Fun Facts About Montana
The name Montana comes from the Spanish word Montaña, meaning "mountain", or more broadly, "mountainous country".
Famous people from Montana include: Michelle Williams, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Phil Jackson, Dana Carvey, Evil Knievel, Adam Morrison, Tanner Hall & Gary Cooper.
Montana has several nicknames, although none official, including "Big Sky Country" and "The Treasure State."
Montana slogans include "Land of the Shining Mountains" and more recently "The Last Best Place".
Montana is ranked 4th in size, but 44th in population and 48th in population density of the 50 United States.
Most of Montana's 100 or more named mountain ranges are concentrated in the western half of the state, most of which is geologically and geographically part of the Northern Rocky Mountains. In total, 77 named ranges are part of the Rocky Mountains.
The economy is primarily based on agriculture, including ranching and cereal grain farming. Montana generates over $4 billion in agricultural cash receipts.
Montana contains thousands of named rivers and creeks, 450 miles of which are known for "blue-ribbon" trout fishing.
There are no major league sports franchises in Montana due to the state's relatively small and dispersed population.
In 1889, Spokane became the first and only Montana horse to win the Kentucky Derby.
Montana has been a destination for its world-class trout fisheries since the 1930s.[247] 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 is the home of the Federation of Fly Fishers and hosts many of the organizations annual conclaves.
Cattle and calves are the most produced food commodity in Montana followed by wheat and hay.
Cattle ranching has been central to Montana's history and economy since Johnny Grant began wintering cattle in the Deer Lodge Valley in the 1850s and traded cattle fattened in fertile Montana valleys with emigrants on the Oregon Trail. Nelson Story brought the first Texas Longhorn Cattle into the territory in 1866.
Cattle and calves generate over $1.7 billion in agricultural cash receipts for Montana.
Montana accounts for 23% of the barley (by value) produced in the United States.
Montana accounts for 9% of the wheat (by value) produced in the United States.
Montana accounts for 41% of the dry peas (by value) produced in the United States.
Montana accounts for 35% of the lentils (by value) produced in the United States.
Montana accounts for 20% of the safflower (by value) produced in the United States.
In western Montana, as compared with the eastern plains area, winters tend to be milder while summers are cooler.
The growing season is shorter in the west, where some intermountain areas experience only 50 to 100 days without frosts a year.
Eastern Montana has colder winters, warmer summers, less cloudiness, the heaviest precipitation in late spring and early summer, and considerably higher average wind velocities. Frost-free periods in the east and in the state’s low-lying river valleys range from 120 to 150 days per year.
Snowfall normally is heaviest in the mountains of the west, with as much as 300” falling in some years. Storms of several types occur in Montana.