° 2 ′ W to 116 ° 3 ′ W Population Ranked 44th Total 1,042,520 ( 2016 est . ) Density 7.09 / sq mi ( 2.73 / km ) Ranked 48th Median household income $51,395 ( 37th ) Elevation Highest point Granite Peak 12,807 ft ( 3903.5 m ) Mean 3,400 ft ( 1040 m ) Lowest point Kootenai River at Idaho border 1,804 ft ( 557 m ) Before statehood Montana Territory Admission to Union November 8 , 1889 ( 41st ) Governor Steve Bullock ( D ) Lieutenant Governor Mike Cooney ( D ) Legislature Montana Legislature Upper house Senate Lower house House of Representatives U.S. Senators Jon Tester ( D ) Steve Daines ( R ) U.S. House delegation Greg Gianforte ( R ) ( list ) Time zone Mountain : UTC - 7 / - 6 ISO 3166 US - MT Abbreviations MT , Mont . Website www.mt.gov ( show ) Montana state symbols The Flag of Montana The Seal of Montana Living insignia Bird Western meadowlark Butterfly Mourning cloak Fish Westslope cutthroat trout Flower Bitterroot Mammal Grizzly bear Tree Ponderosa pine Inanimate insignia Fossil Petrified wood Gemstone Sapphire , Agate Motto Spanish : Oro Y Plata ( Gold and Silver ) Slogan Big Sky Country Song `` Montana '' State route marker State quarter Released in 2007 Lists of United States state symbols Montana / mɒnˈtænə / ( listen ) is a state in the northwestern region of the United States . The state 's name is derived from the Spanish word montaña ( mountain ) . Montana has several nicknames , although none official , including `` Big Sky Country '' and `` The Treasure State '' , and slogans that include `` Land of the Shining Mountains '' and more recently `` The Last Best Place '' . Montana is the 4th largest in area , the 7th least populous , and the 3rd sparsely populated of the 50 U.S. states . The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges . Smaller island ranges are found throughout the state . In total , 77 named ranges are part of the Rocky Mountains . The eastern half of Montana is characterized by western prairie terrain and badlands . The economy is primarily based on agriculture , including ranching and cereal grain farming . Other significant economic activities include oil , gas , coal and hard rock mining , lumber , and the fastest - growing sector , tourism . The health care , service , and government sectors also are significant to the state 's economy . Millions of tourists annually visit Glacier National Park , the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument , and Yellowstone National Park . Contents ( hide ) 1 Etymology and naming history 2 Geography 2.1 Topography 2.1. 1 Rivers , lakes and reservoirs 2.1. 1.1 Pacific Ocean drainage basin 2.1. 1.2 Gulf of Mexico drainage basin 2.1. 1.3 Hudson Bay drainage basin 2.1. 1.4 Lakes and reservoirs 2.2 Flora and fauna 2.3 Protected lands 2.4 Climate 2.5 Antipodes 3 History 3.1 Montana territory 3.2 Conflicts 3.3 Cattle ranching 3.4 Railroads 3.5 Statehood 3.6 Homesteading 3.7 Montana and World War I 3.8 Depression era 3.9 Montana and World War II 3.10 Other military 3.11 Cold War Montana 4 Demographics 4.1 Intrastate demographics 4.2 Language 4.3 Religion 4.4 Native Americans 4.5 Birth data 5 Economy 6 Education 6.1 Colleges and universities 6.2 Schools 7 Culture 7.1 Major cultural events 7.2 Sports 7.2. 1 Professional sports 7.2. 2 College sports 7.2. 3 Other sports 7.2. 4 Olympic competitors 7.2. 5 Sporting achievements 7.3 Outdoor recreation 7.3. 1 Fishing and hunting 7.3. 2 Winter sports 8 Health 9 Media 10 Transportation 11 Law and government 11.1 Constitution 11.2 State government : Executive 11.3 State government : Legislative 11.4 State government : Judicial 11.5 Federal offices and courts 12 Politics 12.1 Current trends 13 Cities and towns 14 State symbols 15 See also 16 References 17 Bibliography 18 Further reading 19 External links Etymology and naming History ( edit ) The name Montana comes from the Spanish word Montaña and the Latin word Montana , meaning `` mountain '' , or more broadly , `` mountainous country '' . Montaña del Norte was the name given by early Spanish explorers to the entire mountainous region of the west . The name Montana was added to a bill by the United States House Committee on Territories , which was chaired at the time by Rep. James Ashley of Ohio , for the territory that would become Idaho Territory . The name was changed by Representatives Henry Wilson ( Massachusetts ) and Benjamin F. Harding ( Oregon ) , who complained Montana had `` no meaning '' . When Ashley presented a bill to establish a temporary government in 1864 for a new territory to be carved out of Idaho , he again chose Montana Territory . This time Rep. Samuel Cox , also of Ohio , objected to the name . Cox complained that the name was a misnomer given most of the territory was not mountainous and that a Native American name would be more appropriate than a Spanish one . Other names such as Shoshone were suggested , but it was decided that the Committee on Territories could name it whatever they wanted , so the original name of Montana was adopted . Geography ( edit ) See also : Regional designations of Montana , Ecological systems of Montana , List of mountain ranges in Montana , and List of forests in Montana Map of Montana Montana is one of the nine Mountain States , located in the north of the region known as the Western United States . It borders North Dakota and South Dakota to the east . Wyoming is to the south , Idaho is to the west and southwest , and three Canadian provinces , British Columbia , Alberta , and Saskatchewan , are to the north . With an area of 147,040 square miles ( 380,800 km ) , Montana is the fourth largest state in the United States after Alaska , Texas , and California ; it is the largest landlocked U.S. state . Topography ( edit ) The state 's topography is roughly defined by the Continental Divide , which splits much of the state into distinct eastern and western regions . Most of Montana 's 100 or more named mountain ranges are in the state 's western half , most of which is geologically and geographically part of the Northern Rocky Mountains . The Absaroka and Beartooth ranges in the state 's south - central part are technically part of the Central Rocky Mountains . The Rocky Mountain Front is a significant feature in the state 's north - central portion , and isolated island ranges that interrupt the prairie landscape common in the central and eastern parts of the state . About 60 percent of the state is prairie , part of the northern Great Plains . The Bitterroot Mountains -- one of the longest continuous ranges in the Rocky Mountain chain from Alaska to Mexico -- along with smaller ranges , including the Coeur d'Alene Mountains and the Cabinet Mountains , divide the state from Idaho . The southern third of the Bitterroot range blends into the Continental Divide . Other major mountain ranges west of the Divide include the Cabinet Mountains , the Anaconda Range , the Missions , the Garnet Range , Sapphire Mountains , and Flint Creek Range . Montana terrain The Divide 's northern section , where the mountains rapidly give way to prairie , is part of the Rocky Mountain Front . The front is most pronounced in the Lewis Range , located primarily in Glacier National Park . Due to the configuration of mountain ranges in Glacier National Park , the Northern Divide ( which begins in Alaska 's Seward Peninsula ) crosses this region and turns east in Montana at Triple Divide Peak . It causes the Waterton River , Belly , and Saint Mary rivers to flow north into Alberta , Canada . There they join the Saskatchewan River , which ultimately empties into Hudson Bay . East of the divide , several roughly parallel ranges cover the state 's southern part , including the Gravelly Range , the Madison Range , Gallatin Range , Absaroka Mountains and the Beartooth Mountains . The Beartooth Plateau is the largest continuous land mass over 10,000 feet ( 3,000 m ) high in the continental United States . It contains the state 's highest point , Granite Peak , 12,799 feet ( 3,901 m ) high . North of these ranges are the Big Belt Mountains , Bridger Mountains , Tobacco Roots , and several island ranges , including the Crazy Mountains and Little Belt Mountains . St. Mary Lake in Glacier National Park Between many mountain ranges are rich river valleys . The Big Hole Valley , Bitterroot Valley , Gallatin Valley , Flathead Valley , and Paradise Valley have extensive agricultural resources and multiple opportunities for tourism and recreation . East and north of this transition zone are the expansive and sparsely populated Northern Plains , with tableland prairies , smaller island mountain ranges , and badlands . The isolated island ranges east of the Divide include the Bear Paw Mountains , Bull Mountains , Castle Mountains , Crazy Mountains , Highwood Mountains , Judith Mountains , Little Belt Mountains , Little Rocky Mountains , the Pryor Mountains , Snowy Mountains , Sweet Grass Hills , and -- in the state 's southeastern corner near Ekalaka -- the Long Pines . Many of these isolated eastern ranges were created about 120 to 66 million years ago when magma welling up from the interior cracked and bowed the earth 's surface here . The area east of the divide in the state ' north - central portion is known for the Missouri Breaks and other significant rock formations . Three buttes south of Great Falls are major landmarks : Cascade , Crown , Square , Shaw and Buttes . Known as laccoliths , they formed when igneous rock protruded through cracks in the sedimentary rock . The underlying surface consists of sandstone and shale . Surface soils in the area are highly diverse , and greatly affected by the local geology , whether glaciated plain , intermountain basin , mountain foothills , or tableland . Foothill regions are often covered in weathered stone or broken slate , or consist of uncovered bare rock ( usually igneous , quartzite , sandstone , or shale ) . The soil of intermountain basins usually consists of clay , gravel , sand , silt , and volcanic ash , much of it laid down by lakes which covered the region during the Oligocene 33 to 23 million years ago . Tablelands are often topped with argillite gravel and weathered quartzite , occasionally underlain by shale . The glaciated plains are generally covered in clay , gravel , sand , and silt left by the proglacial Lake Great Falls or by moraines or gravel - covered former lake basins left by the Wisconsin glaciation 85,000 to 11,000 years ago . Farther east , areas such as Makoshika State Park near Glendive and Medicine Rocks State Park near Ekalaka contain some of the most scenic badlands regions in the state . The Belly River in Waterton Lakes National Park The Hell Creek Formation in Northeast Montana is a major source of dinosaur fossils . Paleontologist Jack Horner of the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman brought this formation to the world 's attention with several major finds . Rivers , lakes and reservoirs ( edit ) See also : List of rivers of Montana and List of lakes in Montana Montana has thousands of named rivers and creeks , 450 miles ( 720 km ) of which are known for `` blue - ribbon '' trout fishing . Montana 's water resources provide for recreation , hydropower , crop and forage irrigation , mining , and water for human consumption . Montana is one of few geographic areas in the world whose rivers form parts of three major watersheds ( i.e. where two continental divides intersect ) . Its rivers feed the Pacific Ocean , the Gulf of Mexico , and Hudson Bay . The watersheds divide at Triple Divide Peak in Glacier National Park . Pacific Ocean drainage Basin ( edit ) Missouri Breaks region in central Montana West of the divide , the Clark Fork of the Columbia ( not to be confused with the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River ) rises near Butte and flows northwest to Missoula , where it is joined by the Blackfoot River and Bitterroot River . Farther downstream , it is joined by the Flathead River before entering Idaho near Lake Pend Oreille . The Pend Oreille River forms the outflow of Lake Pend Oreille . The Pend Oreille River joined the Columbia River , which flows to the Pacific Ocean -- making the 579 - mile ( 932 km ) long Clark Fork / Pend Oreille ( considered a single river system ) the longest river in the Rocky Mountains . The Clark Fork discharges the greatest volume of water of any river exiting the state . The Kootenai River in northwest Montana is another major tributary of the Columbia . Gulf of Mexico drainage Basin ( edit ) East of the divide the Missouri River , which is formed by the confluence of the Jefferson , Madison and Gallatin rivers near Three Forks , flows due north through the west - central part of the state to Great Falls . From this point , it then flows generally east through fairly flat agricultural land and the Missouri Breaks to Fort Peck reservoir . The stretch of river between Fort Benton and the Fred Robinson Bridge at the western boundary of Fort Peck Reservoir was designated a National Wild and Scenic River in 1976 . The Missouri enters North Dakota near Fort Union , having drained more than half the land area of Montana ( 82,000 square miles ( 210,000 km ) ) . Nearly one - third of the Missouri River in Montana lies behind 10 dams : Toston , Canyon Ferry , Hauser , Holter , Black Eagle , Rainbow , Cochrane , Ryan , Morony , and Fort Peck . The Yellowstone River rises on the continental divide near Younts Peak in Wyoming 's Teton Wilderness . It flows north through Yellowstone National Park , enters Montana near Gardiner , and passes through the Paradise Valley to Livingston . It then flows northeasterly across the state through Billings , Miles City , Glendive , and Sidney . The Yellowstone joins the Missouri in North Dakota just east of Fort Union . It is the longest undammed , free - flowing river in the contiguous United States , and drains about a quarter of Montana ( 36,000 square miles ( 93,000 km ) ) . Other major Montana tributaries of the Missouri include the Smith , Milk , Marias , Judith , and Musselshell Rivers . Montana also claims the disputed title of possessing the world 's shortest river , the Roe River , just outside Great Falls . Through the Missouri , these rivers ultimately join the Mississippi River and flow into the Gulf of Mexico . Major tributaries of the Yellowstone include the Boulder , Stillwater , Clarks Fork , Bighorn , Tongue , and Powder Rivers . Hudson Bay drainage Basin ( edit ) The Northern Divide turns east in Montana at Triple Divide Peak , causing the Waterton River , Belly , and Saint Mary rivers to flow north into Alberta . There they join the Saskatchewan River , which ultimately empties into Hudson Bay . Lakes and reservoirs ( edit ) There are some 3,000 named lakes and reservoirs in Montana , including Flathead Lake , the largest natural freshwater lake in the western United States . Other major lakes include Whitefish Lake in the Flathead Valley and Lake McDonald and St. Mary Lake in Glacier National Park . The largest reservoir in the state is Fort Peck Reservoir on the Missouri river , which is contained by the second largest earthen dam and largest hydraulically filled dam in the world . Other major reservoirs include Hungry Horse on the Flathead River ; Lake Koocanusa on the Kootenai River ; Lake Elwell on the Marias River ; Clark Canyon on the Beaverhead River ; Yellowtail on the Bighorn River , Canyon Ferry , Hauser , Holter , Rainbow ; and Black Eagle on the Missouri River . Flora and fauna ( edit ) Pompey 's Pillar National Monument See also : List of monocotyledons of Montana , List of coniferous plants of Montana , List of lichens of Montana , List of amphibians and reptiles of Montana , List of birds of Montana , Fish of Montana , Mammals of Montana , and List of taxa described from Montana Vegetation of the state includes lodgepole pine , ponderosa pine ; Douglas fir , larch , spruce ; aspen , birch , red cedar , hemlock , ash , alder ; rocky mountain maple and cottonwood trees . Forests cover approximately 25 percent of the state . Flowers native to Montana include asters , bitterroots , daisies , lupins , poppies , primroses , columbine , lilies , orchids , and dryads . Several species of sagebrush and cactus and many species of grasses are common . Many species of mushrooms and lichens are also found in the state . Montana is home to a diverse array of fauna that includes 14 amphibian , 90 fish , 117 mammal , 20 reptile and 427 bird species . Additionally , there are over 10,000 invertebrate species , including 180 mollusks and 30 crustaceans . Montana has the largest grizzly bear population in the lower 48 states . Montana hosts five federally endangered species -- black - footed ferret , whooping crane , least tern , pallid sturgeon and white sturgeon and seven threatened species including the grizzly bear , Canadian lynx and bull trout . The Montana Department of Fish , Wildlife and Parks manages fishing and hunting seasons for at least 17 species of game fish including seven species of trout , walleye and smallmouth bass and at least 29 species of game birds and animals including ring - neck pheasant , grey partridge , elk , pronghorn antelope , mule deer , whitetail deer , gray wolf and bighorn sheep . Protected Lands ( edit ) See also : List of Montana state parks Bison herd grazing at the National Bison Range Montana contains Glacier National Park , `` The Crown of the Continent '' ; and portions of Yellowstone National Park , including three of the park 's five entrances . Other federally recognized sites include the Little Bighorn National Monument , Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area , Big Hole National Battlefield , and the National Bison Range . Approximately 31,300,000 acres ( 127,000 km ) , or 35 percent of Montana 's land is administered by federal or state agencies . The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service administers 16,800,000 acres ( 68,000 km ) of forest land in ten National Forests . There are approximately 3,300,000 acres ( 13,000 km ) of wilderness in 12 separate wilderness areas that are part of the National Wilderness Preservation System established by the Wilderness Act of 1964 . The U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management controls 8,100,000 acres ( 33,000 km ) of federal land . The U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service administers 110,000 acres ( 450 km ) of 1.1 million acres of National Wildlife Refuges and waterfowl production areas in Montana . The U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation administers approximately 300,000 acres ( 1,200 km ) of land and water surface in the state . The Montana Department of Fish , Wildlife and Parks operates approximately 275,265 acres ( 1,113.96 km ) of state parks and access points on the state 's rivers and lakes . The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation manages 5,200,000 acres ( 21,000 km ) of School Trust Land ceded by the federal government under the Land