[240] The Montana Territorial Legislative Assembly had its inaugural meeting in 1864. [113] Tablelands are often topped with argillite gravel and weathered quartzite, occasionally underlain by shale. The U.S. Constitution provides each state with two senators. [177] The combination of warmer weather, attack by beetles, and mismanagement has led to a substantial increase in the severity of forest fires in Montana. Vulnerable Montana senator won't commit to re-election bid: 'Retire or lose' says state GOP. [81] About 60 percent of the state is prairie, part of the northern Great Plains. Great Falls has the highest percentage of African-Americans in its population, although Billings has more African-American residents than Great Falls. "[9][10] Montaa del Norte was the name given by early Spanish explorers to the entire mountainous region of the west. [313], The 1972 constitution requires that voters determine every 20 years whether to hold a new constitutional convention. To Hon. Job openings are down from 2,919 in 2022 to 2,700 in 2023, but there are still more openings than in 2021. Wyoming is to the south, Idaho is to the west and southwest, and the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan are to the north, making it the only state to border three Canadian provinces. Montana has quickly become a coveted travel destination. Through the mid-20th century, the state had a tradition of "sending the liberals to Washington and the conservatives to Helena". Montana Territory became one of the territories of the United States on May 26, 1864. The first schools were subscription schools that typically met in the teacher's home. [130] 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. WASHINGTON, D.C. November 7, 1889 They say it will stay with you forever. In 1941, as she had in 1917, she voted against the United States' declaration of war after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. 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 Blackfeet nation is headquartered on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation (1851) in Browning, Crow on the Crow Indian Reservation (1868)[207] 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. [36] Surveys in 1874, 1875, and 1876 helped spark the Great Sioux War of 1876. Contents 1 Indigenous peoples 2 Louisiana Purchase 3 Lewis and Clark Expedition 4 First settlements 5 Military history 5.1 Fort Benton 5.2 Fort Ellis 5.3 Fort Shaw 6 Montana Territory 7 Indian Wars 7.1 Battle of the Little Big Horn 7.2 Northern Cheyenne exodus Montana and Canada share a 545-mile part of the worlds longest undefended (which means there are no soldiers or armies on either side) border. 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. [23] 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 the Bitterroot Valley was opened to settlement, but the tribal nations disputed those provisions. [245] The C. M. Russell Museum Complex in Great Falls, Montana, houses more than 2,000 Russell artworks, personal objects, and artifacts. Montana Old West Ghost Towns Private VIP Tour - From West Yellowstone MT 2 Bus Tours from $350.00 per adult Indy 650 Snowmobile Rental 7 Rentals from $199.00 per group (up to 2) Combo: Scenic Drive & 2hr Snowshoeing Tour in Glacier National Park 2 Adventure Tours from $375.00 per adult (price varies by group size) Top Attractions in Montana See all You can make a real difference in the lives of students. [89] It causes the Waterton River, Belly, and Saint Mary rivers to flow north into Alberta, Canada. The extraordinary discoveries and reports from these expeditions led to the creation of Yellowstone National Park in 1872. [192] The largest European ancestry groups in Montana as of 2010 were: German (27.0%), Irish (14.8%), English (12.6%), Norwegian (10.9%), French (4.7%), and Italian (3.4%). At the state level, the pattern of split-ticket voting and divided government holds. [142] It then flows northeasterly[142] across the state through Billings, Miles City, Glendive, and Sidney. [78] Many of these isolated eastern ranges were created about 120 to 66million years ago when magma welling up from the interior cracked and bowed the earth's surface here. [272] 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 currently has 129 active incorporated municipalities, of which 76 are towns, 51 are cities and 2 are consolidated city and county governments. In May 2006, then-Governor Brian Schweitzer posthumously issued full pardons for all those convicted of violating the Montana Sedition Act. Montana's Official State Website - VISITOR INFORMATION EMPLOYMENT RESIDENTS BUSINESS ONLINE SERVICES GOVERNMENT VISITING ABOUT MONTANA EDUCATION STATE CAREERS JOB SEEKER RESOURCES INFORMATION AND RESOURCES MONTANA JOB SERVICE RESOURCES INTERACT WITH YOUR STATE GOVERNMENT Temperatures vary greatly on cold nights, and Helena, 40 miles (64km) to the southeast had a low of only 36F or 37.8C on the same date, and an all-time record low of 42F or 41.1C. The first formal school on record was at Fort Owen in Bitterroot valley in 1862. [79] The Rocky Mountain Front is a significant feature in the state's north-central portion,[80] and isolated island ranges that interrupt the prairie landscape common in the central and eastern parts of the state. 