What was the first permanent settlement in Montana?
In 1850 Major John Owen arrived in the valley and set up camp north of St. Mary's. In time, Major Owen established a trading post and military strong point named Fort Owen, which served the Native people, settlers, and missionaries in the valley. The first permanent settlement in Montana was Fort Benton, established as a fur trading post in 1847.
What was the first group of white explorers in Montana?
The Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804-1806 was the first group of white explorers to cross Montana. Hard on the heels of the expedition arrived the fur trappers and traders.
When did Montana become the first state in the US?
The Montana State Genealogical Society issues First Families of Montana certificates to descendants of the very first residents who arrived before statehood on 8 November 1889. The Montana State Genealogical Society issues Early Settlers of Montana certificates to descendants who arrived between 9 November 1889 and 31 December 1929.
What is the history of Stevensville Montana?
DeSmet arrived in present-day Stevensville on September 24, 1841, and called the settlement St. Mary's Mission. Construction of a chapel immediately began, followed by other permanent structures including log cabins and Montana's first pharmacy. In 1850 Major John Owen arrived in the valley and set up camp north of St. Mary's.
What was the first settlement in Montana?
Roman Catholic missionaries followed the fur traders and in 1841 established Saint Mary's Mission near present-day Stevensville, believed to be the first permanent settlement in Montana.
When did Montana get settled?
July 4, 1776Montana / Date settled
What ethnic groups settled Montana?
Italians and Germans settled in Fergus and Park counties, and many Germans came from North Dakota and Canada. The cattlemen of Montana were primarily English and Scottish, although they drove cattle owned by the Germans. The sheepmen were also from the British Isles.
Who was the first white man in Montana?
The first white man known to have explored this region is Sieur de la Varendry, who made his way up the Missouri River during the years 1730 to 1744, and reached the Rocky Mountains in January 1743.
What is the oldest town in Montana?
Stevensville is officially recognized as the first permanent settlement of non-indigenous peoples in the state of Montana. Forty-eight years before Montana became the nation's 41st state, Stevensville was settled by Jesuit Missionaries at the request of the Bitterroot Salish tribe.
What nationality are the settlers in 1883?
They are European, hailing from Germany, and Josef is established as one of the few amongst them that can speak English. This ultimately elevates his status amongst the group, as he is able to relay information between both parties.
Who immigrated to Montana?
The top countries of origin for immigrants were Canada (15 percent of immigrants), Mexico (15 percent), Germany (7 percent), China (5 percent), and Vietnam (5 percent). In 2018, 43,066 people in Montana (4 percent of the state's population) were native-born Americans who had at least one immigrant parent.
What did Montana used to be called?
Before the creation of Montana Territory (1864–1889), areas within present-day Montana were part of the Oregon Territory (1848–1859), Washington Territory (1853–1863), Idaho Territory (1863–1864), and Dakota Territory (1861–1864).
What was Montana like in the 1920s?
Montana was the only state that lost population during the “roaring” 1920s. The extent of the disaster was staggering, and grim statistics tell the story. Between 1919 and 1925, roughly 2 million acres passed out of production, and 11,000 farms – about 20 percent of the state's total – were vacated.
How did settlers claim land in Montana?
The Homestead Act of 1862 enabled thousands to claim land in Montana. This act offered 160 acres of public land to US citizens on the condition that they live on, cultivate, and improve it. They could then "prove up" and obtain a deed after five years. The first homestead claim was made near present-day Helena in 1868.
What was Montana before it became a territory?
It also was part of Louisiana Territory until 1812, the Missouri Territory until 1821, a general Great Plains Indian Country until 1854 and Nebraska Territory until 1861, when it became the western sector of newly created Dakota Territory.
How old is Montana?
MontanaBefore statehoodMontana TerritoryAdmitted to the UnionNovember 8, 1889 (41st)CapitalHelenaLargest cityBillings47 more rows
How did the Homestead Act of 1862 affect the settlement of Montana?
