Travel Montana, 301 South Park, P O Box 200533, Helena MT
59620-0533; 406-841-2870; 800-847-4868. Web: http://www.visitmt.com. Kid's web:
http://www.montanakids.com.
State Animal: grizzly bear
State Ballad: Montana Melody
State Bird: western meadowlark
State Butterfly: mourning cloak
State Fish: blackspotted cutthroat trout
State Flower: bitterroot
State Fossil: duck-billed dinosaur (maiasaura peeblesorum)
State Gemstones: Montana agate and sapphire
State Grass: bluebunch wheatgrass
State Motto: Oro y Plata (gold and silver)
State Nickname: Treasure State and Big Sky Country
State Seal:
State Soil: scobey or blackdog
State Song: Montana
State Tree: ponderosa pine
State Capitals
Fort Benton, Montana — Fort Benton
Chamber of Commerce, P O Box 12, Fort Benton, Montana 59442; 406-622-3864. Email:
info@fortbenton.com. Web:
http://www.fortbenton.com. Known as the birthplace of Montana, Fort Benton is the state's oldest community.
Bannack, Montana, Bannack State Park, 4200 Bannack Road, Dillon, Montana 59725; 406-834-3415; Fax: 406-834-3548.
Email: bannack@smtel.com. Web: http://www.bannack.org. —
Site of Montana's first major gold strike in 1862, Bannock was the state's first territorial capital (1864-1865).
It is now a ghost town.
Virginia City, Montana — Virginia City,
Montana Chamber of Commerce, P O Box 218, Virginia City,
Montana 59755; 800-829-2969. Web: http://www.virginiacity.com
and http://www.virginiacitychamber.com. Territorial capital (1865-1875).
Helena, Montana, Montana State Capital,
1301 E. Sixth Avenue, Helena, Montana 59620; 406-444-4789. Web:
http://www.montanacapitol.com. Territorial capital from 1875-1889. State capital since 1889.
Lame Deer, Montana. Northern Cheyenne
Chamber of Commerce, P O box 991, Lame Deer, Montana 59043; 406-477-8844; Fax: 406-477-6300. Web:
http://indiannations.visitmt.com/ northerncheyenne.shtm. Capital of the North Cheyenne Nation.
Crow Agency, Montana. Crow Tribe of
Indians, Bacheeitche Avenue, P O Box 159, Crow Agency, Montana 59022;
406-638-3700; Fax: 406-638-3811. Web:
http://www.crownations.net. Capital of the Crow Tribe.
Songs
Montana; Montana Melody.
State Specials
Loma, Montana holds the world record for the greatest temperature change in 24 hours — an astounding 103 degree change!
The Roe River in Great Falls is the shortest river in the world — 200 feet from Giant Springs to the Missouri River.
Giant Springs is the largest freshwater spring in the United States.