624 sqft. BEARFACTS. Is Montana a good place to live? [295][296], During the age of the Copper Kings, each Montana copper company had its own newspaper. [212] The state was sued in 2004 because of lack of funding, and the state has increased its support of the program. [11], The name was changed by representatives Henry Wilson (Massachusetts) and Benjamin F. Harding (Oregon), who complained that Montana had "no meaning". There is a Youth Court in every judicial district, and decisions of the Youth Court are appealable directly to the Montana Supreme Court. Spending on state supreme court races exponentially increased to $1.6million in 2014, and to more than $1.6million in 2016 (both new records). In this school students were charged $1.75 per week. [114] 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. 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. Senator in 1978). 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. [323] The state last supported a Democrat for president in 1992, when Bill Clinton won a plurality victory. [56] As a result, farm sizes increased while the number of farms decreased. Every gift, no matter the size, helps Montana State fulfill its land grant mission and provides unparalleled educational opportunities for future generations. [12] Cox complained that the name was a misnomer given that most of the territory was not mountainous and thought a Native American name would be more appropriate than a Spanish one. [290] Montana cities map. [117] Paleontologist Jack Horner of the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman brought this formation to the world's attention with several major finds.[118]. The Montana University System consists of: The Montana Territory was formed on April 26, 1864, when the U.S. passed the Organic Act. Voters approved the legalization of gambling, a bicameral legislature, and retention of the death penalty. Intercity bus service in Montana is provided by Jefferson Lines and Express Arrow. The first permanent settlement by Euro-Americans in what today is Montana was St. Mary's, established in 1841 near present-day Stevensville. [21] The Montana Historical Society, founded on February 2, 1865, in Virginia City, is the oldest such institution west of the Mississippi (excluding Louisiana). As of August2021[update], the state's unemployment rate is 3.5%.[237]. [86] The front is most pronounced in the Lewis Range, located primarily in Glacier National Park. Around 1500 Montanans died as a result of the war and 2437 were wounded, also higher than any other state on a per capita basis. 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. This caused great hardship for farmers, ranchers, and miners. On November 8, 1889, President Benjamin Harrison proclaimed Montana the union's 41st state. However, there are also a number of vibrant cities with a flair for cowboy culture. Montana public health agencies continue to assist communities in responding to COVID-19. For Sale. [53] Also, most settlers were from wetter regions, unprepared for the dry climate, lack of trees, and scarce water resources. More than a dozen additional military outposts were established in the state. The Big Hole Valley,[95] Bitterroot Valley,[96] Gallatin Valley,[97] Flathead Valley,[98][99] and Paradise Valley[100] have extensive agricultural resources and multiple opportunities for tourism and recreation. These clashes, in part, contributed to the Panic of 1873, a financial crisis that delayed the construction of the railroad into Montana. These lands are managed by the state for the benefit of public schools and institutions in the state. [284], Snow coach tours are offered at Big Sky, Whitefish, West Yellowstone and into Yellowstone National Park. Weather and agricultural conditions are much harsher and drier west of the 100th meridian. [109] The underlying surface consists of sandstone and shale. There are approximately 3,300,000 acres (13,000km2) of wilderness in 12 separate wilderness areas that are part of the National Wilderness Preservation System established by the Wilderness Act of 1964. Montana has thousands of named rivers and creeks,[119] 450 miles (720km) of which are known for "blue-ribbon" trout fishing. [152], The Northern Divide turns east in Montana at Triple Divide Peak, causing the Waterton, Belly, and Saint Mary Rivers to flow north into Alberta. [181], Montana has 56 counties and a total of 364 "places" as defined by the United States Census Bureau; the latter comprising 129 incorporated places and 235 census-designated places. [116], The Hell Creek Formation in Northeast Montana is a major source of dinosaur fossils. Decisions of the court are appealable directly to the Montana Supreme Court. In the reapportionment following the 1990 census, Montana lost one of its House seats. Montana is home to diverse fauna including 14 amphibian,[155] 90 fish,[156] 117 mammal,[157] 20 reptile,[158] and 427 bird[159] species. The aptly-named Heart of Montana is an outdoor recreation paradise: hunting, fishing, skiing, hiking and biking are just a few of the possibilities for those of you who enjoy the great outdoors. [169][verification needed] The variation in geography leads to great variation in temperature. [43], The Desert Land Act of 1877 was passed to allow settlement of arid lands in the west and allotted 640 acres (2.6km2) to settlers for a fee of $.25 per acre and a promise to irrigate the land. In July 1889, Montanans convened their third constitutional convention and produced a constitution accepted by the people and the federal government. Montana has no sales tax, and household goods are exempt from property taxes. [273] 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. 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