Montana

Montana’s Role in U.S. History

1805: Lewis and Clark Expedition passes through Montana.
1808: Manuel Lisa establishes Fort Lisa, the first permanent settlement in Montana.
1846: Oregon Trail established through Montana.
1863: Gold discovered in Bannack, leading to influx of miners and settlement.
1864: Montana organized as a territory.
1889: Montana admitted as the 41st state.
1902: Northern Pacific Railroad reaches Great Falls, Montana.
1914: Ku Klux Klan founded in Great Falls.
1941: Montana joins the United States in World War II.
1959: First nuclear missile silo installed in Montana.
1964: Wilderness Act protects over 1 million acres of land in Montana.
1972: Yellowstone National Park established in Montana.
1983: Malheur National Forest fire burns over 160,000 acres in eastern Montana.

1864: Montana Territory Act organizes Montana as a territory.
1889: Montana Statehood Act admits Montana as a state.
1902: Northern Pacific Railroad Land Grant Act grants land to the Northern Pacific Railroad in Montana.
1914: Ku Klux Klan Act prohibits the Ku Klux Klan in Montana.
1964: Wilderness Act sets aside over 1 million acres of land in Montana for protection.
1972: Yellowstone National Park Act establishes Yellowstone National Park in Montana.

1894: United States v. Wong Kim Ark rules that all persons born in the United States are U.S. citizens, regardless of their race.
1991: Montana v. Environmental Protection Agency rules that the Environmental Protection Agency has the authority to regulate greenhouse gases.

Montana’s role as a transportation hub for the west helped to connect the United States.
The state’s vast natural resources have contributed to the nation’s economic development.
Montana’s beautiful scenery has made it a popular tourist destination.
The state’s commitment to environmental protection has led to the preservation of important natural resources.