The revised Homestead Act of the early 1900s greatly affected the settlement of Montana. This act expanded the land that was provided by the Homestead Act of 1862 from 160 acres to 320 (65 to 129 ha). When the latter act was signed by President William Taft, it also reduced the time necessary to prove up from five years to three years and permitted five months absence from the claim each year.
What tribes lived in Montana?
Several major tribal groups made their home in and around the land that later became Montana. The Scout in Winter, Crow, 1908 by Edward S. Curtis. The Crow, a Siouan -language people, also known as the Apsáalooke, were the first of the native nations currently living in Montana to arrive in the region.
What is the name of the tribe of the Flathead?
The Kootenai name is also spelled Kutenai or Ktunaxa / ˈkuːtəneɪ /. They are one of three tribes of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Nation in Montana, and they form the Ktunaxa Nation in British Columbia, Canada. There are also Kootenai populations in Idaho and Washington.
Why were timber resources important to Montana?
Timber resources were critical to both mines and railroads. Western Montana had ample timber but not always along the most natural railroad routes, and timber near mines was quickly depleted. Thus huge swaths of timber resources were made available to private railroad and mining interests, usually in a checkerboard pattern of ownership interspersed with sections of publicly held land. The communities of Libby, Kalispell and Missoula rose in part due to the demand for timber and their location along strategic waterways.
How many colleges are there in Montana?
It put Montana's 14 campuses in five categories: two state university systems ( University of Montana and Montana State University ), a community college system emphasizing technology, tribal colleges, and independent colleges not controlled by the state.
Where was the first human burial site in North America?
The oldest dated human burial site in North America was located in 1968 near Wilsall, Montana at what is now known as the Anzick site (named for the discoverers).
Where is the Crow Indian Reservation?
In the 19th century, Crow warriors were allies and scouts for the United States Army The modern Crow Indian Reservation is Montana's largest reservation, located in southeastern Montana along the Big Horn River, in the vicinity of Hardin, Montana .
What was the first permanent settlement in Montana?
Roman Catholic missionaries followed the trappers into Montana. They established Saint Mary's Mission in the Bitterroot Valley, thought to be the first permanent settlement in Montana. They also promoted agriculture and built a sawmill. The discovery of gold brought many prospectors into the area in the 1860s, and Montana became a territory in 1864.
When did Montana become a territory?
The discovery of gold brought many prospectors into the area in the 1860s, and Montana became a territory in 1864 . The rapid influx of people led to boomtowns that grew rapidly and declined just as quickly when the gold ran out.
What tribes were in Montana?
Tribes include the Crows in the south central region, the Cheyenne in the southeastern part of the state, the Blackfeet, Assiniboine, and Gros Ventres in the central and north-central areas, and the Kootenai and Salish in the western sector.
What was the homestead act?
Passage of the Enlarged Homestead Act in 1909 brought tens of thousands of homestead farmers into the state looking for inexpensive land. Wheat farming was popular until an extended drought, and a drop in market prices after World War I, ruined many farmers. The homestead "bust" forced many farmers to abandon Montana.
What was the homestead bust in Montana?
The homestead "bust" forced many farmers to abandon Montana. Montana's post-World War I depression extended through the 1920s and right into the Great Depression of the 1930s. Then President Franklin D. Roosevelt's "New Deal" brought relief to the state in the form of various projects and agencies: the building of Fort Peck Dam;
How did World War II affect Montana?
As across the nation, World War II broke the hold of the Great Depression on Montana. The war brought additional federal monies to the state, but drew young people into the service and into wartime industries on the West Coast. The resultant wartime dislocation changed Montana forever.
Why did the fur trade end in the 1840s?
The fur trade was mostly over by the 1840s due to dwindling supplies of beaver and the loss of popularity of the beaver hat. Roman Catholic missionaries followed the trappers into Montana.
What is the history of the first inhabitants of Montana?
