We’re all set to celebrate Trivia Day in January. The largest snowflake ever observed was recorded in Montana on January 28, 1887 at 38 cm wide. (That’s approximately 14.96 inches!!) Montana has more bookstores per capita than any other state.
Every spring, people living in northeastern Montana can witness about 10,000 white pelicans with a wingspan of nine feet migrate from the Gulf of Mexico to Medicine Lake. No state has as many different species of mammals as Montana. We have the largest migratory elk herd in the nation. The moose, now numbering over 8,000 in Montana, was thought to be extinct in the Rockies south of Canada in the 1900s. The average square mile of land contains 1.4 elk, 1.4 pronghorn antelope, and 3.3 deer. There are more cattle in Montana than there are people.
Most know that Giant Springs is home to the largest freshwater spring in the country. The Roe River is recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s shortest river. It flows 200 feet between Giant Springs and the Missouri River near Great Falls and competes with the D River in Lincoln City, Oregon for the title of the shortest river. Both rivers have been measured on different occasions, with lengths varying from 58 feet to 200 feet. Schoolchildren in Great Falls campaigned successfully to have the Roe River placed in the Guinness Book of World Records.
At the Rocky Mountain Front Eagle Migration Area west of Great Falls more golden eagles have been seen in a single day than anywhere else in the country. The Montana Yogo Sapphire is the only North American gem to be included in the Crown Jewels of England.
Steer Montana was the largest steer in the world. He still can be found in Baker at the O’Fallon Museum. Weighing in at 3,980 pounds, he grew to be 5’9″ tall and 10’4″ long. Born March 23, 1923 just east of Baker, the steer lived for 15 years and 4 months. Raised by Jack Guth, a former jockey, the steer toured local stock shows and circuses when he was alive. After he died, his hide was preserved. Steer Montana disappeared for many years, but was finally discovered in a storage facility in Billings and donated to the O’Fallon Museum.
The notorious outlaw, Henry Plummer, built the first jail constructed in the state at Bannack. In Whitehall it is illegal to operate a vehicle with ice picks attached to the wheels. A Fort Benton cowboy once insisted on riding his horse to his room in the Grand Union Hotel. When the manager objected, they exchanged gunfire. The horseman was killed before reaching the top of the stairs; fourteen .44 slugs were later dug out of his body.
Flathead Lake contains over 200 square miles of water and 185 miles of shoreline. It is considered the largest natural freshwater lake in the west. Montana has 43 state parks and 25 scenic byways. Glacier National Park has 250 lakes within its boundaries. Yellowstone National Park was the first national park in the nation. The highest point in the state is Granite Peak at 12,799 feet. Hill County has the largest county park in the United States. Beaver Creek Park measures 10 miles long and 1 mile wide.
In Salisbury it was illegal to throw pop bottles on the ground. (Yes there was a Salisbury in Madison County.) Salisbury was primarily a stage stop with a post office that operated under three names during its lifetime. The stage stop/post office was originally known as Pollinger (after Elijah Pollinger, rancher and owner of the stage station) when it opened on September 2, 1869. Henry Morier was the first postmaster at Pollinger. On October 16, 1871 the name was changed to Gaffney, after Owen Gaffney who took over operation of the stage station and also served as postmaster. Finally on November 1, 1875, the stage stop/post office became known as Salisbury (after one of the founders of the stage line operating in the area). John Closton served as the first Salisbury postmaster. The Salisbury post office lasted until June 15, 1883.
Grasshopper Creek’s gold at Bannack, Montana was 99-99.5% pure, compared to most gold at 95%. When the strike was found in 1862 it led to the greatest rush to the West since the California Gold Rush in 1848.
Martha Raye was born in Butte. As a singer, actress and comedienne, she entertained troops during World War II and the Vietnam War. She was buried in the military cemetery at Fort Bragg, North Carolina to honor her entertainment service to the troops.
Mike Tilleman of Chinook began as a defensive tackle for U of M and went on to play for the Chicago Bear, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Houston Oilers, and Atlanta Falcons. His career spanned from 1965 to 1976.
Phil Jackson from Deer Lodge coached the Chicago Bulls beginning in 1989. He led them to 6 NBA world championships and was voted NBA Coach of the Year in 1996.
Shelby native Larry Krystkowiak played forward-center for the San Antonio Spurs, the Milwaukee Bucks, the Utah Jazz, the Orlando Magic, the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers. He averaged 12.7 points and 7.6 rebounds per game during the 1988-89 season.
The first school house in Flatwillow built in 1900 was a school by day and a saloon by night. Flatwillow was an unincorporated town in southern Petroleum County. All buildings of the town are now gone, and the land is now privately owned farmland.
In 1903, John Ringling of the Ringling Brothers bought 20,000 acres between White Sulphur Springs and Leader, then another 70,000 acres in the Smith River Valley. White Sulphur Springs had long hoped for a railroad to get their minerals and agricultural goods to market. John Ringling saw to it that a railroad was built. In celebration, the town of Leader changed its name to Ringling. Ringling is an unincorporated community on US Hwy 89 between Livingston and White Sulphur Springs. At one time the Ringling brothers considered moving their circus headquarters to Ringling.
Lewis and Clark Caverns, the state’s first state park, was established in 1937. It is one of the largest limestone caverns in the northwest portion of the nation. One of trivia’s primary benefits is that it enables you to learn a surprising amount about a wide variety of subjects. When you read you learn.