History
Industry
Snapshot | Economy/Cost of Living
Education | Recreation & Entertainment
| Transportation
Geography & Climate
| Suggested Reading
List
Montana was originally inhabited by numerous Native American tribes, including the Cheyenne, Arapaho and Shoshone. Europeans, in the form of French fur trappers, first discovered Montana around the mid-18th century. The land was further explored by the Lewis & Clark expedition, in 1805. The first settlement, St. Mary’s Mission, followed a few decades later, in 1841.
Gold was discovered in 1862 at Grasshopper Creek. A gold rush ensued, which led to a significant increase in population and a need for government. Montana was granted territorial status in 1864.
As settlements grew, so too did industry. The first important industry following the gold rush was cattle. The cattle industry remained dominant for thirty years, until the bitterly cold winter of 1886-7 decimated the cattle population. Mining became the next great industry, first of gold and silver, then of copper. The success of this new industry played a large role in Montana’s admittance as the 41st U.S. state on Nov. 8, 1889.
In the early 1900s, population continued to increase and several industries flourished, including farming, lumber and hydroelectric power.
The mid-1900s saw two important developments in Montana: urbanization and a reorganization of the economy. As farming became less profitable, there was a massive influx to Montana’s cities. Simultaneously, the economy broadened as oil was discovered, mining focused on aluminum and the state became a tourist destination. Oil and tourism both remain dominant industries today, along with lumber, agriculture and coal, as the economy diversifies to support new, high-technology industries.
Related Resources:
Back to Destination Montana
|