Ordinance of 1785 to the state in 1889 when Montana was granted statehood . These lands are managed by the state for the benefit of public schools and institutions in the state . Quake Lake was created by a landslide during the 1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake Areas managed by the National Park Service include : Big Hole National Battlefield near Wisdom Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area near Fort Smith Glacier National Park Grant - Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site at Deer Lodge Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument near Crow Agency Nez Perce National Historical Park Yellowstone National Park Climate ( edit ) Temperature and precipitation for Montana 's capital city , Helena Köppen climate types of Montana Montana is a large state with considerable variation in geography , and the climate is , therefore , equally varied . The state spans from below the 45th parallel ( the line equidistant between the equator and North Pole ) to the 49th parallel , and elevations range from under 2,000 feet ( 610 m ) to nearly 13,000 feet ( 4,000 m ) above sea level . The western half is mountainous , interrupted by numerous large valleys . Eastern Montana comprises plains and badlands , broken by hills and isolated mountain ranges , and has a semi-arid , continental climate ( Köppen climate classification BSk ) . The Continental Divide has a considerable effect on the climate , as it restricts the flow of warmer air from the Pacific from moving east , and drier continental air from moving west . The area west of the divide has a modified northern Pacific coast climate , with milder winters , cooler summers , less wind and a longer growing season . Low clouds and fog often form in the valleys west of the divide in winter , but this is rarely seen in the east . Average daytime temperatures vary from 28 ° F or − 2.2 ° C in January to 84.5 ° F or 29.2 ° C in July . The variation in geography leads to great variation in temperature . The highest observed summer temperature was 117 ° F or 47.2 ° C at Glendive on July 20 , 1893 , and Medicine Lake on July 5 , 1937 . Throughout the state , summer nights are generally cool and pleasant . Extremely hot weather is less common above 4,000 feet or 1,200 metres . Snowfall has been recorded in all months of the year in the more mountainous areas of central and western Montana , though it is rare in July and August . The Big Drift covering the Going - to - the - Sun Road in Glacier National Park as photographed on March 23 , 2006 The coldest temperature on record for Montana is also the coldest temperature for the entire contiguous U.S. On January 20 , 1954 , − 70 ° F or − 56.7 ° C was recorded at a gold mining camp near Rogers Pass . Temperatures vary greatly on cold nights , and Helena , 40 miles ( 64 km ) to the southeast had a low of only − 36 ° F or − 37.8 ° C on the same date , and an all - time record low of − 42 ° F or − 41.1 ° C. Winter cold spells are usually the result of cold continental air coming south from Canada . The front is often well defined , causing a large temperature drop in a 24 - hour period . Conversely , air flow from the southwest results in `` chinooks . '' These steady 25 -- 50 mph ( 40 -- 80 km / h ) ( or more ) winds can suddenly warm parts of Montana , especially areas just to the east of the mountains , where temperatures sometimes rise up to 50 -- 60 ° F ( 10.0 -- 15.6 ° C ) for periods of ten days or longer . Loma is the site of the most extreme recorded temperature change in a 24 - hour period in the United States . On January 15 , 1972 , a chinook wind blew in and the temperature rose from − 54 to 49 ° F ( − 47.8 to 9.4 ° C ) . The Grinnell Glacier receives 105 inches ( 2,700 mm ) of precipitation per year Clark Fork River , Missoula , in autumn Average annual precipitation is 15 inches ( 380 mm ) , but great variations are seen . The mountain ranges block the moist Pacific air , holding moisture in the western valleys , and creating rain shadows to the east . Heron , in the west , receives the most precipitation , 34.70 inches ( 881 mm ) . On the eastern ( leeward ) side of a mountain range , the valleys are much drier ; Lonepine averages 11.45 inches ( 291 mm ) , and Deer Lodge 11.00 inches ( 279 mm ) of precipitation . The mountains can receive over 100 inches ( 2,500 mm ) , for example the Grinnell Glacier in Glacier National Park gets 105 inches ( 2,700 mm ) . An area southwest of Belfry averaged only 6.59 inches ( 167 mm ) over a sixteen - year period . Most of the larger cities get 30 to 50 inches or 0.76 to 1.27 metres of snow each year . Mountain ranges can accumulate 300 inches or 7.62 metres of snow during a winter . Heavy snowstorms may occur from September through May , though most snow falls from November to March . The climate has become warmer in Montana and continues to do so . The glaciers in Glacier National Park have receded and are predicted to melt away completely in a few decades . Many Montana cities set heat records during July 2007 , the hottest month ever recorded in Montana . Winters are warmer , too , and have fewer cold spells . Previously these cold spells had killed off bark beetles , but these are now attacking the forests of western Montana . The warmer winters in the region have allowed various species to expand their ranges and proliferate . The combination of warmer weather , attack by beetles , and mismanagement during past years has led to a substantial increase in the severity of forest fires in Montana . According to a study done for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency by the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Science , portions of Montana will experience a 200 - percent increase in area burned by wildfires , and an 80 - percent increase in related air pollution . The table below lists average temperatures for the warmest and coldest month for Montana 's seven largest cities . The coldest month varies between December and January depending on location , although figures are similar throughout . Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures for selected cities in Montana Location July ( ° F ) Coldest month ( ° F ) July ( ° C ) Coldest month ( ° C ) Billings 89 / 54 32 / 14 32 / 15 4 / -- 9 Missoula 86 / 51 30 / 11 31 / 16 − 0 / -- 8 Great Falls 83 / 51 28 / 11 34 / 15 1 / -- 9 Bozeman 81 / 51 27 / 10 31 / 12 − 0 / -- 11 Butte 80 / 45 27 / 7 30 / 5 − 1 / -- 15 Helena 86 / 54 30 / 12 31 / 12 − 0 / -- 11 Kalispell 81 / 48 27 / 9 29 / 14 − 1 / -- 10 Antipodes ( edit ) Montana is one of only two continental US states ( along with Colorado ) which is antipodal to land . The Kerguelen Islands are antipodal to the Montana -- Saskatchewan -- Alberta border . No towns are precisely antipodal to Kerguelen , though Chester and Rudyard are close . History ( edit ) Main article : History of Montana Early Indian treaty territories in Montana . Assiniboine family , Montana , 1890 -- 91 Various indigenous peoples lived in the territory of the present - day state of Montana for thousands of years . Historic tribes encountered by Europeans and settlers from the United States included the Crow in the south - central area ; the Cheyenne in the very southeast ; the Blackfeet , Assiniboine and Gros Ventres in the central and north - central area ; and the Kootenai and Salish in the west . The smaller Pend d'Oreille and Kalispel tribes lived near Flathead Lake and the western mountains , respectively . A part of southeastern Montana was used as a corridor between the Crows and the related Hidatsas in North Dakota . The land in Montana east of the continental divide was part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 . Subsequent to and particularly in the decades following the Lewis and Clark Expedition , American , British and French traders operated a fur trade , typically working with indigenous peoples , in both eastern and western portions of what would become Montana . These dealings were not always peaceful , and though the fur trade brought some material gain for indigenous tribal groups it also brought exposure to European diseases and altered their economic and cultural traditions . The trading post Fort Raymond ( 1807 - 1811 ) was constructed in Crow Indian country in 1807 . Until the Oregon Treaty ( 1846 ) , land west of the continental divide was disputed between the British and U.S. and was known as the Oregon Country . The first permanent settlement by Euro - Americans in what today is Montana was St. Mary 's ( 1841 ) near present - day Stevensville . In 1847 , Fort Benton was established as the uppermost fur - trading post on the Missouri River . In the 1850s , settlers began moving into the Beaverhead and Big Hole valleys from the Oregon Trail and into the Clark 's Fork valley . The first gold discovered in Montana was at Gold Creek near present - day Garrison in 1852 . A series of major mining discoveries in the western third of the state starting in 1862 found gold , silver , copper , lead , coal ( and later oil ) that attracted tens of thousands of miners to the area . The richest of all gold placer diggings was discovered at Alder Gulch , where the town of Virginia City was established . Other rich placer deposits were found at Last Chance Gulch , where the city of Helena now stands , Confederate Gulch , Silver Bow , Emigrant Gulch , and Cooke City . Gold output from 1862 through 1876 reached $144 million ; silver then became even more important . The largest mining operations were in the city of Butte , which had important silver deposits and gigantic copper deposits . Montana Territory ( edit ) Before the creation of Montana Territory ( 1864 -- 1889 ) , various parts of what is now Montana were parts of Oregon Territory ( 1848 -- 1859 ) , Washington Territory ( 1853 -- 1863 ) , Idaho Territory ( 1863 -- 1864 ) , and Dakota Territory ( 1861 -- 1864 ) . Montana became a United States territory ( Montana Territory ) on May 26 , 1864 . The first territorial capital was at Bannack . The first territorial governor was Sidney Edgerton . The capital moved to Virginia City in 1865 and to Helena in 1875 . In 1870 , the non-Indian population of Montana Territory was 20,595 . The Montana Historical Society , founded on February 2 , 1865 , in Virginia City is the oldest such institution west of the Mississippi ( excluding Louisiana ) . In 1869 and 1870 respectively , the Cook -- Folsom -- Peterson and the Washburn -- Langford -- Doane Expeditions were launched from Helena into the Upper Yellowstone region and directly led to the creation of Yellowstone National Park in 1872 . Conflicts ( edit ) See also : List of military installations in Montana As white settlers began populating Montana from the 1850s through the 1870s , disputes with Native Americans ensued , primarily over land ownership and control . In 1855 , Washington Territorial Governor Isaac Stevens negotiated the Hellgate treaty between the United States Government and the Salish , Pend d'Oreille , and the Kootenai people of western Montana , which established boundaries for the tribal nations . The treaty was ratified in 1859 . While the treaty established what later became the Flathead Indian Reservation , trouble with interpreters and confusion over the terms of the treaty led whites to believe that the Bitterroot Valley was opened to settlement , but the tribal nations disputed those provisions . The Salish remained in the Bitterroot Valley until 1891 . The first U.S. Army post established in Montana was Camp Cooke in 1866 , on the Missouri River , to protect steamboat traffic going to Fort Benton , Montana . More than a dozen additional military outposts were established in the state . Pressure over land ownership and control increased due to discoveries of gold in various parts of Montana and surrounding states . Major battles occurred in Montana during Red Cloud 's War , the Great Sioux War of 1876 , the Nez Perce War and in conflicts with Piegan Blackfeet . The most notable of these were the Marias Massacre ( 1870 ) , Battle of the Little Bighorn ( 1876 ) , Battle of the Big Hole ( 1877 ) and Battle of Bear Paw ( 1877 ) . The last recorded conflict in Montana between the U.S. Army and Native Americans occurred in 1887 during the Battle of Crow Agency in the Big Horn country . Indian survivors who had signed treaties were generally required to move onto reservations . Chief Joseph and Col. John Gibbon met again on the Big Hole Battlefield site in 1889 Simultaneously with these conflicts , bison , a keystone species and the primary protein source that Native people had survived on for centuries were being destroyed . Some estimates say there were over 13 million bison in Montana in 1870 . In 1875 , General Philip Sheridan pleaded to a joint session of Congress to authorize the slaughtering of herds in order to deprive the Indians of their source of food . By 1884 , commercial hunting had brought bison to the verge of extinction ; only about 325 bison remained in the entire United States . Cattle ranching ( edit ) Cattle ranching has been central to Montana 's history and economy since Johnny Grant began wintering cattle in the Deer Lodge Valley in the 1850s and traded cattle fattened in fertile Montana valleys with emigrants on the Oregon Trail . Nelson Story brought the first Texas Longhorn cattle into the territory in 1866 . Granville Stuart , Samuel Hauser and Andrew J. Davis started a major open range cattle operation in Fergus County in 1879 . The Grant - Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site in Deer Lodge is maintained today as a link to the ranching style of the late 19th century . Operated by the National Park Service , it is a 1,900 - acre ( 7.7 km ) working ranch . Railroads ( edit ) Tracks of the Northern Pacific Railroad ( NPR ) reached Montana from the west in 1881 and from the east in 1882 . However , the railroad played a major role in sparking tensions with Native American tribes in the 1870s . Jay Cooke , the NPR president launched major surveys into the Yellowstone valley in 1871 , 1872 and 1873 which were challenged forcefully by the Sioux under chief Sitting Bull . These clashes , in part , contributed to the Panic of 1873 , a financial crisis that delayed construction of the railroad into Montana . Surveys in 1874 , 1875 and 1876 helped spark the Great Sioux War of 1876 . The transcontinental NPR was completed on September 8 , 1883 , at Gold Creek . Tracks of the Great Northern Railroad ( GNR ) reached eastern Montana in 1887 and when they reached the northern Rocky Mountains in 1890 , the GNR became a significant promoter of tourism to Glacier National Park region . The transcontinental GNR was completed on January 6 , 1893 , at Scenic , Washington . In 1881 , the Utah and Northern Railway a branch line of the Union Pacific completed a narrow gauge line from northern Utah to Butte . A number of smaller spur lines operated in Montana from 1881 into the 20th century including the Oregon Short Line , Montana Railroad and Milwaukee Road . Statehood ( edit ) Buffalo Soldiers , Ft . Keogh , Montana , 1890 . The nickname was given to the `` Black Cavalry '' by the Native American tribes they fought . Under Territorial Governor Thomas Meagher , Montanans held a constitutional convention in 1866 in a failed bid for statehood . A second constitutional convention was held in Helena in 1884 that produced a constitution ratified 3 : 1 by Montana citizens in November 1884 . For political reasons , Congress did not approve Montana statehood until 1889 . Congress approved Montana statehood in February 1889 and President Grover Cleveland signed an omnibus bill granting statehood to Montana , North Dakota , South Dakota and Washington once the appropriate state constitutions were crafted . In July 1889 , Montanans convened their third constitutional convention and produced a constitution accepted by the people and the federal government . On November 8 , 1889 President Benjamin Harrison proclaimed Montana the forty - first state in the union . The first state governor was Joseph K. Toole . In the 1880s , Helena ( the current state capital ) had more millionaires per capita than any other United States city . Homesteading ( edit ) The Homestead Act of 1862 provided free land to settlers who could claim and `` prove - up '' 160 acres ( 0.65 km ) of federal land in the midwest and western United States . Montana did not see a large influx of immigrants from this act because 160 acres was usually insufficient to support a family in the arid territory . The first homestead claim under the act in Montana was made by David Carpenter near Helena in 1868 . The first claim by a woman was made near Warm Springs Creek by Gwenllian Evans , the daughter of Deer Lodge Montana pioneer , Morgan Evans . By 1880 , there were farms in the more verdant valleys of central and western Montana , but few on the eastern plains . The Desert Land Act of 1877 was passed to allow settlement of arid lands in the west and allotted 640 acres ( 2.6 km ) to settlers for a fee of $. 