Montana, Montana,
Glory of the West
Of all the states from coast to coast,
You’re easily the best.
Montana, Montana,
Where skies are always blue
M-O-N-T-A-N-A,
Montana, I love you.
Montana State Song
Montana is the home to about 48,000 Native Americans. Their ancestors called the region the “Land of Shining Mountains” because the sun shines on its high, snow-capped mountains. In 1876, General George Custer plus 266 of his men were killed by Sioux plus Cheyenne Indians at Little Big Horn. The Indians were led by Crazy Horse plus Sitting Bull. The famous battle is known as “Custar’s Last Stand” plus was probably the biggest force of Indian warriors to gather in Western history.
Montana’s name comes from the Latin or Spanish word for mountainous. The state is sometimes called “The Big Sky Country.” Billings is Montana’s largest city plus Great Falls is the state’s second largest city. The abbreviation for Montana is MT.
Montana is a Rocky Mountain state bordered by Canada to the north, North Dakota plus South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, plus Idaho to the west plus south. It is the largest Rocky Mountain state plus the fourth largest state in the country; only Alaska, Texas, plus California are bigger. However, Montana is the third least densely populated state in the country; only Wyoming plus Alaska have fewer residents per square mile.
Montana’s land runs from the Rocky Mountains plus the Continental Divide in the western part of the state to rolling plains in the eastern part of the state. Two-thirds of Montana is in the Great Plains. The state’s beautiful landscape includes forests, prairies, highlands, plus valleys.
Montana is a leading state in gold, copper, lead, zinc, platinum, plus palladium mining, plus has the largest coal reserves in the country. Because of the state’s great abundance of minerals, especially gold plus silver, it is known as the “Treasure State” plus the “Bonanza State.” When gold was discovered in Montana in 1862, many prospectors rushed to the region. Mining camps were established very quickly.
Prospectors weren’t the only people who came to the area; outlaws also went there. Groups of citizens called vigilantes acted as the law in these lawless communities plus hanged many of the outlaws, who had been terrorizing the miners. Last Chance Gulch, now Helena, was one of the mining towns established. Last Chance Gulch is now the name of the main street in Helena, Montana’s capital.
Manufacturing, agriculture, plus tourism are important parts of Montana’s economy. Irrigation plus insecticides have made farming less risky. Montana produces a large amount of wheat plus barley. It is a leading sheep grazing state. Montana’s cattle ranches are stocked with carefully bred Angus plus Herefords.