First Early Inhabitants of Montana. Early history examines the archaeological record that tells the story of the first inhabitants of Montana. Learn about the prehistory and culture of the first early inhabitants, and what lessons it might teach us about the early history of Montana.
Where did the first people live in Montana?
Although some tribal people believe their ancestors have lived in the northern Rocky Mountain region since the world began, archaeologists believe the first inhabitants crossed the Bering Strait from Asia around 12,000 years ago. There is evidence of a thriving culture living west of the Rocky Mountains as early as 9,000 years ago.
What were the names of the Montana tribes?
The names of the Montana tribes included the Arapaho, Arikara, Assiniboine, Atsina, Cheyenne, Chippewa, Cree, Crow, Dakota, Hidatsa, Kalispel, Kiowa (see above picture), Kutenai, Mandan, Nez Perce, Piegan, Salish (Flathead), Tunahe and the Spokane.
What tribes lived in Montana?
Before the white settlers arrived, two groups of Indian tribes lived in the region that is now Montana. The Arapaho, Assiniboine, Atsina, Blackfeet, Cheyenne, and Crow tribes lived on the plains.
What year did the prehistoric people migrate to Montana?
8,000-6,500 B.C. - Prehistoric people develop communal hunting techniques in Montana. 6,500 BC-1,500 AD - Prehistoric people populate all areas of Montana.
What happened in Wyoming in the 2,000,000 BC?
The surface collapsed thousands of feet into a magma pool and marked the area later known as Yellowstone.
Where did the Cretaceous Lance Formation occur?
80Mil BC - Upper Cretaceous Lance Formation in Montana, Wyoming and S. Dakota has fossils of Pachycephalosaurus (thick-headed lizards). They stood on two feet and were herbivorous. They had a dome-like development on the skull made of solid bone, most likely used in combat as a battering ram.
Where was the first permanent settlement in Montana?
Mary`s Mission, near present-day Stevensville, probably was the first permanent white settlement in Montana; it was later sold to a private individual who operated it as a trading post. Miners. A small gold strike was made at Gold Creek in 1858, but a series of more important finds was made after 1860.
Where did the Sioux settle in Montana?
The Bozeman Trail was closed to white traffic and a number of the Sioux agreed to make their homes in the Black Hills of the Dakota Territory, lands that they held sacred. However, disgruntled Sioux under Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse remained in Montana.
What were the first people to live in Montana?
Original Inhabitants At the time of the first appearance of Europeans in what today is Montana, there were native inhabitants living in two geographical regions. In the plains area in the east, the Arapaho, Assiniboine, Blackfoot, Crow and Gros Ventre developed life styles revolving around the bison — their major source of food, clothing and shelter. In the valleys near the Rocky and Bitterroot mountains to the west, the Bannock, Kalispel, Kootenai and Shoshone found their homelands more conducive to agriculture. Other tribes frequently spent a portion of the year in Montana, including the Cheyenne, Mandan, Nez Percé and Sioux. The Early Europeans French fur traders and trappers may have ventured into present-day Montana in the 1740s, but the evidence is not conclusive. Nonetheless, the area between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains was claimed by France and named Louisiana. French authority in the area was weakened by defeat in the French and Indian War and they compensated Spain, their ally in that conflict, by passing title to Louisiana to them. France temporarily regained control of the region during the Napoleonic Era, but in 1803 sold it to the United States in the Louisiana Purchase . Explorers. President Thomas Jefferson `s curiosity about the newly purchased tract led to his support for an exploratory venture, fueled largely by the hope of discovering an easy water route that would lead to the Pacific Ocean. The Lewis and Clark Expedition set off in 1804 and reached the Forks of the Missouri River in present-day Montana the following July. The party again entered Montana on the return trip, splitting into northern and southern contingents in order to see more territory. The reports of Lewis and Clark at journey`s end were largely responsible for sparking interest in Louisiana, particularly in its abundance of fur-bearing animals.
What tribes lived in Montana?
Other tribes frequently spent a portion of the year in Montana, including the Cheyenne, Mandan, Nez Percé and Sioux.