25 per acre and a promise to irrigate the land . After three years , a fee of one dollar per acre would be paid and the land would be owned by the settler . This act brought mostly cattle and sheep ranchers into Montana , many of whom grazed their herds on the Montana prairie for three years , did little to irrigate the land and then abandoned it without paying the final fees . Some farmers came with the arrival of the Great Northern and Northern Pacific Railroads throughout the 1880s and 1890s , though in relatively small numbers . Mennonite family in Montana , c. 1937 In the early 1900s , James J. Hill of the Great Northern began promoting settlement in the Montana prairie to fill his trains with settlers and goods . Other railroads followed suit . In 1902 , the Reclamation Act was passed , allowing irrigation projects to be built in Montana 's eastern river valleys . In 1909 , Congress passed the Enlarged Homestead Act that expanded the amount of free land from 160 to 320 acres ( 0.6 to 1.3 km ) per family and in 1912 reduced the time to `` prove up '' on a claim to three years . In 1916 , the Stock - Raising Homestead Act allowed homesteads of 640 acres in areas unsuitable for irrigation . This combination of advertising and changes in the Homestead Act drew tens of thousands of homesteaders , lured by free land , with World War I bringing particularly high wheat prices . In addition , Montana was going through a temporary period of higher - than - average precipitation . Homesteaders arriving in this period were known as `` Honyockers '' , or `` scissorbills . '' Though the word `` honyocker '' , possibly derived from the ethnic slur `` hunyak , '' was applied in a derisive manner at homesteaders as being `` greenhorns '' , `` new at his business '' or `` unprepared '' , the reality was that a majority of these new settlers had previous farming experience , though there were also many who did not . However , farmers faced a number of problems . Massive debt was one . Also , most settlers were from wetter regions , unprepared for the dry climate , lack of trees , and scarce water resources . In addition , small homesteads of fewer than 320 acres ( 130 ha ) were unsuited to the environment . Weather and agricultural conditions are much harsher and drier west of the 100th meridian . Then , the droughts of 1917 -- 1921 proved devastating . Many people left , and half the banks in the state went bankrupt as a result of providing mortgages that could not be repaid . As a result , farm sizes increased while the number of farms decreased By 1910 , homesteaders filed claims on over five million acres , and by 1923 , over 93 million acres were farmed . In 1910 , the Great Falls land office alone saw over 1,000 homestead filings per month , and the peak of 1917 -- 1918 saw 14,000 new homesteads each year . But significant drop occurred following drought in 1919 . Honyocker , scissorbill , nester ... He was the Joad of a ( half ) century ago , swarming into a hostile land : duped when he started , robbed when he arrived ; hopeful , courageous , ambitious : he sought independence or adventure , comfort and security ... The honyocker was farmer , spinster , deep - sea diver ; fiddler , physician , bartender , cook . He lived in Minnesota or Wisconsin , Massachusetts or Maine . There the news sought him out -- Jim Hill 's news of free land in the Treasure State ... -- Joseph Kinsey Howard , Montana , High , Wide , and Handsome Montana and World war I ( edit ) As World War I broke out , Jeannette Rankin , the first woman in the United States to be a member of Congress , was a pacifist and voted against the United States ' declaration of war . Her actions were widely criticized in Montana , where public support for the war was strong , and wartime sentiment reached levels of hyper - patriotism among many Montanans . In 1917 -- 18 , due to a miscalculation of Montana 's population , approximately 40,000 Montanans , ten percent of the state 's population , either volunteered or were drafted into the armed forces . This represented a manpower contribution to the war that was 25 percent higher than any other state on a per capita basis . Approximately 1500 Montanans died as a result of the war and 2437 were wounded , also higher than any other state on a per capita basis . Montana 's Remount station in Miles City provided 10,000 cavalry horses for the war , more than any other Army post in the US . The war created a boom for Montana mining , lumber and farming interests as demand for war materials and food increased . In June 1917 , the U.S. Congress passed the Espionage Act of 1917 which was later extended by the Sedition Act of 1918 , enacted in May 1918 . In February 1918 , the Montana legislature had passed the Montana Sedition Act , which was a model for the federal version . In combination , these laws criminalized criticism of the U.S. government , military , or symbols through speech or other means . The Montana Act led to the arrest of over 200 individuals and the conviction of 78 , mostly of German or Austrian descent . Over 40 spent time in prison . In May 2006 , then - Governor Brian Schweitzer posthumously issued full pardons for all those convicted of violating the Montana Sedition Act . The Montanans who opposed U.S. entry into the war included certain immigrant groups of German and Irish heritage as well as pacifist Anabaptist people such as the Hutterites and Mennonites , many of whom were also of Germanic heritage . In turn , pro-War groups formed , such as the Montana Council of Defense , created by Governor Samuel V. Stewart as well as local `` loyalty committees . '' War sentiment was complicated by labor issues . The Anaconda Copper Company , which was at its historic peak of copper production , was an extremely powerful force in Montana , but also faced criticism and opposition from socialist newspapers and unions struggling to make gains for their members . In Butte , a multi-ethnic community with significant European immigrant population , labor unions , particularly the newly formed Metal Mine Workers ' Union , opposed the war on grounds that it mostly profited large lumber and mining interests . In the wake of ramped - up mine production and the Speculator Mine disaster in June 1917 , Industrial Workers of the World organizer Frank Little arrived in Butte to organize miners . He gave some speeches with inflammatory anti-war rhetoric . On August 1 , 1917 , he was dragged from his boarding house by masked vigilantes , and hanged from a railroad trestle , considered a lynching . Little 's murder and the strikes that followed resulted in the National Guard being sent to Butte to restore order . Overall , anti-German and anti-labor sentiment increased and created a movement that led to the passage of the Montana Sedition Act the following February . In addition , the Council of Defense was made a state agency with the power to prosecute and punish individuals deemed in violation of the Act . The Council also passed rules limiting public gatherings and prohibiting the speaking of German in public . In the wake of the legislative action in 1918 , emotions rose . U.S. Attorney Burton K. Wheeler and several District Court Judges who hesitated to prosecute or convict people brought up on charges were strongly criticized . Wheeler was brought before the Council of Defense , though he avoided formal proceedings , and a District Court judge from Forsyth was impeached . There were burnings of German - language books and several near - hangings . The prohibition on speaking German remained in effect into the early 1920s . Complicating the wartime struggles , the 1918 Influenza epidemic claimed the lives of over 5,000 Montanans . The period has been dubbed `` Montana 's Agony '' by some historians due to the suppression of civil liberties that occurred . Depression era ( edit ) An economic depression began in Montana after World War I and lasted through the Great Depression until the beginning of World War II . This caused great hardship for farmers , ranchers , and miners . The wheat farms in eastern Montana make the state a major producer ; the wheat has a relatively high protein content and thus commands premium prices . Montana and World war II ( edit ) When the U.S. entered World War II on December 8 , 1941 , many Montanans already had enlisted in the military to escape the poor national economy of the previous decade . Another 40,000 - plus Montanans entered the armed forces in the first year following the declaration of war , and over 57,000 joined up before the war ended . These numbers constituted about 10 percent of the state 's total population , and Montana again contributed one of the highest numbers of soldiers per capita of any state . Many Native Americans were among those who served , including soldiers from the Crow Nation who became Code Talkers . At least 1500 Montanans died in the war . Montana also was the training ground for the First Special Service Force or `` Devil 's Brigade , '' a joint U.S - Canadian commando - style force that trained at Fort William Henry Harrison for experience in mountainous and winter conditions before deployment . Air bases were built in Great Falls , Lewistown , Cut Bank and Glasgow , some of which were used as staging areas to prepare planes to be sent to allied forces in the Soviet Union . During the war , about 30 Japanese balloon bombs were documented to have landed in Montana , though no casualties nor major forest fires were attributed to them . In 1940 , Jeannette Rankin was again elected to Congress . In 1941 , as she had in 1917 , she voted against the United States ' declaration of war after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor . Hers was the only vote against the war , and in the wake of public outcry over her vote , Rankin required police protection for a time . Other pacifists tended to be those from `` peace churches '' who generally opposed war . Many individuals claiming conscientious objector status from throughout the U.S. were sent to Montana during the war as smokejumpers and for other forest fire - fighting duties . Other military ( edit ) During World War II , the planned battleship USS Montana was named in honor of the state . However , the battleship was never completed . Montana is the only one of the first 48 states lacking a completed battleship being named for it . Alaska and Hawaii have both had nuclear submarines named after them . Montana is the only state in the union without a modern naval ship named in its honor . However , in August 2007 Senator Jon Tester made a request to the Navy that a submarine be christened USS Montana . Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced on September 3 , 2015 that Virginia Class attack Submarine SSN - 794 will bear the state 's namesake . This will be the second commissioned warship to bear the name Montana . Cold war Montana ( edit ) In the post-World War II Cold War era , Montana became host to U.S. Air Force Military Air Transport Service ( 1947 ) for airlift training in C - 54 Skymasters and eventually , in 1953 Strategic Air Command air and missile forces were based at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls . The base also hosted the 29th Fighter Interceptor Squadron , Air Defense Command from 1953 to 1968 . In December 1959 , Malmstrom AFB was selected as the home of the new Minuteman I ballistic missile . The first operational missiles were in - place and ready in early 1962 . In late 1962 missiles assigned to the 341st Strategic Missile Wing would play a major role in the Cuban Missile Crisis . When the Soviets removed their missiles from Cuba , President John F. Kennedy said the Soviets backed down because they knew he had an `` Ace in the Hole , '' referring directly to the Minuteman missiles in Montana . Montana eventually became home to the largest ICBM field in the U.S. covering 23,500 square miles ( 61,000 km ) . Demographics ( edit ) Montana population density map Historical population Census Pop . % ± 1870 20,595 -- 1880 39,159 90.1 % 1890 142,924 265.0 % 1900 243,329 70.3 % 1910 376,053 54.5 % 1920 548,889 46.0 % 1930 537,606 − 2.1 % 1940 559,456 4.1 % 1950 591,024 5.6 % 1960 674,767 14.2 % 1970 694,409 2.9 % 1980 786,690 13.3 % 1990 799,065 1.6 % 2000 902,195 12.9 % 989,415 9.7 % Est. 2016 1,042,520 5.4 % Source : 1910 -- 2010 2016 estimate The United States Census Bureau estimates that the population of Montana was 1,032,949 on July 1 , 2015 , a 4.40 % increase since the 2010 United States Census . The 2010 census put Montana 's population at 989,415 which is an increase of 43,534 people , or 4.40 percent , since 2010 . During the first decade of the new century , growth was mainly concentrated in Montana 's seven largest counties , with the highest percentage growth in Gallatin County , which saw a 32 percent increase in its population from 2000 -- 2010 . The city seeing the largest percentage growth was Kalispell with 40.1 percent , and the city with the largest increase in actual residents was Billings with an increase in population of 14,323 from 2000 -- 2010 . On January 3 , 2012 , the Census and Economic Information Center ( CEIC ) at the Montana Department of Commerce estimated Montana had hit the one million population mark sometime between November and December 2011 . The United States Census Bureau estimates that the population of Montana was 1,005,141 on July 1 , 2012 , a 1.6 percent increase since the 2010 United States Census . According to the 2010 Census , 89.4 percent of the population was White ( 87.8 percent Non-Hispanic White ) , 6.3 percent American Indian and Alaska Native , 2.9 percent Hispanics and Latinos of any race , 0.6 percent Asian , 0.4 percent Black or African American , 0.1 percent Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander , 0.6 percent from Some Other Race , and 2.5 percent from two or more races . The largest European ancestry groups in Montana as of 2010 are : German ( 27.0 percent ) , Irish ( 14.8 percent ) , English ( 12.6 percent ) , Norwegian ( 10.9 percent ) , French ( 4.7 percent ) and Italian ( 3.4 percent ) . Montana Racial Breakdown of Population ( hide ) Racial composition 1990 2000 White 92.7 % 90.6 % 89.4 % Native 6.0 % 6.2 % 6.3 % Asian 0.5 % 0.5 % 0.6 % Black 0.3 % 0.3 % 0.4 % Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander -- 0.1 % 0.1 % Other race 0.5 % 0.6 % 0.6 % Two or more races -- 1.7 % 2.5 % Intrastate Demographics ( edit ) Montana has a larger Native American population numerically and percentage-wise than most U.S. states . Although the state ranked 45th in population ( according to the 2010 U.S. Census ) , it ranked 19th in total native people population . Native people constituted 6.5 percent of the state 's total population , the sixth highest percentage of all 50 states . Montana has three counties in which Native Americans are a majority : Big Horn , Glacier , and Roosevelt . Other counties with large Native American populations include Blaine , Cascade , Hill , Missoula , and Yellowstone counties . The state 's Native American population grew by 27.9 percent between 1980 and 1990 ( at a time when Montana 's entire population rose just 1.6 percent ) , and by 18.5 percent between 2000 and 2010 . As of 2009 , almost two - thirds of Native Americans in the state live in urban areas . Of Montana 's 20 largest cities , Polson ( 15.7 percent ) , Havre ( 13.0 percent ) , Great Falls ( 5.0 percent ) , Billings ( 4.4 percent ) , and Anaconda ( 3.1 percent ) had the greatest percentage of Native American residents in 2010 . Billings ( 4,619 ) , Great Falls ( 2,942 ) , Missoula ( 1,838 ) , Havre ( 1,210 ) , and Polson ( 706 ) have the most Native Americans living there . The state 's seven reservations include more than twelve distinct Native American ethnolinguistic groups . While the largest European - American population in Montana overall is German , pockets of significant Scandinavian ancestry are prevalent in some of the farming - dominated northern and eastern prairie regions , parallel to nearby regions of North Dakota and Minnesota . Farmers of Irish , Scots , and English roots also settled in Montana . The historically mining - oriented communities of western Montana such as Butte have a wider range of European - American ethnicity ; Finns , Eastern Europeans and especially Irish settlers left an indelible mark on the area , as well as people originally from British mining regions such as Cornwall , Devon and Wales . The nearby city of Helena , also founded as a mining camp , had a similar mix in addition to a small Chinatown . Many of Montana 's historic logging communities originally attracted people of Scottish , Scandinavian , Slavic , English and Scots - Irish descent . The Hutterites , an Anabaptist sect originally from Switzerland , settled here , and today Montana is second only to South Dakota in U.S. Hutterite population with several colonies spread across the state . Beginning in the mid-1990s , the state also saw an influx of Amish , who relocated to Montana from the increasingly urbanized areas of Ohio and Pennsylvania . Montana 's Hispanic population is concentrated around the Billings area in south - central Montana , where many of Montana 's Mexican - Americans have been in the state for generations . Great Falls has the highest percentage of African - Americans in its population , although Billings has more African American residents than Great Falls . The Chinese in Montana , while a low percentage today , have historically been an important presence . About 2000 -- 3000 Chinese miners were in the mining areas of Montana by 1870 , and 2500 in 1890 . However , public opinion grew increasingly negative toward them in the 1890s and nearly half of the state 's Asian population left the state by 1900 . Today , there is a significant Hmong population centered in the vicinity of Missoula . Montanans who claim Filipino ancestry amount to almost 3,000 , making them currently the largest Asian American group in the state . Language ( edit ) English is the official language in the state of Montana , as it is in many U.S. states . According to the 2000 U.S. Census , 94.8 percent of the population aged 5 and older speak English at home . Spanish is the language most commonly spoken at home other than English . There were about 13,040 Spanish - language speakers in the state ( 1.4 percent of the population ) in 2011 . There were also 15,438 ( 1.7 percent of the state population ) speakers of Indo - European languages other than English or Spanish , 10,154 ( 1.1 percent ) speakers of a Native American language , and 4,052 ( 0.4 percent ) speakers of an Asian or Pacific Islander language . Other languages spoken in Montana ( as of 2013 ) include Assiniboine ( about 150 speakers in the Montana and Canada ) , Blackfoot ( about 100 speakers ) , Cheyenne ( about 1,700 speakers ) , Plains Cree ( about 100 speakers ) , Crow ( about 3,000 speakers ) , Dakota ( about 18,800 speakers in Minnesota , Montana , Nebraska , North Dakota , and South Dakota ) , German Hutterite ( about 5,600 speakers ) , Gros Ventre ( about 10 speakers ) , Kalispel - Pend d'Oreille ( about 64 speakers ) , Kutenai ( about 6 speakers ) , and Lakota ( about 6,000 speakers in Minnesota , Montana , Nebraska , North Dakota , South Dakota ) . The United States Department of Education estimated in 2009 that 5,274 students in Montana spoke a language at home other than English . These included a Native American language ( 64 percent ) , German ( 4 percent ) , Spanish ( 3 percent ) , Russian ( 1 percent ) , and Chinese ( less than 0.5 percent ) . Top 14 Non-English Languages Spoken in Montana Language Percentage of population ( as of 2000 ) Spanish 1.5 % German 1.1 % French and Crow ( tied ) 0.4 % Scandinavian languages ( including Danish , Norwegian , and Swedish ) 0.2 % Italian , Japanese , Russian , Native American languages ( other than Crow ; significantly Cheyenne ) , Slavic languages ( including Czech , Slovak , and Ukrainian ) ( tied ) 0.1 % Religion ( edit ) Religion in Montana religion percent Protestant 47 % Catholic 23 % No religion 20 % Declined to answer 6 % Mormon 5 % Jehovah 's witnesses 2 % Buddhist 1 % Jewish 0.5 % Hindu 0.5 % Muslim 0.5 % According to the Pew Forum , the religious affiliations of the people of Montana are as follows : Protestant 47 % , Catholic 23 % , LDS ( Mormon ) 5 % , Jehovah 's Witness 2 % , Buddhist 1 % , Jewish 0.5 % , Muslim 0.5 % , Hindu 0.5 % and Non-Religious at 20 % . The largest denominations in Montana as of 2010 were the Catholic Church with 127,612 adherents , The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints with 46,484 adherents , Evangelical Lutheran Church in America with 38,665 adherents , and non-denominational Evangelical Protestant with 27,370 adherents . Native Americans ( edit ) Seven Indian reservations in Montana ( borders are not exact ) Approximately 66,000 people of Native American heritage live in Montana . Stemming from multiple treaties and federal legislation , including the Indian Appropriations Act ( 1851 ) , the Dawes Act ( 1887 ) , and the Indian Reorganization Act ( 1934 ) , seven Indian reservations , encompassing eleven federally recognized tribal nations , were created in Montana . A twelfth nation , the Little Shell Chippewa is a `` landless '' people headquartered in Great Falls ; it is recognized by the state of Montana but not by the U.S. government . The Blackfeet nation is headquartered on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation ( 1851 ) in Browning , Crow on the Crow Indian Reservation ( 1868 ) in Crow Agency , Confederated Salish and Kootenai and Pend d'Oreille on the Flathead Indian Reservation ( 1855 ) in Pablo , Northern Cheyenne on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation ( 1884 ) at Lame Deer , Assiniboine and Gros Ventre on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation ( 1888 ) in Fort Belknap Agency , Assiniboine and Sioux on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation ( 1888 ) at Poplar , and Chippewa - Cree on the Rocky Boy 's Indian Reservation ( 1916 ) near Box Elder . Approximately 63 % of all Native people live off the reservations , concentrated in the larger Montana cities , with the largest concentration of urban Indians in Great Falls . The state also has a small Métis population , and 1990 census data indicated that people from as many as 275 different tribes lived in Montana . Montana 's Constitution specifically reads that `` the state recognizes the distinct and unique cultural heritage of the American Indians and is committed in its educational goals to the preservation of their cultural integrity . '' It is the only state in the U.S. with such a constitutional mandate . The Indian Education for All Act ( IEFA ) was passed in 1999 to provide funding for this mandate and ensure implementation . It mandates that all schools teach American Indian history , culture , and heritage from preschool through college . For kindergarten through 12th - grade students , an `` Indian Education for All '' curriculum from the Montana Office of Public Instruction is available free to all schools . The state was sued in 2004 because of lack of funding , and the state has increased its support of the program . South Dakota passed similar legislation in 2007 , and Wisconsin was working to strengthen its own program based on this model -- and the current practices of Montana 's schools . Each Indian reservation in the state has a fully accredited tribal colleges . The University of Montana `` was the first to establish dual admission agreements with all of the tribal colleges and as such it was the first institution in the nation to actively facilitate student transfer from the tribal colleges '' Birth Data ( edit ) Note : Births in table do n't add up , because Hispanics are counted both by their ethnicity and by their race , giving a higher overall number . Live Births by Race / Ethnicity of Mother Race 2013 2014 2015 White 10,615 ( 85.7 % ) 10,572 ( 85.0 % ) 10,768 ( 85.6 % ) > Non-Hispanic White 10,170 ( 82.2 % ) 10,153 ( 81.7 % ) 10,270 ( 81.6 % ) Native 1,531 ( 12.4 % ) 1,585 ( 12.7 % ) 1,560 ( 12.4 % ) Asian 132 ( 1.1 % ) 169 ( 1.3 % ) 152 ( 1.2 % ) Black 99 ( 0.8 % ) 106 ( 0.8 % ) 103 ( 0.8 % ) Hispanic ( of any race ) 476 ( 3.8 % ) 494 ( 4.0 % ) 573 ( 4.5 % ) Total Montana 12,377 ( 100 % ) 12,432 ( 100 % ) 12,583 ( 100 % ) Economy ( edit ) See also : Montana locations by per capita income Montana ranks 2nd nationally in craft breweries per capita . First Interstate Center in downtown Billings , the tallest building in Montana The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that Montana 's total state product in 2014 was $44.3 billion . per capita personal income in 2014 was $40,601 , 35th in the nation . Montana is a relative hub of beer microbrewing , ranking third in the nation in number of craft breweries per capita in 2011 . There are significant industries for lumber and mineral extraction ; the state 's resources include gold , coal , silver , talc , and vermiculite . Ecotaxes on resource extraction are numerous . A 1974 state severance tax on coal ( which varied from 20 to 30 percent ) was upheld by the Supreme Court of the United States in Commonwealth Edison Co. v. Montana , 453 U.S. 609 ( 1981 ) . Tourism is also important to the economy with over ten million visitors a year to Glacier National Park , Flathead Lake , the Missouri River headwaters , the site of the Battle of Little Bighorn and three of the five entrances to Yellowstone National Park . Montana 's personal income tax contains 7 brackets , with rates ranging from 1 percent to 6.9 percent . Montana has no sales tax . In Montana , household goods are exempt from property taxes . However , property taxes are assessed on livestock , farm machinery , heavy equipment , automobiles , trucks , and business equipment . The amount of property tax owed is not determined solely by the property 's value . The property 's value is multiplied by a tax rate , set by the Montana Legislature , to determine its taxable value . The taxable value is then multiplied by the mill levy established by various taxing jurisdictions -- city and county government , school districts and others . As of June 2015 , the state 's unemployment rate is 3.9 percent . Education ( edit ) Colleges and universities ( edit ) The Montana University System consists of : Dawson Community College Flathead Valley Community College Miles Community College Montana State University -- Bozeman Gallatin College Montana State University -- Bozeman Montana State University -- Billings City College at Montana State University Billings -- Billings Montana State University -- Northern -- Havre Great Falls College Montana State University -- Great Falls University of Montana -- Missoula Missoula College University of Montana -- Missoula Montana Tech of the University of Montana -- Butte Highlands College of Montana Tech -- Butte University of Montana Western -- Dillon Helena College University of Montana -- Helena Bitterroot College University of Montana -- Hamilton Tribal colleges in Montana include : Aaniiih Nakoda College -- Harlem Blackfeet Community College -- Browning Chief Dull Knife College -- Lame Deer Fort Peck Community College -- Poplar Little Big Horn College -- Crow Agency Salish Kootenai College -- Pablo Stone Child College -- Box Elder There are three private , non-profit colleges in Montana : Carroll College Rocky Mountain College University of Great Falls Schools ( edit ) The Montana Territory was formed on April 26 , 1864 , when the U.S. passed the Organic Act . Schools started forming in the area before it was officially a territory as families started settling into the area . The first schools were subscription schools that typically held in the teacher 's home . The first formal school on record was at Fort Owen in Bitterroot valley in 1862 . The students were Indian children and the children of Fort Owen employees . The first school term started in early winter and only lasted until February 28 . Classes were taught by Mr. Robinson . Another early subscription school was started by Thomas Dimsdale in Virginia City in 1863 . In this school students were charged $1.75 per week . The Montana Territorial Legislative Assembly had its inaugural meeting in 1864 . The first legislature authorized counties to levy taxes for schools , which set the foundations for public schooling . Madison County was the first to take advantage of the newly authorized taxes and it formed fhe first public school in Virginia City in 1886 . The first school year was scheduled to begin in January 1866 , but severe weather postponed its opening until March . The first school year ran through the summer and did n't end until August 17 . One of the first teachers at the school was Sarah Raymond . She was a 25 - year - old woman who had traveled to Virginia City via wagon train in 1865 . To become a certified teacher , Raymond took a test in her home and paid a $6 fee in gold dust to obtain a teaching certificate . With the help of an assistant teacher , Mrs. Farley , Raymond was responsible for teaching 50 to 60 students each day out of the 81 students enrolled at the school . Sarah Raymond was paid at a rate of $125 per month , and Mrs. Farley was paid $75 per month . There were no textbooks used in the school . In their place was an assortment of books brought in by various emigrants . Sarah quit teaching the following year , but would later become the Madison County superintendent of schools . Culture ( edit ) See also : Music of Montana , Artists from Montana , and Authors from Montana Many well - known artists , photographers and authors have documented the land , culture and people of Montana in the last 100 years . Painter and sculptor Charles Marion Russell , known as `` the cowboy artist '' created more than 2,000 paintings of cowboys , Native Americans , and landscapes set in the Western United States and in Alberta , Canada . The C.M. Russell Museum Complex located in Great Falls , Montana houses more than 2,000 Russell artworks , personal objects , and artifacts . Evelyn Cameron , a naturalist and photographer from Terry documented early 20th century life on the Montana prairie , taking startlingly clear pictures of everything around her : cowboys , sheepherders , weddings , river crossings , freight wagons , people working , badlands , eagles , coyotes and wolves . Many notable Montana authors have documented or been inspired by life in Montana in both fiction and non-fiction works . Pulitzer Prize winner Wallace Earle Stegner from Great Falls was often called `` The Dean of Western Writers '' . James Willard Schultz ( `` Apikuni '' ) from Browning is most noted for his prolific stories about Blackfeet life and his contributions to the naming of prominent features in Glacier National Park . Major cultural events ( edit ) Dancers at Crow Fair in 1941 Montana hosts numerous arts and cultural festivals and events every year . Major events include : Bozeman was once known as the `` Sweet Pea capital of the nation '' referencing the prolific edible pea crop . To promote the area and celebrate its prosperity , local business owners began a `` Sweet Pea Carnival '' that included a parade and queen contest . The annual event lasted from 1906 to 1916 . Promoters used the inedible but fragrant and colorful sweet pea flower as an emblem of the celebration . In 1977 the `` Sweet Pea '' concept was revived as an arts festival rather than a harvest celebration , growing into a three - day event that is one of the largest festivals in Montana . Montana Shakespeare in the Parks has been performing free , live theatrical productions of Shakespeare and other classics throughout Montana since 1973 . The Montana Shakespeare Company is based in Helena . Since 1909 , the Crow Fair and Rodeo , near Hardin , has been an annual event every August in Crow Agency and is currently the largest Northern Native American gathering , attracting nearly 45,000 spectators and participants . Since 1952 , North American Indian Days has been held every July in Browning . Lame Deer hosts the annual Northern Cheyenne Powwow . Sports ( edit ) Montana Grizzlies football at Washington -- Grizzly Stadium , Missoula Professional sports ( edit ) There are no major league sports franchises in Montana due to the state 's relatively small and dispersed population , but a number of minor league teams play in the state . Baseball is the minor - league sport with the longest heritage in the state , and Montana is currently home to four Minor League Baseball teams , all members of the Pioneer League : the Billings Mustangs , Great Falls Voyagers , Helena Brewers , and Missoula Osprey . College sports ( edit ) All of Montana 's four - year colleges and universities field intercollegiate sports teams . The two largest schools , the University of Montana and Montana State University , are members of the Big Sky Conference and have enjoyed a strong athletic rivalry since the early twentieth century . Six of Montana 's smaller four - year schools are members of the Frontier Conference . One is a member of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference . Other sports ( edit ) A variety of sports are offered at Montana high schools . Montana allows the smallest -- `` Class C '' -- high schools to utilize six - man football teams , dramatized in the independent 2002 film , The Slaughter Rule . There are junior ice hockey teams in Montana , four of which are affiliated with the North American 3 Hockey League : Bozeman Icedogs , Great Falls Americans , Helena Bighorns , and Missoula Jr . Bruins . Olympic competitors ( edit ) Ski jumping champion and United States Skiing Hall of Fame inductee Casper Oimoen was captain of the U.S. Olympic team at the 1936 Winter Olympics while he was a resident of Anaconda . He placed thirteenth that year , and had previously finished fifth at the 1932 Winter Olympics . Montana has produced two U.S. champions and Olympic competitors in men 's figure skating , both from Great Falls : John Misha Petkevich , lived and trained in Montana before entering college , competed in the 1968 and 1972 Winter Olympics . Scott Davis , also from Great Falls , competed at the 1994 Winter Olympics Missoulian Tommy Moe won Olympic gold and silver medals at the 1994 Winter Olympics in downhill skiing and super G , the first American skier to win two medals at any Winter Olympics . Eric Bergoust , also of Missoula , won an Olympic gold medal in freestyle aerial skiing at the 1998 Winter Olympics , also competing in 1994 , 2002 and 2006 Olympics plus winning 13 World Cup titles . Sporting achievements ( edit ) Montanans have been a part of several major sporting achievements : In 1889 , Spokane became the first and only Montana horse to win the Kentucky Derby . For this accomplishment , the horse was admitted to the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2008 . In 1904 a basketball team of young Native American women from Fort Shaw , after playing undefeated during their previous season , went to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition held in St. Louis in 1904 , defeated all challenging teams and were declared to be world champions . In 1923 , the controversial Jack Dempsey vs. Tommy Gibbons fight for the heavyweight boxing championship , won by Dempsey , took place in Shelby . Outdoor recreation ( edit ) Montana provides year - round outdoor recreation opportunities for residents and visitors . Hiking , fishing , hunting , watercraft recreation , camping , golf , cycling , horseback riding , and skiing are popular activities . Fishing and hunting ( edit ) Montana has been a destination for its world - class trout fisheries since the 1930s . Fly fishing for several species of native and introduced trout in rivers and lakes is popular for both residents and tourists throughout the state . Montana is the home of the Federation of Fly Fishers and hosts many of the organizations annual conclaves . The state has robust recreational lake trout and kokanee salmon fisheries in the west , walleye can be found in many parts of the state , while northern pike , smallmouth and largemouth bass fisheries as well as catfish and paddlefish can be found in the waters of eastern Montana . Robert Redford 's 1992 film of Norman Mclean 's novel , A River Runs Through It , was filmed in Montana and brought national attention to fly fishing and the state . Montana is home to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and has a historic big game hunting tradition . There are fall bow and general hunting seasons for elk , pronghorn antelope , whitetail deer and mule deer . A random draw grants a limited number of permits for moose , mountain goats and bighorn sheep . There is a spring hunting season for black bear and in most years , limited hunting of bison that leave Yellowstone National Park is allowed . Current law allows both hunting and trapping of a specific number of wolves and mountain lions . Trapping of assorted fur bearing animals is allowed in certain seasons and many opportunities exist for migratory waterfowl and upland bird hunting . Winter sports ( edit ) The Big Sky Resort The Palisades area on the north end of the ski area at Red Lodge Mountain Resort Guided snowmobile tours in Yellowstone Park Both downhill skiing and cross-country skiing are popular in Montana , which has 15 developed downhill ski areas open to the public , including ; Bear Paw Ski Bowl near Havre , Montana Big Sky Resort , at Big Sky Blacktail Mountain near Lakeside Bridger Bowl Ski Area near Bozeman Discovery Basin between Philipsburg and Anaconda Great Divide near Helena , Montana Lookout Pass off Interstate 90 at the Montana - Idaho border Lost Trail near Darby , Montana Maverick Mountain near Dillon , Montana Moonlight Basin near Big Sky Red Lodge Mountain Resort near Red Lodge Showdown Ski Area near White Sulphur Springs , Montana Snowbowl Ski Area near Missoula Teton Pass Ski Area near Choteau Turner Mountain Ski Resort near Libby Whitefish Mountain Resort near Whitefish Big Sky , Moonlight Basin , Red Lodge , and Whitefish Mountain are destination resorts , while the remaining areas do not have overnight lodging at the ski area , though several host restaurants and other amenities . These day - use resorts partner with local lodging businesses to offer ski and lodging packages . Montana also has millions of acres open to cross-country skiing on nine of its national forests plus in Glacier National Park . In addition to cross-country trails at most of the downhill ski areas , there are also 13 private cross-country skiing resorts . Yellowstone National Park also allows cross-country skiing . Snowmobiling is popular in Montana which boasts over 4000 miles of trails and frozen lakes available in winter . There are 24 areas where snowmobile trails are maintained , most also offering ungroomed trails . West Yellowstone offers a large selection of trails and is the primary starting point for snowmobile trips into Yellowstone National Park , where `` oversnow '' vehicle use is strictly limited , usually to guided tours , and regulations are in considerable flux . Snow coach tours are offered at Big Sky , Whitefish , West Yellowstone and into Yellowstone National Park . Equestrian skijoring has a niche in Montana , which hosts the World Skijoring Championships in Whitefish as part of the annual Whitefish Winter Carnival . Health ( edit ) Montana does not have a Trauma I hospital , but does have Trauma II hospitals in Missoula , Billings , and Great Falls . In 2013 AARP The Magazine named the Billings Clinic one of the safest hospitals in the United States . Montana is ranked as the least obese state in the U.S. , at 19.6 % , according to the 2014 Gallup Poll . Media ( edit ) Main articles : List of radio stations in Montana and List of television stations in Montana As of 2010 , Missoula is the 166th largest media market in the United States as ranked by Nielsen Media Research , while Billings is 170th , Great Falls is 190th , the Butte - Bozeman area 191st , and Helena is 206th . There are 25 television stations in Montana , representing each major U.S. network . As of August 2013 , there are 527 FCC - licensed FM radio stations broadcast in Montana , with 114 such AM stations . During the age of the Copper Kings , each Montana copper company had its own newspaper . This changed in 1959 when Lee Enterprises bought several Montana newspapers . Montana 's largest circulating daily city newspapers are the Billings Gazette ( circulation 39,405 ) , Great Falls Tribune ( 26,733 ) , and Missoulian ( 25,439 ) . Transportation ( edit ) Yellowstone Airport , West Yellowstone , Montana Main article : Transportation in Montana See also : List of Montana railroads , List of Montana numbered highways , and List of airports in Montana Railroads have been an important method of transportation in Montana since the 1880s . Historically , the state was traversed by the main lines of three east - west transcontinental routes : the Milwaukee Road , the Great Northern , and the Northern Pacific . Today , the BNSF Railway is the state 's largest railroad , its main transcontinental route incorporating the former Great Northern main line across the state . Montana RailLink , a privately held Class II railroad , operates former Northern Pacific trackage in western Montana . In addition , Amtrak 's Empire Builder train runs through the north of the state , stopping in Libby , Whitefish , West Glacier , Essex , East Glacier Park , Browning , Cut Bank , Shelby , Havre , Malta , Glasgow , and Wolf Point . Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport is the busiest airport in the state of Montana , surpassing Billings Logan International Airport in the spring of 2013 . Montana 's other major Airports include Billings Logan International Airport , Missoula International Airport , Great Falls International Airport , Glacier Park International Airport , Helena Regional Airport , Bert Mooney Airport and Yellowstone Airport . Eight smaller communities have airports designated for commercial service under the Essential Air Service program . Historically , U.S. Route 10 was the primary east - west highway route across Montana , connecting the major cities in the southern half of the state . Still the state 's most important east - west travel corridor , the route is today served by Interstate 90 and Interstate 94 which roughly follow the same route as the Northern Pacific . U.S. Routes 2 and 12 and Montana Highway 200 also traverse the entire state from east to west . Montana 's only north - south Interstate Highway is Interstate 15 . Other major north - south highways include U.S. Routes 87 , 89 , 93 and 191 . Montana and South Dakota are the only states to share a land border which is not traversed by a paved road . Highway 212 , the primary paved route between the two , passes through the northeast corner of Wyoming between Montana and South Dakota . Law and government ( edit ) See also : List of Governors of Montana and United States congressional delegations from Montana This article needs additional citations for verification . Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed . ( February 2017 ) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message ) Constitution ( edit ) Montana is governed by a constitution . The first constitution was drafted by a constitutional convention in 1889 , in preparation for statehood . Ninety percent of its language came from an 1884 constitution which was never acted upon by Congress for national political reasons . The 1889 constitution mimicked the structure of the United States Constitution , as well as outlining almost the same civil and political rights for citizens . However , the 1889 Montana constitution significantly restricted the power of state government , the legislature was much more powerful than the executive branch , and the jurisdiction of the District Courts very specifically described . Montana voters amended the 1889 constitution 37 times between 1889 and 1972 . In 1914 , Montana granted women the vote . In 1916 , Montana became the first state to elect a woman , Progressive Republican Jeannette Rankin , to Congress . In 1971 , Montana voters approved the call for a state constitutional convention . A new constitution was drafted , which made the legislative and executive branches much more equal in power and which was much less prescriptive in outlining powers , duties , and jurisdictions . The draft included an expanded , more progressive list of civil and political rights , extended these rights to children for the first time , transferred administration of property taxes to the counties from the state , implemented new water rights , eliminated sovereign immunity , and gave the legislature greater power to spend tax revenues . The constitution was narrowly approved , 116,415 to 113,883 , and declared ratified on June 20 , 1972 . Three issues which the constitutional convention were unable to resolve were submitted to voters simultaneously with the proposed constitution . Voters approved the legalization of gambling , a bicameral legislature , and retention of the death penalty . The 1972 constitution has been amended 31 times as of 2015 . Major amendments include establishment of a reclamation trust ( funded by taxes on natural resource extraction ) to restore mined land ( 1974 ) ; restoration of sovereign immunity , when such immunity has been approved by a two - thirds vote in each house ( 1974 ) ; establishment of a 90 - day biennial ( rather than annual ) legislative session ( 1974 ) ; establishment of a coal tax trust fund , funded by a tax on coal extraction ( 1976 ) ; conversion of the mandatory decennial review of county government into a voluntary one , to be approaved or disallowed by residents in each county ( 1978 ) ; conversion of the provision of public assistance from a mandatory civil right to a non-fundamental legislative prerogative ( 1988 ) ; a new constitutional right to hunt and fish ( 2004 ) ; a prohibition on gay marriage ( 2004 ) ; and a prohibition on new taxes on the sale or transfer of real property ( 2010 ) . In 1992 , voters approved a constitutional amendment implementing term limits for certain statewide elected executive branch offices ( governor , lieutenant governor , secretary of state , state auditor , attorney general , superintendent of public instruction ) and for members of the Montana Legislature . Extensive new constitutional rights for victims of crime were approved in 2016 . The 1972 constitution requires that voters determine every 20 years whether to hold a new constitutional convention . Voters turned down a new convention in 1990 ( 84 percent no ) and again in 2010 ( 58.6 percent no ) . State government : executive ( edit ) Montana has three branches of state government : Leigslative , executive , and judicial . The executive branch is headed by an elected governor . The current Governor is Steve Bullock , a Democrat elected in 2012 . There are nine other statewide elected offices in the executive branch as well : Lieutenant Governor , Attorney General , Secretary of State , State Auditor ( who also serves as Commissioner of Securities and Insurance ) , and Superintendent of Public Instruction . There are five Public Service Commissioners , who are elected on a regional basis . ( The Public Service Commission 's jurisdiction is statewide . ) There are 18 departments and offices which make up the executive branch : Administration ; Agriculture ; Auditor ( securities and insurance ) ; Commerce ; Corrections ; Environmental Quality ; Fish , Wildlife & Parks ; Justice ; Labor and Industry ; Livestock ; Military Affairs ; Natural Resources and Conservation ; Public Health and Human Services ; Revenue ; State ; and Transportation . Elementary and secondary education are overseen by the Office of Public Instruction ( led by the elected Superintendent of Public Instruction ) , in cooperation with the governor - appointed Board of Public Education . Higher education is overseen by a governor - appointed Board of Regents , which in turn appoints a Commissioner of Higher Education . The Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education acts in an executive capacity on behalf of the regents , and oversees the state - run Montana University System . Independent state agencies , not located within a department or office , include the Montana Arts Council , Montana Board of Crime Control , Montana Historical Society , Montana Public Employees Retirement Administration , Commissioner of Political Practices , the Montana Lottery , Office of the State Public Defender , Public Service Commission , the Montana School for the Deaf and Blind , the Montana State Fund ( which operates the state 's unemployment insurance , worker compensation , and self - insurance operations ) , the Montana State Library , and the Montana Teachers Retirement System . Montana is an Alcoholic beverage control state . It is an equitable distribution and no - fault divorce state . It is one of five states to have no sales tax . State government : legislative ( edit ) The Montana Legislature is bicameral , and consists of the 50 - member Montana Senate and the 100 - member Montana House of Representatives . The legislature meets in the Montana State Capitol in Helena in odd - numbered years for 90 days , beginning the first weekday of the year . The deadline for a legislator to introduce a general bill is the 40th legislative day . The deadline for a legislator to introduce an appropriations , revenue , or referenda bill is the 62nd legislative day . Senators serve four - year terms , while Representatives serve two - year terms . All members are limited to serving no more than eight years in a single 16 - year period . State government : judicial ( edit ) The Courts of Montana are established by the Constitution of Montana . The constitution requires the establishment of a Montana Supreme Court and Montana District Courts , and permits the legislature to establish Justice Courts , City Courts , Municipal Courts , and other inferior courts such as the legislature sees fit to establish . The Montana Supreme Court is the court of last resort in the Montana court system . The constitution of 1889 provided for the election of no fewer than three Supreme Court justices , and one Chief Justice . Each court member served a six - year term . The legislature increased the number of justices to five in 1919 . The 1972 constitution lengthened the term of office to eight years , and established the minimum number of justices at five . It allowed the legislature to increase the number of justices by two , which the legislature did in 1979 . The Montana Supreme Court has the authority to declare acts of the legislature and executive unconstitutional under either the Montana or U.S. constitutions . Its decisions may be appealed directly to the U.S. Supreme Court . The Clerk of the Supreme Court is also an elected position , and serves a six - year term . Neither justices nor the clerk are term limited . Montana District Courts are the courts of general jurisdiction in Montana . There are no intermediate appellate courts . District Courts have jurisdiction primarily over most civil cases , cases involving a monetary claim against the state , felony criminal cases , probate , and cases at law and in equity . When so authorized by the legislature , actions of executive branch agencies may be appealed directly to a District Court . The District Courts also have de novo appellate jurisdiction from inferior courts ( city courts , justice courts , and municipal courts ) , and oversee naturalization proceedings . District Court judges are elected , and serve six - year terms . They are not term limited . There are 22 judicial districts in Montana , served by 56 District Courts and 46 District Court judges . The District Courts suffer from excessive workload , and the legislature has struggled to find a solution to the problem . Montana Youth Courts were established by the Montana Youth Court Act of 1974 . They are overseen by District Court judges . They consist of a chief probation officer , one or more juvenile probation officers , and support staff . Youth Courts have jurisdiction over misdemeanor and felony acts committed by those charged as a juvenile under the law . There is a Youth Court in every judicial district , and ecisions of the Youth Court are appealable directly to the Montana Supreme Court . The Montana Worker 's Compensation Court was established by the Montana Workers ' Compensation Act in 1975 . There is a single Workers ' Compensation Court . It has a single judge , appointed by the governor . The Worker 's Compensation Court has statewide jurisdiction , and holds trials in Billings , Great Falls , Helena , Kalispell , and Missoula . The court hears cases arising under the Montana Workers ' Compensation Act , and is the court of original jurisdiction for reviews of orders and regulations issued by the Montana Department of Labor and Industry . Decisions of the court are appealable directly to the Montana Supreme Court . The Montana Water Court was established by the Montana Water Court Act of 1979 . The Water Court consists of a Chief Water Judge and four District Water Judges ( Lower Missouri River Basin , Upper Missouri River Basin , Yellowstone River Basin , and Clark Fork River Basin ) . The court employs 12 permanent special masters . The Montana Judicial Nomination Commission develops short lists of nominees for all five Water Judges , who are then appointed by the Chief Justice of the Montana Supreme Court ( subject to confirmation by the Montana Senate ) . The Water Court adjudicates water rights claims under the Montana Water Use Act of 1973 , and has statewide jurisdiction . District Courts have the authority to enforce decisions of the Water Court , but only the Montana Supreme Court has the authority to review decisions of the Water Court . From 1889 to 1909 , elections for judicial office in Montana were partisan . Beginning in 1909 , these elections became nonpartisan . The Montana Supreme Court struck down the nonpartisan law in 1911 on technical grounds , but a new law was enacted in 1935 which barred political parties from endorsing , making contributions to , or making expenditures on behalf of or against judicial candidates . In 2012 , the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Montana 's judicial nonpartisan election law in American Tradition Partnership , Inc. v. Bullock , 567 U.S. ____ ( Sup. Ct. 2012 ) . Although candidates must remain nonpartisan , spending by partisan entities is now permitted . Spending on state supreme court races exponentially increased to $1.6 million in 2014 , and to more than $1.6 million in 2016 ( both new records ) . Federal offices and Courts ( edit ) The U.S. constitution provides each state with two Senators . Montana 's two U.S. senators are Jon Tester ( Democrat ) , last reelected in 2012 , and Steve Daines ( Republican ) , first elected in 2014 . The U.S. constitution provides each state with a single Representative , with additional representatives apportioned based on population . From statehood in 1889 until 1913 , Montana was represented in the United States House of Representatives by a single representative , elected at - large . Montana received a second representative in 1913 , following the 1910 census and reapportionment . Both members , however , were still elected at - large . Beginning in 1919 , Montana moved to district , rather than at - large , elections for its two House members . This created Montana 's 1st congressional district in the west and Montana 's 2nd congressional district in the east . In the reapportionment following the 1990 census , Montana lost one of its House seats . The remaining seat was again elected at - large . Greg Gianforte is the current officeholder . Montana 's Senate district is the fourth largest by size , behind Alaska , Texas , and California . The most notorious of Montana 's early Senators was William A. Clark , a `` Copper King '' and one of the 50 richest Americans ever . He is well known for having bribed his way into the U.S. Senate . Among Montana 's most historically prominent Senators are Thomas J. Walsh ( serving from 1913 to 1933 ) , who was President - elect Franklin D. Roosevelt 's choice for Attorney General when he died ; Burton K. Wheeler ( serving from 1923 to 1947 ) , an oft - mentioned presidential candidate and strong supporter of isolationism ; Mike Mansfield , the longest - serving Senate Majority Leader in U.S. history ; Max Baucus ( served 1978 to 2014 ) , longest - serving U.S. Senator in Montana history , and the senator who shepherded the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act through the Senate in 2010 ; and Lee Metcalf ( served 1961 to 1978 ) , a pioneer of the environmental movement . Montana 's House district is currently the largest congressional district in the United States by population , with just over 1,023,000 constituents . It is currently the second largest House district by size , after Alaska 's at - large congressional district . Of Montana 's House delegates , Jeannette Rankin , was the first woman to hold national office in the United States when she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1916 . Also notable is Representative ( later Senator ) Thomas H. Carter , the first Catholic to serve as chairman of the Republican National Committee ( from 1892 to 1896 ) . Federal courts located in Montana include the United States District Court for the District of Montana and the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Montana . Three former Montana politicians have been named judges on the U.S. District Court : Charles Nelson Pray ( who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1907 to 1913 ) , James Franklin Battin ( who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1961 to 1969 ) , and Paul G. Hatfield ( who served as an appointed U.S. Senator in 1978 ) . Brian Morris , who served as an Associate Justice of the Montana Supreme Court from 2005 to 2013 , currently served as a judge on the court . Politics ( edit ) Further information : Political party strength in Montana and Elections in Montana Presidential elections results Year Republican Democratic 2016 56.17 % 279,240 35.75 % 177,709 2012 55.35 % 267,928 41.70 % 201,839 2008 49.49 % 243,882 47.11 % 232,159 59.10 % 266,063 38.60 % 173,710 2000 58.40 % 240,178 33.40 % 137,126 44.11 % 179,652 41.23 % 167,922 35.12 % 144,207 37.63 % 154,507 52.07 % 190,412 46.20 % 168,936 Treemap of the popular vote by county , 2016 presidential election . Elections in the state have been competitive , with the Democrats usually holding an edge , thanks to the