Montana’s 131st Birthday
Montana was admitted to the Union as the 41st state on November 8, 1889.
It is the fourth-largest state by area, the eighth-least populous state, and the third-least densely populated state.
Nicknames include “Big Sky Country”, “The Treasure State”, and “The Last, Best Place”.
State Fish: Westslope Cutthroat Trout
The scientific name of the westslope cutthroat trout is Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi. The subspecies was first described in the journals of explorer William Clark from specimens obtained during the Lewis and Clark Expedition from the Missouri River near Great Falls. This subspecies is a species of concern in its Montana and British Columbia ranges.
State Bird: Western Meadowlark
The western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) is a medium-sized bird that nests on the ground in open grasslands across western and central North America. The western meadowlark has distinctive calls described as watery or flute-like and is the state bird of six states.
State Animal: Grizzly Bear
The grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis), also known as the North American brown bear or simply grizzly, is a large population or subspecies of the brown bear inhabiting North America. Lewis & Clark first described it as grisley. Naturalist George Ord formally classified it in 1815 as U. horribilis, not for its hair, but for its character.
State Flower: Bitterroot
Bitterroot (Lewisia rediviva) is a small perennial herb. The plant is native to western North America. The roots were consumed by tribes such as the Shoshone and the Flathead Indians as an infrequent delicacy. The Lemhi Shoshone believed the small red core found in the upper taproot had special powers, notably being able to stop a bear attack. The bitterroot was selected as the Montana state flower in 1895.
Highest Peak
Granite Peak, at an elevation of 12,807 feet (3,904 m) above sea level, is the highest natural point in Montana. It lies within the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. Granite Peak's first ascent was made by Elers Koch, James C. Whitham, and R.T. Ferguson on August 29, 1923, after several failed attempts by others. It was the last of the state high points to be climbed.
Coldest Temperature
The coldest temperature on record for Montana is also the coldest temperature for the contiguous United States.
On January 20, 1954, −70 °F or −56.7 °C was recorded at a gold mining camp near Rogers Pass.
