Entered Union November 8, 1889 (41st state)
Montana (1,084,244), Helena (32,090), Billings (117,142)
The sandstone and granite capitol was originally completed in 1902 using the designs of George R. Mann. It is located on 6th Avenue at Washington Drive. Interstate Highway 15 is 10 blocks northeast of the capitol. The Capitol is designed in Neoclassical style. The only supporting structure is the Supreme Court building in Helena. The state was officially created as the 41st state on November 8, 1889 from Native American lands and the Montana Territory. Helena has been the capital since 1875 with Virginia City serving as a territorial capital. The state’s name comes from the Spanish word for “mountain.” Helena is named for Helena, Arkansas. Billings is named for a railroad president, Frederick H. Billings. Granite Peak in Stillwater and Carbon Counties is the highest point and the lowest point is the Kootenai River at the Idaho border.
Montana government, in the Executive, consists of a Governor, a Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Auditor, and Superintendent of Public Instruction. There are 50 Senators and 100 Representatives in the Legislative. Five Supreme Court Justices serve Montana in the Judicial. Montana is located in the northwest part of the United States on the border with Canada. The geographic center is in Fergus County 10 miles west of Lewistown. The state is surrounded clockwise by Canada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Idaho.
The area is 147040 square miles. It is 4th largest state in the country. It is the 44th most populated state in the country. It has a density of 7.4 persons per square mile making it 48th in the country. Its major rivers are the Missouri, the Yellowstone, the Kootenai, the Flathead, the Powder, the Bighorn, and the Judith. Helena is western half of the state. Billings is located in the southeast third of the state.
Click here to link to the Montana county slideshow
Click below to link to a Montana county page