support among unionized miners and railroad workers . Large - scale battles revolved around the giant Anaconda Copper company , based in Butte and controlled by Rockefeller interests , until it closed in the 1970s . Until 1959 , the company owned five of the state 's six largest newspapers . Historically , Montana is a swing state of cross-ticket voters who tend to fill elected offices with individuals from both parties . Through the mid-20th century , the state had a tradition of `` sending the liberals to Washington and the conservatives to Helena . '' Between 1988 and 2006 , the pattern flipped , with voters more likely to elect conservatives to federal offices . There have also been long - term shifts of party control . From 1968 through 1988 , the state was dominated by the Democratic Party , with Democratic governors for a 20 - year period , and a Democratic majority of both the national congressional delegation and during many sessions of the state legislature . This pattern shifted , beginning with the 1988 election , when Montana elected a Republican governor for the first time since 1964 and sent a Republican to the U.S. Senate for the first time since 1948 . This shift continued with the reapportionment of the state 's legislative districts that took effect in 1994 , when the Republican Party took control of both chambers of the state legislature , consolidating a Republican party dominance that lasted until the 2004 reapportionment produced more swing districts and a brief period of Democratic legislative majorities in the mid-2000s . In more recent presidential elections , Montana has voted for the Republican candidate in all but two elections from 1952 to the present . The state last supported a Democrat for president in 1992 , when Bill Clinton won a plurality victory . Overall , since 1889 the state has voted for Democratic governors 60 percent of the time and Republican presidents 40 percent of the time . In the 2008 presidential election , Montana was considered a swing state and was ultimately won by Republican John McCain , albeit by a narrow margin of two percent . At the state level , the pattern of split ticket voting and divided government holds . Democrats currently hold one of the state 's U.S. Senate seats , as well as four of the five statewide offices ( Governor , Superintendent of Public Instruction , Secretary of State and State Auditor ) . The lone congressional district has been Republican since 1996 and in 2014 Steve Daines won one of the state 's Senate seats for the GOP . The Legislative branch had split party control between the house and senate most years between 2004 and 2010 , when the mid-term elections returned both branches to Republican control . The state Senate is , as of 2015 , controlled by the Republicans 29 to 21 , and the State House of Representatives at 59 to 41 . Historically , Republicans are strongest in the east , while Democrats are strongest in the west . Montana currently has only one representative in the U.S. House , having lost its second district in the 1990 census reapportionment . Montana 's single congressional district holds the largest population of any district in the country , which means its one member in the House of Representatives represents more people than any other member of the U.S. House ( see List of U.S. states by population ) . Montana 's population grew at about the national average during the 2000s , but it failed to regain its second seat in 2010 . Like all other states , Montana has two senators . Current trends ( edit ) An October 2013 Montana State University Billings survey found that 46.6 percent of Montana voters supported the legalization of same - sex marriage , while 42.6 percent opposed it and 10.8 percent were not sure . Cities and towns ( edit ) See also : List of cities and towns in Montana and List of counties in Montana Missoula Montana has 56 counties with the United States Census Bureau stating Montana 's contains 364 `` places '' , broken down into 129 incorporated places and 235 census - designated places . Incorporated places consist of 52 cities , 75 towns , and two consolidated city - counties . Montana has one city , Billings , with a population over 100,000 ; and two cities with populations over 50,000 , Missoula and Great Falls . These three communities are considered the centers of Montana 's three Metropolitan Statistical Areas . The state also has five Micropolitan Statistical Areas centered on Bozeman , Butte , Helena , Kalispell and Havre . These communities , excluding Havre , are colloquially known as the `` big 7 '' Montana cities , as they are consistently the seven largest communities in Montana , with a significant population difference when these communities are compared to those that are 8th and lower on the list . According to the 2010 U.S. Census , the population of Montana 's seven most populous cities , in rank order , are Billings , Missoula , Great Falls , Bozeman , Butte , Helena and Kalispell . Based on 2013 census numbers , they collectively contain 35 percent of Montana 's population . and the counties containing these communities hold 62 percent of the state 's population . The geographic center of population of Montana is located in sparsely populated Meagher County , in the town of White Sulphur Springs . State symbols ( edit ) Main article : List of Montana state symbols Montana 's state quarter , released in 2007 Montana 's motto , Oro y Plata , Spanish for `` Gold and Silver '' , recognizing the significant role of mining , was first adopted in 1865 , when Montana was still a territory . A state seal with a miner 's pick and shovel above the motto , surrounded by the mountains and the Great Falls of the Missouri River , was adopted during the first meeting of the territorial legislature in 1864 -- 65 . The design was only slightly modified after Montana became a state and adopted it as the Great Seal of the State of Montana , enacted by the legislature in 1893 . The state flower , the bitterroot , was adopted in 1895 with the support of a group called the Floral Emblem Association , which formed after Montana 's Women 's Christian Temperance Union adopted the bitterroot as the organization 's state flower . All other symbols were adopted throughout the 20th century , save for Montana 's newest symbol , the state butterfly , the mourning cloak , adopted in 2001 , and the state lullaby , `` Montana Lullaby '' , adopted in 2007 . The state song was not composed until 21 years after statehood , when a musical troupe led by Joseph E. Howard stopped in Butte in September 1910 . A former member of the troupe who lived in Butte buttonholed Howard at an after - show party , asking him to compose a song about Montana and got another partygoer , the city editor for the Butte Miner newspaper , Charles C. Cohan , to help . The two men worked up a basic melody and lyrics in about a half - hour for the entertainment of party guests , then finished the song later that evening , with an arrangement worked up the following day . Upon arriving in Helena , Howard 's troupe performed 12 encores of the new song to an enthusiastic audience and the governor proclaimed it the state song on the spot , though formal legislative recognition did not occur until 1945 . Montana is one of only three states to have a `` state ballad '' , `` Montana Melody '' , chosen by the legislature in 1983 . Montana was the first state to also adopt a State Lullaby . Montana schoolchildren played a significant role in selecting several state symbols . The state tree , the ponderosa pine , was selected by Montana schoolchildren as the preferred state tree by an overwhelming majority in a referendum held in 1908 . However , the legislature did not designate a state tree until 1949 , when the Montana Federation of Garden Clubs , with the support of the state forester , lobbied for formal recognition . Schoolchildren also chose the western meadowlark as the state bird , in a 1930 vote , and the legislature acted to endorse this decision in 1931 . Similarly , the secretary of state sponsored a children 's vote in 1981 to choose a state animal , and after 74 animals were nominated , the grizzly bear won over the elk by a 2 -- 1 margin . The students of Livingston started a statewide school petition drive plus lobbied the governor and the state legislature to name the Maiasaura as the state fossil in 1985 . Various community civic groups also played a role in selecting the state grass and the state gemstones . When broadcaster Norma Ashby discovered there was no state fish , she initiated a drive via her television show , Today in Montana , and an informal citizen 's election to select a state fish resulted in a win for the blackspotted cutthroat trout after hot competition from the Arctic grayling . The legislature in turn adopted this recommendation by a wide margin . Symbols of Montana Designation Name Enacted Image State seal `` A depiction of mountains , plains , forests , and the Great Falls of the Missouri River . The plow , pick , and shovel represent the state 's industry . The state motto appears on a ribbon . '' 1893 State flag `` The state seal on a field of blue ; the word Montana added in 1981 '' 1905 1981 State animal Grizzly bear ( Ursus arctos horribilis ) State bird Western meadowlark ( Sturnella neglecta ) 1931 State butterfly Mourning cloak ( Nymphalis antiopa ) State fish Blackspotted cutthroat trout ( Oncorhynchus clarkii ) 1977 State flower Bitterroot ( Lewisia rediviva ) 1895 State fossil Duck - billed dinosaur ( Maiasaura peeblesorum ) 1985 State gemstones Sapphire and agate 1969 State grass Bluebunch wheatgrass ( Pseudoroegneria spicata ) 1973 State motto `` Oro y Plata '' ( Spanish for `` Gold and Silver '' ) 1865 State music State song : `` Montana '' ' State ballad : `` Montana Melody '' State lullaby : `` Montana Lullaby '' 1945 2007 State tree Ponderosa pine ( Pinus ponderosa ) 1949 See also ( edit ) Montana portal Outline of Montana Index of Montana - related articles References ( edit ) ^ Jump up to : `` United States Summary : 2010 , Population and Housing Unit Counts , 2010 Census of Population and Housing '' ( PDF ) ( PDF ) . United States Census Bureau . September 2012 . p. 41 ( Table 18 ) . Retrieved April 11 , 2014 . Jump up ^ `` Population and Housing Unit Estimates '' . U.S. Census Bureau . June 22 , 2017 . Retrieved June 22 , 2017 . Jump up ^ `` Median Annual Household Income '' . The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . Retrieved December 9 , 2016 . ^ Jump up to : National Geodetic Survey 2008 . ^ Jump up to : Geological Survey 2001 . Jump up ^ `` Part 5 . State Symbols -- Official Designations - Table of Contents , Title 1 , Chapter 1 , MCA '' . Montana Code Annotated , 2015 . Retrieved April 24 , 2017 . Jump up ^ Robbins , J. 2008 . Jump up ^ Economic Sectors 2013 . Jump up ^ Department of Labor 2013 . Jump up ^ Billings Gazette 2009 . Jump up ^ Montana Historical Society ( 1910 ) . Contributions to the Historical Society of Montana . Rocky Mountain Publishing Company . pp. 47 -- . ^ Jump up to : Malone , Roeder & Lang 1991 , pp. 95 -- 96 . ^ Jump up to : Sanders 1910 , pp. 15 -- 60 . ^ Jump up to : Library of Congress 1864 . Jump up ^ Holding 2010 , p. 81 . Jump up ^ Anderson 2012 , p. 4 . Jump up ^ State Records 2012 . ^ Jump up to : Malone , Roeder & Lang 1991 , p. 6 . ^ Jump up to : Madej & Jones 2007 . Jump up ^ Elias 2002 , p. 55 . Jump up ^ Graetz & Clemenz 1984 , p. 59 . Jump up ^ Aarstad et al. 2009 , p. 58 . Jump up ^ Malone , Roeder & Lang 1991 , p. 6 -- 7 . Jump up ^ Cooper 2009 , p. 11 . Jump up ^ Cooper 2009 , p. 45 . Jump up ^ Merrill - Maker 2006 , pp. 57 -- 63 . Jump up ^ Kudray & Cooper 2006 , p. 1 . Jump up ^ Ross 1959 , p. 10 . Jump up ^ Enright 2010 , p. xxiii . Jump up ^ Temple 2008 , p. 493 . ^ Jump up to : Ross 1959 , p. 8 . ^ Jump up to : Canadian Council for Geographic Education 2013 . Jump up ^ Burger 2004 , pp. 10 -- 11 . ^ Jump up to : Cunningham 1990 , p. 77 . Jump up ^ Montana State Library 2013 . Jump up ^ Florence , Nystrom & Gierlich 2001 , pp. 506 -- 507 . Jump up ^ Florence , Nystrom & Gierlich 2001 , pp. 501 -- 502 . Jump up ^ Florence , Nystrom & Gierlich 2001 , pp. 575 -- 577 . Jump up ^ Malone , Roeder & Lang 1991 , p. 357 . Jump up ^ Peterson 2012 , p. 24 . Jump up ^ Florence , Nystrom & Gierlich 2001 , pp. 579 -- 580 . Jump up ^ Merrill - Maker 2006 , p. 50 . Jump up ^ Fletcher et al. 2008 , p. 93 . ^ Jump up to : Vasapolli 2003 , p. 16 . ^ Jump up to : United States Forest Service 2007 , p. 207 . ^ Jump up to : Merrill - Maker 2006 , p. 58 . ^ Jump up to : Mining and Scientific Press 1899 , p. 408 . Jump up ^ Jewell & McRae 2012 , p. 439 . Jump up ^ Ballard 2008 , pp. 92 -- 94 . ^ Jump up to : Merrill - Maker 2006 , pp. 49 . Jump up ^ Fisher 1908 , pp. 23 -- 24 . Jump up ^ Soil Conservation Service 1953 , pp. 4 . Jump up ^ Soil Conservation Service 1953 , pp. 7 -- 8 . Jump up ^ Soil Conservation Service 1953 , pp. 8 . Jump up ^ Soil Conservation Service 1953 , pp. 10 -- 11 . Jump up ^ Soil Conservation Service 1953 , pp. 11 . Jump up ^ Montana Outdoors 2002 . Jump up ^ Archibald 1997 , p. 223 . Jump up ^ Newsmakers - Jack Horner 2013 . Jump up ^ Geological Survey -- search 2013 . Jump up ^ Therriault 2010 , p. 93 . Jump up ^ Fischer & Fischer 2008 , p. 2 . Jump up ^ Naiman , Décamps & McClain 2005 , p. 4 . Jump up ^ Diamond 2006 , p. 38 . Jump up ^ Geographical Dictionary Of The World 1900 , p. 423 . Jump up ^ Palmer 1998 , p. 168 . Jump up ^ Palmer 1998 , p. 168 -- 169 . Jump up ^ Waterbody Report - Clark Fork River 2013 . Jump up ^ Waterbody Report - Kootenai River 2013 . Jump up ^ Huser 2004 , p. 85 . ^ Jump up to : Moody , Chase & Aronson 1986 , p. 310 . ^ Jump up to : Florence , Nystrom & Gierlich 2001 , p. 597 . Jump up ^ Matzko 2001 , p. 27 . Jump up ^ Huser 2004 , pp. 84 -- 85 . Jump up ^ Malone , Roeder & Lang 1991 , p. 80 . ^ Jump up to : Robbins , C. 2008 , p. 331 . Jump up ^ Hellmann 2013 , pp. 650 , 653 -- 654 , 659 . Jump up ^ Parry 2001 , p. 216 . Jump up ^ Fish and Wildlife Service 2001 . Jump up ^ Paddling Montana 2000 . Jump up ^ Waterbody Report - Smith River 2013 . Jump up ^ Waterbody Report - Milk River 2013 . Jump up ^ Waterbody Report - Marias River 2013 . Jump up ^ Waterbody Report - Judith River 2013 . Jump up ^ Waterbody Report - Musselshell River 2013 . Jump up ^ Finnerty 2011 , pp. 42 -- 43 . Jump up ^ National Atlas 2013 . Jump up ^ Waterbody Report - Boulder River 2013 . Jump up ^ Waterbody Report - Stillwater River 2013 . Jump up ^ Waterbody Report - Clarks Fork Yellowstone River 2013 . Jump up ^ Waterbody Report - Bighorn River 2013 . Jump up ^ Waterbody Report - Tongue River 2013 . Jump up ^ Waterbody Report - Powder River 2013 . Jump up ^ Fort Peck Dam 2013 . Jump up ^ Montana Field Guide - Lichens 2013 . Jump up ^ Montana Field Guide - Amphibians 2013 . Jump up ^ Montana Field Guide - Fish 2013 . Jump up ^ Montana Field Guide - Mammals 2013 . Jump up ^ Montana Field Guide - Reptiles 2013 . Jump up ^ Montana Audubon 2008 . Jump up ^ Kaush & Thompson , Jr. 2012 , p. 258 . Jump up ^ Fish and Wildlife Service 2013 . Jump up ^ Montana Fishing Regulations 2013 . Jump up ^ Montana Hunting Season 2013 . Jump up ^ Montana Interagency Access Council 2001 . Jump up ^ National Park Service 2013 . ^ Jump up to : Western Regional Climate Center 2013 . ^ Jump up to : Animal Range and Sciences 2013 . Jump up ^ Montana Office of Tourism -- FAQ 2013 . Jump up ^ Climate Information 2007 . Jump up ^ Horvitz et al. 2002 . ^ Jump up to : McKee 2007 . Jump up ^ United States Geological Survey 2012 . Jump up ^ National Climate Data Center 2007 . Jump up ^ Backus 2005 . ^ Jump up to : Backus 2007 . Jump up ^ Bentz , Barbara J. ; et al. ( 2010 ) . `` Climate Change and Bark Beetles of the Western United States and Canada : Direct and Indirect Effects '' . BioScience. 60 ( 8 ) : 602 -- 613 . doi : 10.1525 / bio. 2010.60. 8.6 . Jump up ^ Billings Gazette -- Forecast 2009 . Jump up ^ Spracklen et al. 2009 . Jump up ^ `` Montana climate averages '' . Weatherbase . Retrieved January 22 , 2016 . Jump up ^ Peakbagger 2012 . Jump up ^ Wood and Thiessen 1987 , pp. 156 - 220 ... Jump up ^ Holmes & 2009 - 5 . Jump up ^ Hoxie1995 , p. 54 . Jump up ^ Montana Catholic 2010 . Jump up ^ National Historic Landmark Program 2013 . Jump up ^ Kittredge & Krauzer 1986 , pp. 14 -- 23 . Jump up ^ Malone , Roeder & Lang 1976 , pp. 92 -- 113 . Jump up ^ Montana 's Museum 2007 . Jump up ^ Hellgate Treaty 1855 . Jump up ^ Montana Office of Public Instruction 2010 . Jump up ^ Holmes & 2009 - 7 , pp. 123 -- 146 . Jump up ^ Malone , Roeder & Lang 1976 , pp. 114 -- 144 . Jump up ^ Malone , Roeder & Lang 1976 , pp. 145 -- 171 . Jump up ^ Bergman 2004 . Jump up ^ Fish and Wildlife Service -- Bison 2013 . Jump up ^ National Park Service - Grant - Kohrs 2013 . Jump up ^ Schontzler 2011 . Jump up ^ Ultimate Montana 2010 . Jump up ^ Montana Historical Society 2013 . Jump up ^ Milner II & O'Connor 2009 , pp. 161 -- 184 . Jump up ^ Grant - Kohrs Ranch 2013 . Jump up ^ Lubetkin 2006 , pp. xv -- xviii . Jump up ^ Great Northern Railway 2013 . Jump up ^ Union Pacific Railroad 2013 . Jump up ^ Malone , Roeder & Lang 1976 , pp. 172 -- 200 . Jump up ^ Fanselow 2007 , pp. 170 -- 171 . ^ Jump up to : Holmes & 2009 -- 13 , p. 253 . ^ Jump up to : Lux 1964 , pp. 333 -- 348 . ^ Jump up to : Toole1 1959 , p. 228 . Jump up ^ Toole1 1959 , pp. 223 -- 224 . Jump up ^ Holmes & 2009 -- 13 , p. 254 . Jump up ^ Holmes & 2009 -- 13 , p. 255 . Jump up ^ Holmes & 2009 -- 13 , p. 256 -- 258 . Jump up ^ Howard 1959 , p. 181 . Jump up ^ Stuart 1913 , pp. 133 -- 137 . Jump up ^ Toole1 1959 , p. 229 . ^ Jump up to : Holmes & 2009 -- 13 , p. 261 . Jump up ^ Toole1 1959 , pp. 229 -- 230 . ^ Jump up to : Libecap & Hansen 2002 , pp. 86 -- 120 . Jump up ^ Extension Service 2013 . Jump up ^ Toole1 1959 , p. 230 . Jump up ^ Holmes & 2009 -- 13 , p. 259 . ^ Jump up to : Montana Historical Society -- WWI 2013 . Jump up ^ Howard 1959 , pp. 202 -- 203 . Jump up ^ History Channel 2013 . Jump up ^ University of Montana 2005 . Jump up ^ Montana Sedition Project 2013 . Jump up ^ Butte - Anaconda Historic District 2006 , p. 18 . ^ Jump up to : Murphy 1980 . Jump up ^ New York Times 1917 . Jump up ^ Foner 1987 , p. 289 . Jump up ^ Brief History of Montana 2013 . Jump up ^ McDean 1986 , pp. 117 -- 126 . ^ Jump up to : Montana Historical Society - WWII 2013 . Jump up ^ Werner & Welply 2006 , pp. 5 , 10 , 66 . Jump up ^ Tester 2007 . Jump up ^ News , Aja Goare -- MTN . `` U.S. Navy submarine will be named U.S.S. Montana '' . Retrieved September 4 , 2015 . Jump up ^ Malmstrom 2013 . Jump up ^ Census Bureau 2010 . ^ Jump up to : `` Table 1 . Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States , Regions , States , and Puerto Rico : April 1 , 2010 to July 1 , 2015 '' ( CSV ) . U.S. Census Bureau . December 26 , 2015 . Retrieved December 26 , 2015 . ^ Jump up to : KRTV 2010 . Jump up ^ Census Viewer 2013 . Jump up ^ University of Montana , Bureau of Business and Economic Research 2011 . Jump up ^ Gravlee 2012 . Jump up ^ Census Estimate 2012 . ^ Jump up to : Census Bureau 2010a . Jump up ^ Brittingham & de la Cruz 2004 , p. 6 . Jump up ^ `` Historical Census Statistics on Population Totals By Race , 1790 to 1990 , and By Hispanic Origin , 1970 to 1990 , For The United States , Regions , Divisions , and States '' . Jump up ^ `` Population of Montana : Census 2010 and 2000 Interactive Map , Demographics , Statistics , Quick Facts '' . Jump up ^ `` 2010 Census Data '' . ^ Jump up to : Census Bureau - Annual Estimates of Race 2012 . Jump up ^ Rural Policy Research Institute 2006 , p. 4 . ^ Jump up to : Montana Office of Public Instruction 2009 , p. 64 . Jump up ^ Norris , Vines & Hoeffel 2012 . ^ Jump up to : Redistricting Data Summary 2011 . Jump up ^ Tode 2004 . Jump up ^ Morris 1997 , pp. 113 -- 124 . Jump up ^ Montana Arts Council 2013 . Jump up ^ Modern Language Association 2007 . ^ Jump up to : Census Bureau 2011 . Jump up ^ Lewis , Simons & Fennig 2013 . Jump up ^ Ballantye & Rasmussen 2011 , p. 10 . Jump up ^ `` Montana -- Languages '' . city-data.com . city-data.com . Retrieved February 22 , 2015 . Jump up ^ `` Cheyenne '' . Jump up ^ `` Religious Landscape Study '' . May 11 , 2015 . Jump up ^ `` The Association of Religion Data Archives - Maps & Reports '' . www.thearda.com . Jump up ^ Kappler1904 , p. 1008 - 1011 . Jump up ^ Montana Office of Public Instruction 2009 . Jump up ^ `` Montana Constitution , Article X , section 1 '' . Montana Code Annotated . Retrieved October 27 , 2013 . ^ Jump up to : Jawort , Adrian ( April 12 , 2012 ) . `` Montana Schools Try to Keep Indian Students Engaged by Teaching Indian Culture to All '' . Indian Country Today . Retrieved June 5 , 2016 . ^ Jump up to : `` Native American Center Facts '' . The University of Montana . Archived from the original on October 29 , 2013 . Retrieved October 27 , 2013 . Jump up ^ `` Indian Education for All Lesson Plans '' . Retrieved October 27 , 2013 . Jump up ^ https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr64/nvsr64_01.pdf Jump up ^ https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr64/nvsr64_12.pdf Jump up ^ https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr66/nvsr66_01.pdf Jump up ^ Bureau of Economic Analysis 2014 . Jump up ^ Brewers Association 2013 . Jump up ^ 453 U.S. 609 ( 1981 ) Jump up ^ Tourism in Montana 2007 . Jump up ^ Department of Revenue 2012 . Jump up ^ Bureau of Labor Stats 2015 . Jump up ^ Judicial Branch , Montana . `` Montana Laws '' . Jump up ^ `` Education '' . ^ Jump up to : Sievert , Ken and Ellen ( August 26 , 1993 ) . Virginia City and Alder Gulch . Farcounty Press . Jump up ^ Malcomson , Jeff . `` Legislative History Guide '' . Retrieved February 22 , 2015 . Jump up ^ `` Montana Legislature '' . Retrieved February 22 , 2015 . ^ Jump up to : Briggeman , Kim . `` MONTANA HISTORY ALMANAC : First school opens doors in Virginia City '' . Retrieved February 22 , 2015 . Jump up ^ O'Brien , Mary ( 2003 ) . Days on the Road : Crossing the Plains in 1865 , The Diary of Sarah Raymond Herndon. Morris Books Publishing , LLC . pp. 14 -- 16 . Jump up ^ University of Toronto 2000 . Jump up ^ Montana Travel 2010 . Jump up ^ Boswell 2006 . Jump up ^ Hanna 1988 , pp. 95 -- 111 . Jump up ^ Hurlbut & Davis 2009 , pp. 179 -- 181 . Jump up ^ Shakespeare in the Parks 2012 . Jump up ^ Lincoln 2012 . Jump up ^ Scandale 2011 . Jump up ^ North American Indian Days 2013 . Jump up ^ Frotier Conference 2013 . Jump up ^ Great Northwest Athletic Conference 2013 . Jump up ^ Montana High School Association 2013 . Jump up ^ Montana High School Association - Football 2013 , pp. 139 -- 141 . Jump up ^ New York Times Movies 2002 . Jump up ^ Dawson , Amelie Trufant ( March 27 , 2009 ) . `` Beef Trail Ski Area : A Montana Original '' . Montana Living . Retrieved October 10 , 2014 . Jump up ^ Eriksmoen , Curt ( February 23 , 2014 ) . `` Ski jumper competed in two Olympics '' . Bismarck Tribune . Retrieved October 10 , 2014 . Jump up ^ Sports Reference 2013 . Jump up ^ Ottum 1968 . Jump up ^ Ice Network 2012 . Jump up ^ Staff . `` Tommy Moe '' . Bio . Retrieved October 10 , 2014 . Jump up ^ Staff . `` 125 Montana Newsmakers : Eric Bergoust '' . Great Falls Tribune . Retrieved October 10 , 2014 . Jump up ^ Kentucky Derby 2013 . Jump up ^ Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame 2013 . Jump up ^ Peavey & Smith 2008 . Jump up ^ Johnson 1966 . Jump up ^ Montana Outdoor Recreation 2013 . 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Jump up ^ Lee Enterprises - Newspapers 2013 . Jump up ^ Lee Enterprises - History 2013 . Jump up ^ Mondo Times 2013 . Jump up ^ Bacaj 2013 . Jump up ^ KTVQ 2013 . Jump up ^ Department of Transportation 2012 . Jump up ^ Sites 2012 . Jump up ^ Montana Transportation 2013 . Jump up ^ Elison & Snyder 2001 , pp. 3 -- 4 , 144 . Jump up ^ Montana Constitutional Convention ( 1972 ) . Proposed 1972 Constitution for the State of Montana : Official Text With Explanation ( Report ) . Helena , Mont . p. 3 . Retrieved February 24 , 2017 . Jump up ^ Women 's National History 2013 . Jump up ^ Jeannette Rankin 2011 . Jump up ^ Elison & Snyder 2001 , p. 144 . Jump up ^ Elison & Snyder 2001 , pp. 16 -- 18 . ^ Jump up to : Montana Secretary of State ( June 8 , 2015 ) . 1972 -- Current Historical Constitutional Initiatives and Constitutional Amendments ( PDF ) ( Report ) . Helena , Mont . p. 7 . Retrieved February 24 , 2017 . Jump up ^ Elison & Snyder 2001 , pp. 19 -- 20 . Jump up ^ Lin , Frances ( December 6 , 2016 ) . `` ' Marsy 's Law ' ballot measure certified '' . KXLH.com . Retrieved February 25 , 2017 . Jump up ^ Elison & Snyder 2001 , p. 19 . Jump up ^ `` Election 2010 : Montana '' . The New York Times . November 2010 . Retrieved February 25 , 2017 . Jump up ^ `` Utah Dept of Alcoholic Beverage Control '' . abc.utah.gov . Retrieved 2017 - 09 - 24 . Jump up ^ `` businesses_information '' . revenue.mt.gov . Retrieved 2017 - 09 - 24 . Jump up ^ Work 2005 , p. 85 . Jump up ^ Montana Legislature 2012 . Jump up ^ Montana 2012 Election 2013 . Jump up ^ 2008 Election 2008 . Jump up ^ Quora How Many 2015 . Jump up ^ Congressional Delegation 2013 . Jump up ^ 2013 State Poll msubillings.edu Jump up ^ Census Bureau 2012 . Jump up ^ Core Based Statistical Area 2010 . Jump up ^ Montana Setting 2013 . Jump up ^ Swanson 2004 . ^ Jump up to : State Symbols 2007 . Jump up ^ State Seal 2013 . Jump up ^ State Flower 2007 . ^ Jump up to : Ruckman 2007 . Jump up ^ State Song 2007 . Jump up ^ Welcome to America 2013 . Jump up ^ State Tree 2007 . Jump up ^ State Bird 2007 . Jump up ^ State Animal 2007 . Jump up ^ State Fossil 2007 . Jump up ^ State Gemstones 2007 . Jump up ^ State Grass 2007 . ^ Jump up to : State Fish Code 2011 . Jump up ^ State Fish 2007 . Jump up ^ Montana Code 2011 . Bibliography ( edit ) Archibald , J. David ( 1997 ) , `` I. Extinction , Cretaceous '' , in Currie , Philip J. ; Padian , Kevin , Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs , San Diego , Calif. : Academic Press , pp. 221 -- 230 , ISBN 0 - 12 - 226810 - 5 Aarstad , Rich ; Arguimbau , Ellen ; Baumler , Ellen ; Porsild , Charlene ( 2009 ) . Montana Place Names From Alzada to Zortman . Helena , MT : Montana Historical Society Press . ISBN 978 - 0 - 9759196 - 1 - 3 . Anderson , Donald ( 2012 ) . Gathering Noise From My Life : A Camouflaged Memoir . Iowa City , IA : University of Iowa Press . ISBN 978 - 1 - 60938 - 111 - 0 . Avery , Jonathan E. ; Siebeneck , Todd P. ; Tate , robert P. ( July 2011 ) . `` Gross Domestic Product by State '' ( PDF ) . Bureau of Economic Analysis . Retrieved May 11 , 2013 . Bacaj , Jason ( January 29 , 2013 ) . `` Billings Logan International Remains Busiest in Montana '' . Bozeman Daily Chronicle . Retrieved April 21 , 2013 . Backus , Perry ( July 31 , 2005 ) . `` Beetles Shaping Montana 's Forest Lands '' . The Missoulian . Retrieved April 6 , 2013 . Backus , Perry ( February 14 , 2007 ) . `` Forest Service Finds Varied Beetle Activity '' . The Missoulan . Retrieved March 30 , 2013 . Ballantyne , Keira G. ; Rasmussen , Mari B. ( February 2011 ) . `` Resources for Working With the Indigenous Languages of North America and the Pacific Islands '' ( PDF ) . National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition , George Washington University . Retrieved August 28 , 2013 . Ballard , Jack ( 2008 ) . Elk Hunting Montana : Finding Success on the Best Public Lands . Guildford , Conn. : Lyons Press . ISBN 978 - 1 - 59921 - 154 - 1 . Beaver , Janice Cheryl ( 2006 ) . `` U.S. International Borders : Brief Facts '' ( PDF ) . Washington , D.C. : Congressional Research Service . Retrieved March 27 , 2013 . Bergman , Brian ( February 16 , 2004 ) . `` Bison Back from Brink of Extinction '' . Maclean 's . Retrieved April 8 , 2013 . Boswell , Evelyn ( October 5 , 2006 ) . `` New Stegner Professor to Hit the Ground Running '' . Montana State University News Service . Retrieved May 5 , 2013 . Brittingham , Angela ; de la Cruz , G. Patricia ( June 2004 ) . `` Ancestry 2000 ( C2KBR - 35 ) '' ( PDF ) . United States Bureau of the Census . Retrieved August 28 , 2013 . Burger , H. Robert ( 2004 ) . `` General Geology and Tectonic Settong of the Tobacco Root Mountains . Special Paper 377 . '' . In John Brady ; Charles J. Vitaliano ; William S. Cordua . Precambrian Geology of the Tobacco Root Mountains , Montana . Boulder , Colo. : Geological Society of America . pp. 1 -- 14 . ISBN 0 - 8137 - 2377 - 9 . Cooper , Ed ( 2009 ) . Soul of the Rockies - Portrait of America 's Largest Mountain Range . Guilford , CT : Globe Pequot Press . ISBN 978 - 0 - 7627 - 4941 - 6 . Cunningham , Bill ( 1990 ) . Montana Wildlands : From Northwest Peaks to Deadhorse Badlands . Helena , Mont. : Farcountry Press . ISBN 0 - 938314 - 93 - 9 . `` Cyaniding at Gilt Edge , Montana '' . Mining and Scientific Press . October 7 , 1899 . Retrieved August 1 , 2013 . Diamond , Jared ( 2006 ) . Collapse : How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed . New York : Penguin Books . ISBN 0 - 670 - 03337 - 5 . Elias , Scott ( 2002 ) . Rocky Mountains . Washington , D.C. : Smithsonian Institution Press . ISBN 1 - 58834 - 042 - 2 . Elison , Larry M. ; Snyder , Fritz ( 2001 ) . The Montana State Constitution : A Reference Guide . Westport , Conn. : Greenwood Press . ISBN 9780313273469 . Enright , Kelly ( 2010 ) . America 's Natural Places : Rocky Mountains and Great Plains . Santa Barbara , Calif. : Greenwood Press / ABC - CLIO . ISBN 978 - 0 - 313 - 35314 - 7 . Fanselow , Julie ( 2007 ) . Traveling the Lewis and Clark Trail . Guilford , CT : Falcon Guides . ISBN 978 - 0 - 7627 - 4437 - 4 . Finnerty , Jim ( 2011 ) . A Pleasant Stroll to Everest . Bloomington , Ind. : Xlibris Corp . ISBN 978 - 1 - 4628 - 4928 - 4 . Fischer , Hank ; Fischer , Carol ( 2008 ) . Paddling Montana . Guildford , CT : FalconGuides . ISBN 978 - 0 - 7627 - 4352 - 0 . Fisher , Cassius A. ( 1908 ) . Geology and Water Resources of the Great Falls Region , Montana . Water - Supply Paper No. 221 . Washington , D.C. : U.S. Geological Survey . Fletcher , Robert H. ; Bradshaw , Glenda Clay ; Axline , Jon ; Shope , Irvin ( 2008 ) . Montana 's Historical Highway Markers . Helena , Mont. : Montana Historical Society . ISBN 0 - 917298 - 31 - 4 . Florence , Mason ; Nystrom , Andrew Dean ; Gierlich , Marisa ( 2001 ) . Rocky Mountain States . London : Lonely Planet . ISBN 978 - 1 - 86450 - 327 - 2 . Foner , Philip S. ( 1987 ) . Labor and World War I , 1914 -- 1918 . 7 . New York : International Publishers . ISBN 0 - 7178 - 0638 - 3 . French , Brett ( March -- April 2002 ) . `` A Good Time in Montana 's Badlands '' . Montana Outdoors . Retrieved April 10 , 2013 . French , Brett ( July 29 , 2009 ) . `` Forecast : More Air Pollution , Study Predicts Global Warming Will Increase Fires in Northern Rockies '' . Billings Gazette . Retrieved April 7 , 2013 . Graetz , Rick ; Clemenz , Bob ( 1984 ) . Beautiful Montana . Wilsonville , OR : Beautiful America Publishing . ISBN 0 - 915796 - 25 - 2 . Gravlee , Sarah ( January 3 , 2012 ) . `` Montana Reaches One Million Mark '' . kulr8.com . KULR - 8 Television . Retrieved April 27 , 2013 . Hanna , Warren L. ( 1988 ) . `` James Willard Schultz - The Pikuni Storyteller '' . Stars Over Montana - Men Who Made Glacier National Park History . West Glacier , MT : Glacier Natural History Association . ISBN 978 - 0 - 09 - 167906 - 4 . Heilprin , Angelo ; Heilprin , Louis , eds. ( 1900 ) , `` Clark 's ( Clarke 's ) River , Flathead River '' , Geographical Dictionary Of The World In The Early 20th Century With Pronouncing Gazetteer , 1 , A to L , Philadelphia , Pa. : J.B. Lippincott , p. 423 Hellman , Paul T. ( 2013 ) . Historical Gazetteer of the United States . Florence , Ky. : Routledge . ISBN 978 - 1 - 135 - 94859 - 7 . Holden , Stephen ( March 29 , 2002 ) . `` The Slaughter Rule ( 2002 ) '' . New York Times . Retrieved April 30 , 2013 . Holding , Rapha ( 2010 ) . What Do You Know About the United States ? . Bloomington , IN : Authorhouse . ISBN 978 - 1 - 4490 - 1505 - 3 . Holmes , Krys ( 2009 ) . `` 5 '' . Montana : Stories of the Land ( PDF ) . Helena , MT : Montana Historical Society Press . ISBN 978 - 0 - 9759196 - 3 - 7 . Holmes , Krys ( 2009 ) . `` 7 '' . Montana : Stories of the Land ( PDF ) . Helena , MT : Montana Historical Society Press . ISBN 978 - 0 - 9759196 - 3 - 7 . Holmes , Krys ( 2009 ) . `` 13 '' . Montana : Stories of the Land ( PDF ) . Helena , MT : Montana Historical Society Press . ISBN 978 - 0 - 9759196 - 3 - 7 . Howard , Beth . `` Top Hospitals for Safety '' . AARP The Magazine . AARP ( April -- May 2013 ) . Howard , Joseph Kinsey ( 1959 ) . Montana - High , Wide and Handsome . New Haven , CT : Yale University Press . ISBN 0 - 8032 - 7339 - 8 . Horvitz , Andrew H. ; Stephens , Scott ; Helfert , Michael ; Goodge , Grant ; Redmond , Kelly T. ; Pomeroy , Ken ; Purdy , Ed ( 2002 ) . `` A National Temperature Record at Loma , Montana '' ( PDF ) . American Meteorological Society . Retrieved April 6 , 2013 . Hoxie , Frederick E. ( 1995 ) . Parading Through History . The making of the Crow Nation in America , 1805 - 1935 . New York , New York : Cambridge University Press . ISBN 0 - 521 - 48057 - 4 . Hurlbut , Brian ; Davis , Seabring ( 2009 ) . Insiders ' Guide to Yellowstone and Grand Teton . Globe Pequot . ISBN 978 - 0 - 7627 - 5041 - 2 . Huser , Verne ( 2004 ) . On the River With Lewis and Clark . College Station , Tex. : Texas A&M University Press . ISBN 1 - 58544 - 320 - 4 . Jewell , Judy ; McRae , Bill ( 2012 ) . Moon Montana . Berkeley , Calif. : Avalon Travel . ISBN 978 - 1 - 61238 - 262 - 3 . Johnson , James W. ( Body ) ( July 4 , 1966 ) . `` The Fight That Wo n't Stay Dead '' . Sports Illustrated . Retrieved April 15 , 2013 . Kappler , Charles J. ( 1904 ) . Indian Affairs . Laws and Treaties . Vol. 2 . Washington , D.C. Kaush , Arha ; Thompson , Jr. , Barton H. ( 2012 ) . The Endangered Species Act and Federalism : Effective Conservation Through Greater State Commitment ( 2 ed . ) . Routledge . ISBN 1 - 58592 - 042 - 8 . Kittredge , William ; Krauzer , Steven M. ( Autumn 1986 ) . `` ' Mr. Montana ' Revised : Another Look at Granville Stuart '' . Montana : the Magazine of Western History . Helena , MT : Montana Historical Society . 36 ( 4 ) . JSTOR 4519007 . Kudray , Gregory M. ; Cooper , Steven V. ( 2006 ) . `` Montana 's Rocky Mountain Front : Vegetation Map and Type Descriptions . Report to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service . '' ( PDF ) . Helena , MT : Montana Natural Heritage Program . Retrieved July 29 , 2013 . Kugler , Eileen Gale ( 2013 ) . Innovative Voices in Education : What It Takes to Engage Diverse Communities . Lanham , MD : Rowman & Littlefield Education . ISBN 978 - 1 - 61048 - 539 - 5 . Lewis , M. Paul ; Simons , Gary F. ; Fennig , Charles D. ( 2013 ) . `` Ethnologue : Languages of the World '' . SIL International . Retrieved August 28 , 2013 . Libecap , Gary D. ; Hansen , Zeynep Kocabiyik ( March 2002 ) . `` '' Rain Follows the Plow '' and Dryfarming Doctrine : The Climate Information Problem and Homestead Failure in the Upper Great Plains , 1890 -- 1925 `` . Journal of Economic History . Cambridge University Press . 62 ( 1 ) . JSTOR 2697973 . Lincoln , Marga ( April 19 , 2012 ) . `` Montana Shakespeare Company Finds New Home at Helena Civic Center '' . Helena Independent Record . Retrieved May 13 , 2013 . Lubetkin , M. John ( 2006 ) . Jay Cooke 's Gamble - The Northern Pacific Railroad , The Sioux , and the Panic of 1873 . Norman , OK : University of Oklahoma Press . ISBN 0 - 8061 - 3740 - 1 . Lux , Mabel ( 1964 ) . `` Honyockers of Harlem - Honyockers of Zurich '' . In Kennedy , Michael S. Cowboys and Cattlemen - A Roundup of Montana , The Magazine of Western History . New York : Hastings House . pp. 333 -- 348 . Madej , Ed ; Jones , Cedron ( September 14 , 2007 ) . `` Mountain Ranges of Montana '' ( PDF ) . Natural Resource Information System . Montana State Library . Retrieved March 30 , 2013 . Malone , Michael P. ; Roeder , Richard B. ; Lang , William L. ( 1976 ) . `` Montana Territory '' . Montana : A History of Two Centuries . Seattle : University of Washington Press . ISBN 0 - 295 - 97129 - 0 . Malone , Michael P. ; Roeder , Richard B. ; Lang , William L. ( 1991 ) . Montana : A History of Two Centuries . Seattle : University of Washington Press . ISBN 0 - 295 - 97120 - 7 . Matzko , John ( 2001 ) . Reconstructing Fort Union . Lincoln , NE : University of Nebraska Press . ISBN 0 - 8032 - 3216 - 0 . McDean , Harry C. ( January 1 , 1986 ) . `` Dust Bowl Historiography '' . Great Plains Quarterly . Center Great Plains Studies , University of Nebraska - Lincoln . Retrieved May 25 , 2013 . McKee , Jennifer ( August 27 , 2007 ) . `` UM Climate Expert Says Triple - digit Julys Will Be Norm '' . Billings Gazette . Retrieved April 6 , 2013 . Merrill - Maker , Andrea ( 2006 ) . `` Natural Treasures '' . Montana Almanac - The First , Best Source for Information About Big Sky Country . Guildford , CT : Globe Pequot Press . ISBN 0 - 7627 - 3655 - 0 . Milner II , Clyde A. ; O'Connor , Carol A. ( 2009 ) . As Big as the West : The Pioneer Life of Granville Stuart . Oxford : Oxford University Press . ISBN 978 - 0 - 19 - 512709 - 6 . Moody , David W. ; Chase , Edith B. ; Aronson , David A. ( 1986 ) . National Water Summary -- 1985 : Hydrologic Events and Surface - Water Resources . U.S. Geological Survey Water - Supply Paper 2300 . Washington , D.C. : U.S. Government Printing Office . Morris , Patrick F. ( 1997 ) . Anaconda , Montana : Copper Smelting Boom Town on the Western Frontier . Burnet , TX : Swann Publishing . ISBN 978 - 0 - 9657209 - 2 - 2 . Murphy , Paul L. ( 1980 ) . `` Montana 's Agony : Years of War and Hysteria , 1917 -- 1921 '' . 