What was the economic development of Montana?
Economic Development in Montana Livestock. Cattle had been brought into Montana from Oregon during the 1850s, but it was the demand for food from the gold miners of the following decade that created a thriving cattle industry. In 1866, Nelson Story drove a herd from Texas into Montana on the Bozeman Trail.
What territories did Montana belong to?
The Territorial Stage Before achieving statehood, Montana was included by Congress in a long list of territories — Louisiana, Missouri, Oregon, Washington, Nebraska, Dakota and Idaho .
Why was Montana in a depression?
By the time of the stock market crash in 1929, Montana was already in a deep depression. Mining was also hard hit at this time because of competition from foreign sources; many mines and factories in Montana closed their doors. The state benefited from a number of The New Deal programs of the 1930s.
When did Montana get settled?
In the spring and summer of 1864, a heavy tide of emigration coming from the east and the west, settled in Montana, attracted to the territory by the almost fabulous accounts of the discovery of gold and silver. Many persons who were disappointed in their efforts to secure gold, and others who were naturally disposed to other pursuits, found their way into the agricultural valleys of the territory, that had previously received little attention on account of the intense excitement of the mining prospects.
Who settled in Gallatin Valley?
Alderson, an early Gallatin Valley pioneer, and corroborated by other pioneers, it was in the fall of 1863, and the spring of 1864 that the first settlements were made in Gallatin Valley by a few mountaineers. Joe Wilson, Al Nichols, J. Gallaher, Lotzenheiser brothers, Dunbar brothers and others settled near the three forks of the Missouri River, where they started Gallatin City, and W. J. Beall, D. E. Rouse, Jacob Gum, W. O. P. Hays, George D. Thomas, M. W. Penwell, Oscar E. Penwell, W. H. Babcock, F. A. Meridith and others located on the East Gallatin River.
When was the first house built in Gallatin Valley?
The first house built in Gallatin Valley was that of Frank Dunbar in 1863, at Gallatin City, near the present town of Three Forks. Mr. Dunbar used this residence later as a hotel, and some of the early day meetings of county officers were held there when Gallatin City was the county seat of Gallatin County.
When did the first family of Montana arrive?
The Montana State Genealogical Society issues First Families of Montana certificates to descendants of the very first residents who arrived before statehood on 8 November 1889.
When did Montana become a state?
The Montana State Genealogical Society issues First Families of Montana certificates to descendants of the very first residents who arrived before statehood on 8 November 1889.
When will the first family of Montana be available for shipment?
MSGS is currently taking pre-orders for this Volume and it should be available for shipment in November 2021.
What is a family descendant certificate?
Family descendant certificates will also be issued to those who provide satisfactory proof that a sister or brother of a direct descendant meets the qualifications of either a First Family or Early Settler of Montana.
When did the first white men come to the valley?
The first white men came to the valley on September 4, 1805, when the Lewis & Clark expedition entered the valley near Lost Trail Pass. Approaching the present-day location of Sula, the expedition met a party of Salish Indians.
Where did the Salish Indians settle in Missoula?
In October of 1891, the Salish tribe traveled 66 miles north of Stevensville and were settled on the Flathead Reservation in the Jocko Valley north of Missoula. The valley now belonged solely to the white settlers. The Salish people still come to the valley on a religious pilgrimage to visit the “Medicine Tree”, an important religious symbol for their people located along Hwy 93 south of Conner.
What is the name of the plant that grows in the Bitterroot Valley?
The Indians gathered and ate the starchy root of the succulent Bitterroot plant. The small pink blossoms of this plant prompted the naming of the Bitterroot River and surrounding mountains and earned further prominence by becoming the Montana State Flower.
Where did Captain Clark camp?
I was the first white man on the water of this river.” The expedition camped at Traveler’s Rest at the mouth of Lolo Creek before venturing over the Bitterroot Mountain Range on their way to the Pacific.
What was the first place in the Americas to settle?
