Montana Trivia

Some interesting tidbits about Montana and its history

The selection of Helena as the capital of Montana had an inauspicious beginning. A political war between two "Copper Kings" Marcus Daly and William Clark, resulted in massive bribery and vote-buying scandals. With Daly backing Anaconda and Clark supporting Helena, it is estimated that in 1894 each man spent almost $3 million to determine which city would become Montana's new capital.

The Montana Yogo Sapphire is the only North American gem to be included in the Crown Jewels of England.

In 1888 Helena had more millionaires per capita than any other city in the world.

Montana's name comes from the Spanish word mountain.

At Egg Mountain near Choteau, dinosaur eggs have been discovered supporting the theory some dinosaurs were more like mammals and birds than like reptiles.

The Continental Divide runs along the crests of the Rocky Mountains from Canada to Mexico, literally dividing the waters of the North American Continent. Montana is known as the headwaters state because much of the water which flows to the rest of the nation comes from the mountains of Montana.

Flathead Lake in northwest Montana contains over 200 square miles of water and 185 miles of shoreline. It is considered the largest natural freshwater lake in the west.

Yellowstone National Park in southern Montana and northern Wyoming was the first national park in the nation.

The most visited place in Montana is Glacier National Park, known as the crown jewel of the continent. It lies along Montana's northern border and adjoins Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada, forming the world's first International Peace Park.

The "Going to the Sun Road" in Glacier National Park is considered one of the most scenic drives in America.