67 ( 2 ) . Journal of American History : 436 . doi : 10.2307 / 1890476 . Naiman , Robert J. ; Décamps , Henri ; McClain , Michael E. ( 2005 ) . Riparia : Ecology , Conservation , and Management of Streamside Communities . Boston : Elsevier Academic . ISBN 978 - 0 - 12 - 663315 - 3 . Norris , Tina ; Vines , Paula L. ; Hoeffel , Elizabeth M. ( January 2012 ) . `` The American Indian and Alaska Native Population : 2010 '' ( PDF ) . United States Bureau of the Census . Retrieved August 28 , 2013 . Ottum , Bob ( January 29 , 1968 ) . `` Bold Bourkey For John Misha '' . Sports Illustrated . Retrieved April 20 , 2013 . Palmer , Tim ( 1998 ) . America By Rivers . Washington , D.C. : Island Press . ISBN 978 - 1 - 59726 - 912 - 4 . Parry , Ellis Roberts ( 2001 ) . Montana Dateline . Guilford , Conn. : TwoDot Press . ISBN 1 - 56044 - 956 - X . Peavey , Linda ; Smith , Ursula ( 2008 ) . Full - Court Quest . Norman , OK : University of Oklahoma Press . Reviewed by Nykolaiszyn , Juliana M. ( Summer -- Fall 2011 ) . `` Full - Court Quest '' . Oral History Review . 38 ( 2 ) : 420 -- 422 . doi : 10.1093 / ohr / ohr087 . Peterson , Eric ( 2012 ) . Frommer 's Montana and Wyoming . Hoboken , N.J. : John Wiley & Sons . ISBN 978 - 0 - 470 - 59150 - 5 . Robbins , Chuck ( 2008 ) . 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Archived from the original on February 21 , 2013 . Retrieved May 5 , 2013 . `` Hmong Qeej Music : Tou Yang -- Mai K. Moua , Missoula '' . From the Heart and Hand . Montana Arts Council . Retrieved May 10 , 2013 . `` How many people does each member of the House of Representatives represent ? '' . Quora . March 4 , 2015 . Retrieved October 26 , 2016 . `` Hunting - Season Dates '' . Montana Fish , Wildlife and Parks . Retrieved April 5 , 2013 . `` Indian Education for All - Montana Indians Their History and Location '' ( PDF ) . Montana Office of Public Instruction. April 2009 . Retrieved April 15 , 2013 . `` I.W.W. Strike Chief Lynched At Butt '' . New York Times . August 2 , 1917 . Retrieved April 17 , 2013 . `` Jack Horner '' . Great Falls Tribune . Retrieved April 10 , 2013 . `` Jeannette Rankin '' . Women 's Hall of Fame . Great Women . 2011 . Retrieved April 26 , 2013 . `` John Misha Petkevich Bio , Stats , and Results '' . Sports Reference. 2013 . 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Retrieved April 1 , 2013 . `` Plants & Animals - Maiasaura '' . Montana Department of Tourism. 2007 . Retrieved April 28 , 2013 . `` Population and Population Centers by State : 2000 '' . Census Bureau . 2000 . Retrieved May 5 , 2013 . `` Population of Gallatin County , Montana : Census 2010 and 2000 Interactive Map '' . Census Viewer . Retrieved May 5 , 2013 . `` Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics : 2010 '' . Census Bureau . October 5 , 2010 . Retrieved May 8 , 2013 . `` Property Tax Liability , Billing and Collection '' . Montana Department of Revenue . January 31 , 2012 . Retrieved July 14 , 2013 . `` Recreation '' . Montana Fish , Wildlife and Parks . Retrieved April 14 , 2013 . Resident Population Data ( 2010 ) . `` Resident Population Data ( Text Version ) '' . Census Bureau . Retrieved May 5 , 2013 . `` Russell , Charles Marion '' . Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online . University of Toronto . 2000 . Retrieved May 5 , 2013 . `` Saskatchewan River - From Glaciers to Grasslands '' . Canadian Council for Geographic Education . Retrieved March 30 , 2013 . `` Schweitzer Could Win Sen. nom in ' 14 but Maybe not MT in ' 16 '' ( PDF ) . December 7 , 2011 . Retrieved April 28 , 2013 . `` Selected Social Characteristics in the United States . 2007 -- 2011 American Community Survey 5 - Year Estimates . '' . United States Bureau of the Census . 2012 . Retrieved August 28 , 2013 . `` Setting '' . Historical Society . Retrieved April 23 , 2013 . `` Shaped by Winter '' . Winter Montana . Montana Office of Tourism. 2010 . Retrieved April 20 , 2013 . `` Ski & Stay Packages '' . Discovery Ski Area . Retrieved April 11 , 2013 . `` Snowcoaches '' . Winter Montana . 2010 . Retrieved April 22 , 2013 . `` Snowmobiling '' . Montana Fish , Wildlife and Parks . Retrieved April 14 , 2013 . `` Snowmobiling in Montana '' . Winter Montana . 2010 . Retrieved April 21 , 2013 . `` Snowmobiling in West Yellowstone '' . Winter Montana . 2010 . Retrieved April 21 , 2013 . Soil Conservation Service ( February 1953 ) . Soil Survey ( Reconnaissance ) : Central Montana . Series 1940 , No. 9 . Washington , D.C. : U.S. Department of Agriculture . `` Some Shifts In 2010 Census Numbers Due to Boundary Changes , Not All Growth '' . Bureau of Business and Economic Research , University of Montana . April 11 , 2011 . Retrieved August 28 , 2013 . `` Spokane , Montana 's Kentucky Derby Winner '' . Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame . Retrieved April 14 , 2013 . `` State Animal Grizzly Bear '' . Montana Department of Tourism. 2007 . Retrieved April 28 , 2013 . `` State Bird Western Meadowlark '' . Montana Department of Tourism. 2007 . Retrieved April 23 , 2013 . `` State Fish Blackspotted Cutthroat Trout '' . Montana Department of Tourism. 2007 . Retrieved April 28 , 2013 . `` State Fish , Montana Code Annotated : 1 - 1 - 507 '' . Montana Legislative Services . 2011 . Retrieved May 7 , 2013 . `` State Flower Bitterroot '' . Montana Department of Tourism. 2007 . Retrieved April 23 , 2013 . `` State Gemstones Sapphire and Agate '' . Montana Department of Tourism. 2007 . Retrieved April 28 , 2013 . `` State Grass Bluebunch Wheatgrass '' . Montana Department of Tourism. 2007 . Retrieved April 28 , 2013 . `` State Membership Reports - Montana '' . Association of Religion Data Archives . Retrieved April 30 , 2013 . `` State Symbols -- Official Designations , Montana Code Annotated : 1 - 1 - 5 '' . Montana Legislative Services . 2011 . Retrieved March 30 , 2013 . `` State Song '' . Montana Department of Tourism. 2007 . Retrieved April 28 , 2013 . `` State Songs '' . Welcome to America . Retrieved May 6 , 2013 . `` State Symbols '' . Montana Department of Tourism. 2007 . Retrieved March 27 , 2013 . `` State Tree Ponderosa Pine '' . Montana Department of Tourism. 2007 . Retrieved April 28 , 2013 . `` Statewide Fisheries Management Plan '' . Montana Fish , Wildlife and Parks . Retrieved April 21 , 2013 . `` St. Mary 's Mission in Stevensville designated National Historic District '' . Montana Catholic . Roman Catholic Diocese of Helena. 26 ( 9 ) . September 27 , 2010 . Retrieved May 11 , 2013 . `` Terry '' . Montana Office of Tourism. 2010 . Retrieved May 5 , 2013 . `` Tester Asks Navy to Christen Submarine USS Montana '' . Tester Senate . August 20 , 2007 . Archived from the original on August 29 , 2007 . Retrieved April 16 , 2013 . `` Threatened , Endangered and Candidate Species in Montana - Endangered Species Act '' ( PDF ) . United States Fish and Wildlife Service . February 2013 . Retrieved April 5 , 2013 . `` Time Line of the American Bison '' . United States Fish and Wildlife Service . Retrieved April 7 , 2013 . `` Tourism in Montana '' . Montana Department of Tourism. 2007 . Retrieved July 14 , 2013 . `` Trapping and Furbearer Management in Montana '' . Montana Fish , Wildlife and Parks . Retrieved April 22 , 2013 . `` Upper Yellowstone River Mapping Project '' ( PDF ) . United States Fish and Wildlife Service . July 2001 . Retrieved March 30 , 2013 . `` Union Pacific in Montana '' ( PDF ) . Union Pacific Railroad . March 2013 . Retrieved April 1 , 2013 . `` U.S. Congress Passes Espionage Act '' . History Channel . June 15 , 1917 . Retrieved April 17 , 2013 . `` USGS Geonames Search Result - Montana + Stream '' . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved March 30 , 2013 . `` Verified Trauma Centers '' . American College of Surgeons . March 20 , 2013 . Retrieved March 30 , 2013 . `` Vermont Remains Top State in Capita per Brewery '' . Brewers Association . Retrieved April 8 , 2013 . `` Welcome to the Montana High School Association '' . Montana High School Association . Retrieved May 12 , 2013 . `` Welcome to the World Ski Joring Championships '' . Whitefish Skijoring . Retrieved April 21 , 2013 . `` What was the Great Northern Railway ? '' . Great Northern Railway Historical Society . Retrieved April 12 , 2013 . `` Woman Suffrage Timeline ( 1840 -- 1920 ) '' . National Women 's History Museum . Retrieved April 27 , 2013 . Wood , Raymond W. and T.D. Thiessen ( 1987 ) . Early Fur Trade on the Northern Plains . Canadian traders Among the Mandan and Hidatsa Indians , 1738 - 1818 . Norman and London : University of Oklahoma Press . ISBN 0 - 8061 - 1899 - 7 . `` World War II in Montana 1939 -- 1945 '' ( PDF ) . Montana Historical Society . Retrieved May 7 , 2013 . `` Yellowstone in Winter : Current Management and Planning '' . National Park Service . Retrieved April 21 , 2013 . Further reading ( edit ) Main article : Bibliography of Montana history External links ( edit ) Find more aboutMontanaat Wikipedia 's sister projects Definitions from Wiktionary Media from Commons News from Wikinews Quotations from Wikiquote Texts from Wikisource Textbooks from Wikibooks Travel guide from Wikivoyage Learning resources from Wikiversity Census of Montana General Information About Montana Geographic data related to Montana at OpenStreetMap List of Searchable Databases Produced by Montana State Agencies Montana Energy Data & Statistics -- From the U.S. Department of Energy Montana Historical Society Montana Official Travel Information Site Montana Official Website Montana at DMOZ Montana State Facts From the U.S. Department of Agriculture USGS Real - time , Geographic , and Other Scientific Resources of Montana Preceded by South Dakota List of U.S. states by date of statehood Admitted on November 8 , 1889 ( 41st ) Succeeded by Washington ( hide ) Topics related to Montana ( hide ) State of Montana Helena ( capital ) Topics Index Congressional delegations Geography Government Governors History bibliography People Protected areas Sports State symbols Transportation Tourist attractions Seal of Montana Society Crime Culture Demographics Economy Education Politics LGBT rights Regions Eastern Montana The Flathead Glacier National Park Regional designations of Montana Western Montana Yellowstone Largest cities Anaconda Belgrade Billings Bozeman Butte Columbia Falls Dillon Glendive Great Falls Hamilton Havre Helena Kalispell Laurel Lewistown Livingston Miles City Missoula Polson Sidney Whitefish Counties Beaverhead Big Horn Blaine Broadwater Carbon Carter Cascade Chouteau Custer Daniels Dawson Deer Lodge Fallon Fergus Flathead Gallatin Garfield Glacier Golden Valley Granite Hill Jefferson Judith Basin Lake Lewis and Clark Liberty Lincoln Madison McCone Meagher Mineral Missoula Musselshell Park Petroleum Phillips Pondera Powder River Powell Prairie Ravalli Richland Roosevelt Rosebud Sanders Sheridan Silver Bow Stillwater Sweet Grass Teton Toole Treasure Valley Wheatland Wibaux Yellowstone People from Montana Main list Athletes Congressional Delegations Entertainers Governors US Senators US Representatives State Senators State Representatives Protected areas of Montana Federal National Parks Glacier Yellowstone National Monuments Little Bighorn Battlefield Pompeys Pillar ( BLM ) Upper Missouri River Breaks ( BLM ) National Battlefield Big Hole National Historical Parks & Historic Sites Grant - Kohrs Ranch NHS Nez Perce NHP National Historic & Scenic Trails Lewis and Clark NHT Nez Perce NHT Continental Divide NST Pacific Northwest NST National Recreation Area Bighorn Canyon National Wildlife Refuges Benton Lake Black Coulee Bowdoin Charles M. 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San Francisco ) San José San Diego Santa Fe Albuquerque El Paso Los Adaes San Antonio Tucson Pensacola St. Augustine Havana Santo Domingo San Juan Antigua Guatemala Cebu Manila Provinces & territories La Florida Las Californias Santa Fe de Nuevo México Alta California Baja California Tejas Nueva Galicia Nueva Vizcaya Nueva Extremadura New Kingdom of León Cebu Bulacan Pampanga Other areas Spanish Formosa Explorers , adventurers & conquistadors Pre-New Spain explorers Christopher Columbus Ferdinand Magellan Juan Sebastián Elcano Vasco Núñez de Balboa Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar Explorers & conquistadors Hernán Cortés Juan Ponce de León Nuño de Guzmán Bernal Díaz del Castillo Pedro de Alvarado Pánfilo de Narváez Hernando de Soto Francisco Vásquez de Coronado Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo Miguel López de Legazpi Ángel de Villafañe Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca Pedro Menéndez de Avilés Luis de Carabajal y Cueva Juan de Oñate Juan José Pérez Hernández Gaspar de Portolà Manuel Quimper Cristóbal de Oñate Andrés de Urdaneta Ruy López de Villalobos Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar Francisco Hernández de Córdoba ( Yucatán conquistador ) Francisco Hernández de Córdoba ( founder of Nicaragua ) Gil González Dávila Francisco de Ulloa Juan José Pérez Hernández Dionisio Alcalá Galiano Bruno de Heceta Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra Alonso de León Ignacio de Arteaga y Bazán José de Bustamante y Guerra José María Narváez Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa Antonio Gil Y'Barbo Alexander von Humboldt Thomas Gage Catholic Church in New Spain Spanish missions in the Americas Spanish missions in Arizona Spanish missions in Baja California Spanish missions in California Spanish missions in the Carolinas Spanish missions in Florida Spanish missions in Georgia Spanish missions in Louisiana Spanish missions in Mexico Spanish missions in New Mexico Spanish missions in the Sonoran Desert Spanish missions in Texas Spanish missions in Virginia Spanish missions in Trinidad Friars , fathers , priests , & bishops Pedro de Gante Gerónimo de Aguilar Toribio de Benavente Motolinia Bernardino de Sahagún Juan de Zumárraga Alonso de Montúfar Vasco de Quiroga Bartolomé de las Casas Alonso de Molina Diego Durán Diego de Landa Gerónimo de Mendieta Juan de Torquemada Juan de Palafox y Mendoza Carlos de Sigüenza y Góngora Eusebio Kino Francisco Javier Clavijero Junípero Serra Francisco Palóu Fermín Lasuén Esteban Tápis José Francisco de Paula Señan Mariano Payeras Sebastián Montero Marcos de Niza Francisco de Ayeta Antonio Margil Francisco Marroquín Manuel Abad y Queipo Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla José María Morelos Other events Suppression of the Jesuits California mission clash of cultures Cargo system Indian Reductions Society and culture Indigenous peoples Mesoamerican Aztec Maya Huastec Mixtec P'urhépecha Totonac Pipil Kowoj K'iche ' Kaqchikel Zapotec Poqomam Mam Caribbean Arawak Ciboney Guanajatabey California Mission Indians Cahuilla Chumash Cupeño Juaneño Kumeyaay Luiseño Miwok Mohave Ohlone Serrano Tongva Southwestern Apache Coahuiltecan Cocopa Comanche Hopi Hualapai La Junta Navajo Pima Puebloan Quechan Solano Yaqui Zuni North - Northwest Mexico Acaxee Chichimeca Cochimi Kiliwa Ópata Tepehuán Florida & other Southeastern tribes Indigenous people during De Soto 's travels Apalachee Calusa Creek Jororo Pensacola Seminole Timucua Yustaga Filipino people Negrito Igorot Mangyan Peoples of Palawan Ati Panay Lumad Bajau Tagalog Cebuano Others Taiwanese aborigines Chamorro people Architecture Spanish Colonial style by country Colonial Baroque style Forts Missions Trade & economy Real Columbian Exchange Manila galleon Triangular trade People & classes Casta Peninsulars Criollo Indios Mestizo Castizo Coyotes Pardos Zambo Negros People Juan Bautista de Anza Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo Francis Drake Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla Eusebio Kino La Malinche Fermín Lasuén Limahong Moctezuma II Junípero Serra Hasekura Tsunenaga New Spain Portal Political divisions of the United States States Alabama 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Insular areas American Samoa The Marianas Guam Northern Mariana Islands Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands Outlying islands Baker Island Howland Island Jarvis Island Johnston Atoll Kingman Reef Midway Atoll Navassa Island Palmyra Atoll Wake Island Associated states Marshall Islands FS Micronesia Palau Associated states Federated States of Micronesia Marshall Islands Palau Coordinates : 47 ° N 110 ° W  /  47 ° N 110 ° W  / 47 ; - 110 VIAF : 133316844 LCCN : n80010207 ISNI : 0000 0004 0412 3913 GND : 4040138 - 8 SUDOC : 176552545 BNF : cb120658483 ( data ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Montana&oldid=806930548 '' Categories : Montana 1889 establishments in the United States States and territories established in 1889 States of the United States Western United States Hidden categories : Wikipedia pending changes protected pages ( level 1 ) Wikipedia indefinitely move - protected pages Use mdy dates from August 2017 Articles with hAudio microformats Articles including recorded pronunciations ( English ) Articles containing Spanish - language text All pages needing factual verification Wikipedia articles needing factual verification from June 2014 All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from March 2013 Articles needing additional references from February 2017 All articles needing additional references Articles with unsourced statements from June 2017 Articles with DMOZ links Coordinates on Wikidata Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with BNF identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Wikivoyage Afrikaans አማርኛ Ænglisc Aragonés ܐܪܡܝܐ Arpetan Asturianu Avañe'ẽ Aymar aru Azərbaycanca تۆرکجه বাংলা Bân - lâm - gú Беларуская Беларуская ( тарашкевіца )  भोजपुरी Bikol Central Bislama Български Boarisch བོད ་ ཡིག Bosanski Brezhoneg Буряад Català Чӑвашла Cebuano Čeština Corsu Cymraeg Dansk Davvisámegiella Deitsch Deutsch Diné bizaad Eesti Ελληνικά Emiliàn e rumagnòl Español Esperanto Euskara فارسی Fiji Hindi Føroyskt Français Frysk Gaeilge Gaelg Gagauz Gàidhlig Galego 客家 語 / Hak - kâ - ngî Хальмг 한국어 Hawaiʻi Հայերեն हिन्दी Hrvatski Ido Igbo Ilokano বিষ্ণুপ্রিয়া মণিপুরী Bahasa Indonesia Interlingua Interlingue Iñupiak Ирон Íslenska Italiano עברית Basa Jawa Kapampangan ქართული कॉशुर / کٲشُر Қазақша Kernowek Kiswahili Kreyòl ayisyen Kurdî Кыргызча Кырык мары Ladino لۊری شومالی Latina Latviešu Lëtzebuergesch Lietuvių Ligure Limburgs Lumbaart Magyar मैथिली Македонски Malagasy മലയാളം Māori मराठी მარგალური مصرى مازِرونی Bahasa Melayu Mìng - dĕ̤ng - ngṳ̄ မြန်မာဘာသာ Dorerin Naoero Nederlands नेपाली नेपाल भाषा 日本 語 Нохчийн Nordfriisk Norsk Norsk nynorsk Occitan Олык марий Oʻzbekcha / ўзбекча ਪੰਜਾਬੀ पालि پنجابی Papiamentu Piemontèis Plattdüütsch Polski Português Română Rumantsch Runa Simi Русский Саха тыла संस्कृतम् Sardu Scots Seeltersk Shqip Sicilianu Simple English Slovenčina Slovenščina Ślůnski کوردی Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska Tagalog தமிழ் Татарча / tatarça ไทย Tsetsêhestâhese Türkçe Українська اردو ئۇيغۇرچە / Uyghurche Vèneto Tiếng Việt Volapük 文言 Winaray ייִדיש Yorùbá 粵語 Zazaki Žemaitėška 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 25 October 2017 , at 00 : 27 . 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Question: what us state forms the western boundary of montana