Most of Montana first came under American sovereignty with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and was explored by the Lewis and Clark Expedition shortly thereafter. Fur trappers followed and were the main economic activity in the area until gold was discovered in 1852. The ensuing gold rush, along with the passage of the Homestead Acts in 1862, brought large numbers of American settlers to Montana. Rapid population growth and development culminated in statehood on November 8, 1889. Mining, particularly around Butte and Helena, would remain the state's main economic engine through the mid-20th century.
Montana has no official nickname but several unofficial ones, most notably "Big Sky Country", "The Treasure State", "Land of the Shining Mountains", and "The Last Best Place". Its economy is primarily based on agriculture, including ranching and cereal grain farming. Other significant economic resources include oil, gas, coal, mining, and lumber. The health care, service, defense, and government sectors are also significant to the state's economy. Montana's fastest-growing sector is tourism, with 12.6 million tourists (as of 2019) visiting the state each year. (Full article...)
William E. Linderman (April 13, 1920 – November 11, 1965) was an American rodeocowboy who competed on the Rodeo Cowboys Association (RCA) circuit in the 1940s and 1950s. During his career, he won RCA All-Around Cowboy titles in 1950 and 1953, along with an unofficial All-Around Cowboy championship in 1945; in addition, he earned season championships in rodeo disciplines four times. Linderman was the first cowboy with three RCA world championships in a year, a feat he accomplished in 1950. A native of Montana, he joined the RCA in the early 1940s, winning his first discipline world championship in 1943 before beating out his brother for the 1945 unofficial All-Around Cowboy title. After injuries and health issues ended his 1946 and 1947 seasons, Linderman added two more All-Around Cowboy championships in the next six years.
Beginning in 1947, Linderman worked various jobs for the RCA, including spells as a member of the organization's board of directors, president, and secretary-treasurer. His desire for a season-ending event featuring leaders in the RCA's point standings helped lead to the creation of the National Finals Rodeo. Linderman moved with his family to Washington, and remained with the RCA until his death in a plane accident. He was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1979. (Full article...)
Image 18Buffalo Soldiers, Ft. Keogh, Montana, 1890. The nickname was given to the "Black Cavalry" by the Native American tribes they fought. (from Montana)
Image 34Treemap of the popular vote by county, 2016 presidential election. Areas are in proportion to the number of votes cast in each county. (from Montana)
Image 35Clark Fork River, Missoula, in autumn (from Montana)
... that Montana television station KOPR-TV brought forward its start date by several months, only to last just one year?
... that a "North Dakota joke of the mornin'" was a feature on Montana radio station KGRZ because the station's owner and morning show host hailed from that state?
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