Montana History & Information

Montana is known as the Treasure State and is the fourth largest in the U.S. with land area of 145,552 square miles.  Best known for its rich agricultural resources and endless recreation, Montana boasts a minimal persons per square mile figure of 6.2. 

Before the white settlers arrived, two groups of Indian tribes lived in the region that is now Montana.  French trappers may have visited the Montana area as early as the 1740s. The American explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark led their expedition to the Pacific Coast through  Montana in 1805, naming many of the state's notable landmarks. The expedition returned to Montana in 1806 and split into two groups to better explore the vast and diverse terrain. After 1807, fur traders began more aggressive trapping in the newly charted areas of Montana. In 1841, Jesuit missionaries established St. Mary's Mission, the first attempt at a permanent settlement, near what is now Stevensville.

The United States acquired most of what is now Montana as part of the Louisiana Purchase. The northwestern part was gained by treaty with Britain in 1846.  Between 1880 and 1890, the population of Montana grew from about 39,000 to nearly 143,000. The people of Montana first asked for statehood in 1884, but they had to wait five years. Finally, Montana was admitted to the United States as the 41st state on November 8, 1889. Joseph K. Toole of Helena became the first governor of the state.

Montana today remains a state rich in natural resources. But technological changes have cost jobs. State leaders seek to broaden the economy and ensure a successful future for the state by expanding the manufacturing and travel, recreation, and retirement industries. Montana's public education system features an extensive network of community colleges, colleges of technology, tribal colleges, and four year institutions designed to provide the state with a knowledgeable and motivated workforce.