This is why Alaska is one of the first places of all the Americas to be settled. They did not build large settlements there, instead the majority of them proceeded to move south into Canada, Mexico, the continental United States and later to South America. c. 12000 BC. Triquet Island Heiltsuk Nation Village Site.
Who was the first European to settle in the Americas?
First European settlement in the Americas. Norse explorer Erik the Red established this settlement, followed by the Western Settlement c. 985.
What is the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the Americas?
Oldest continuously-inhabited European-established settlement in the Americas. Present-day capital of the Dominican Republic.
What is the oldest continuously occupied community in the US?
Oldest continuously-occupied community in the US, known today as Sky City
What was the first European settlement in New York?
Oldest European settlement in New York State, founded as Fort Nassau and renamed Fort Orange in 1623. First Dutch settlement in North America
When was the United States founded?
United States. Established in the summer of 1604 by a French expedition, led by Pierre Dugua, which included Samuel de Champlain. After the winter of 1604–1605 the survivors relocated and founded Port Royal, Nova Scotia. 1605.
Who established the first European settlement in the Americas?
First European settlement in the Americas, excluding Greenland. Norse explorer Leif Ericson established a settlement on this site in 1003. Oldest continuously-occupied community in the US, known today as Sky City. One of the oldest continuously-inhabited Native American settlements in the United States.
Overview
Military history
The first permanent settlement in Montana was Fort Benton, established as a fur trading post in 1847. It was named in honor of Senator Thomas Hart Benton, who encouraged settlement of the West. The U.S. Army took over the commercial fort in 1869 and a detachment of the 7th Infantry remained in the town until 1881. Its location on the Missouri River marked the farthest practical point upriver that steamboats could navigate. With the arrival of the first steamboats in 1860, th…
Indigenous peoples
Archeological evidence has shown indigenous peoples lived in the area for more than 12,000 years. The oldest dated human burial site in North America was located in 1968 near Wilsall, Montana at what is now known as the Anzick site (named for the discoverers). The human remains of a male infant, found at the Anzick site along with Clovis culture artifacts, establish the earliest known hum…
Louisiana Purchase
On April 30, 1803, the Louisiana Purchase Treaty was signed by representatives of the U.S. at Paris, France. The United States Senate ratified the treaty on October 20 and President Thomas Jefferson announced the treaty to the American people on July 4, 1803. The area covered by the purchase included much of the present-day United States between the Continental Divide and the …
Lewis and Clark Expedition
The Louisiana Purchase sparked interest in knowing the character of the lands the nation had purchased, including their flora and fauna and the peoples who inhabited them. President Thomas Jefferson, an advocate of exploration and scientific inquiry, had the Congress appropriate $2,500 for an expedition up the Missouri River and down the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean. He had envisioned an expedition of this nature since at least the early 1790s, due to his driving interest t…
First settlements
St. Mary's Mission was the first permanent European settlement in Montana. Through interactions with Iroquois between 1812 and 1820, the Salish people learned about Christianity and the Jesuit missionaries (known as "blackrobes"), who worked with Native tribes teaching about agriculture, medicine, and religion. Interest in these "blackrobes" grew among the Salish. In 1831, four young Salish men were dispatched to St. Louis, Missouri to request a "blackrobe" to return with them t…
Montana Territory
After the discovery of gold in the region, Montana was designated as a United States territory (Montana Territory) on May 26, 1864 and, with rapid population growth, as the 41st state on November 8, 1889.
Montana territory was organized from the existing Idaho Territory by Act of Congress and signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln on May 28, 1864. T…
Indian Wars
The Battle of the Little Bighorn—also called Custer's Last Stand and the Battle of the Greasy Grass—was an armed engagement between a Lakota (Sioux)-Northern Cheyenne-Arapaho combined force and the 7th Cavalry of the United States Army. It occurred June 25–June 26, 1876, near the Little Bighorn River in eastern Montana Territory near present-day Hardin, Montana, on land that toda…