#27 MONTANA

Montana, nicknamed "Big Sky Country," was admitted into the Union on November 8, 1889, becoming our Nation's 41st state. The quarter was released in early 2007. It features a bison skull depicted above the diverse Montana landscape with the inscription "Big Sky Country." The bison skull is a powerful symbol, sacred to many of Montana's American Indian tribes. This symbol can be seen across the State on schools, businesses and license plates, and reflects the rich native tradition of Montana, which was once home to large tribes such as the Crow and the Northern Cheyenne. After a visit from Lewis and Clark, Montana became a destination first for fur trappers and later for gold prospectors following the discovery of gold in the 1860s. Cattle ranchers also made their way west to Montana. This rapid growth in population led to boomtowns. A relatively recent nickname, "Big Sky Country" originated with a 1962 promotion of the Montana State Highway Department. It is a reference to the unobstructed skyline in the state that seems to overwhelm the landscape at times. The name reputedly originated from a book by Alfred Bertram Guthrie Jr., The Big Sky. Mr. Guthrie gave the Highway Department permission to use the name and Montana has been "Big Sky Country" ever since. The legend "Big Sky Country" appeared on Montana license plates from 1967 to 1975. This was shortened to "Big Sky" on license plates stamped from 1976 to 2000.

This Montana visit was brief; I only dipped my toe into the vast state. We entered on Highway 2 into Glacier Country, as the northwest corner of the state is referred. Our first detour was to the Yaak Falls a few miles north. Large bear identification signs were posted next to a terrific map of the area. Montana has the most grizzly bears in the continental U.S. The state has the largest herds of migratory elk and Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in North America. Talk about wild neighbors!

We swung through Troy and made our way to Kootenai Falls. Downstream from Libby, the Kootenai River enters a canyon and forms Kootenai Falls, one of the largest free-flowing waterfalls in the northwest. There are trails and a terrific swinging bridge that crosses the river. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) constructed it during the depression. The bridge is narrow and definitely swings but was well maintained and offered the best vista possible of the river raging below.

The road food venture consisted of a soda and candy bar at Little Joe Montana along Highway 56. Ah yes, we’ve deteriorated to TRUE road food. It was bound to happen eventually.

Our final stop was the peaceful Ross Creek Cedar Grove. Immense 500 year old cedars fill this canyon and the meandering trail seemed more appropriate for wood nymphs than us.

I really like Montana and have enjoyed several vacations in the western part of the state. Nothing beats the wildlife in Glacier National Park in my book. John Steinbeck wrote in Travels With Charley “I’m in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection, but with Montana it is love.”

Coincidently, the mayor of San Francisco, Gavin Newson, was in the state on this same day for his wedding to Jennifer Seibel. No, I wasn’t stalking him, but I did consider crashing the event:

From the SF Chronicle:
The nuptial hobnobbing kicks off Thursday evening with a poolside cocktail party hosted by the Newsom family at the rustic Stock Farm Club resort.
Attire: casual.
Friday night: The Siebel family returns the favor with a "Big Sky Bash" at the family's Bitterroot Springs Ranch.
Billed as an "old-fashioned wedding social," the Big Sky BBQ features "wrangler events, a cowboy cookout and barn dancing."
Attire: cowboy cool.
Saturday, it's golf or tennis at the Stock Farm in the morning, followed by lunch.
Saturday evening: The wedding, 7 o'clock back at the Bitterroot ranch. The ceremony will take place in a field - no frills, no flowers even.
The wedding theme: "Out of Africa in Montana."
The attire: light fabrics, neutral colors and earth tones.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/20/BABF11ROJN.DTL&hw=matier&sn=006&sc=301

What exactly is cowboy cool? I’m sure I didn’t have the right clothes anyway.

Acquired by the US in 1803 as part of the Louisiana purchase, mining played a huge role in the state’s early growth . Today, fields of grain cover much of the state’s plains. There were more millionaires per capita in Helena in 1888 than any other city in the world. Today’s per capita income remains high.

The Battle of Little Big Horn also known as Custer’s Last Stand took place in the southeast part of the state in 1876. In this famous battle, Cheyenne and Sioux warriors defeated General George Armstrong Custer and more than 200 of his men.

Louis and Clark detailed their exploration through the territory and I’ve enjoyed several of the visitor centers along their Trail in past visits.

Evel Knievel (daredevil), Myrna Loy (actress) and David Lynch (filmmaker) hail from Montana. Approximately 900,000 people reside in the 147,046 square miles of Montana. That’s less than 16 people per square mile.

Book Club Classics Chose The Big Sky as the Montana book. If Guthrie truly did coin the name then there could be no more appropriate choice. I confess that it was not my favorite read. Perhaps “Western Literature” doesn’t speak to me but I enjoyed Stephen Ambrose’s history Undaunted Courage : Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West so much more and kept flashing back to passages while I was reading Guthrie’s tale of Caudill Boone which covers much of the same geography .
Other Montana reads are listed in

http://bookaroundthestates.blogspot.com/search/label/Montana
And

http://www.vacationmontana.com/BooksMontanaAuthorsLiterature.htm

Finally I just can’t help singing Chris Whitley’s Big Sky Country to myself as I write this. Check it out…