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

There are more animals in Montana than there are people.

Two of the nation's major river systems, the Missouri and Columbia, are born high in the Rocky Mountains of Montana.

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.

Montana is the only state with a triple divide allowing water to flow into the Pacific, Atlantic, and Hudson Bay. This phenomenon occurs at Triple Divide Peak in Glacier National Park.

Much of Montana was acquired by the U.S. from France as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.

Manuel Lisa built the first fur trading post in Montana on the confluence of the Bighorn and Yellowstone Rivers in 1807

Western Montana was obtained from Great Britain in the Oregon Treaty of 1846

In June of 1862 the Sioux Indians defeated Col. George Armstrong Custer and the 7th Cavalry at Battle of Little Big Horn River.

Between 1880 and 1890, the population of Montana grew from about 39,000 to nearly 143,000.

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

November 8, 1889, Montana became the 41st state.

In 1890 the first hydroelectric dam was built in Great Falls.

In 1902 a train trip of 395 miles would take about 19 hours.

Golden Valley County was established on March 8th, 1920. It was created after the Musselshell County Commissioners petitioned to divide Musselshell County into smaller sections.

In 1923 the Jack Dempsey-Tommy Gibbons world heavyweight championship fight is staged in Shelby.