Flag History
The gold-lettered state name makes this flag easily recognizable. The picture below dates back to 1898 when troops from Montana fought in the Spanish-American War. It has undergone some changes, but is similar to the one the troops carried. Now it shows the Rocky Mountains with the Great Falls of the Missouri River in the background. The plow represents the state's rich agricultural history, while the mining tools remind us that the state is also abundant i minerals. The motto, in Spanish, at the bottom of the picture means "Gold and Silver", referring to those minerals as well as to the discovery of gold in Montana in the 1860's.
Flag Adopted: 1905
State Nickname: The Treasure State
State Motto: Gold and Silver
Area: 147,138 square miles
Approximate Population: 800,000
Capital: Helena
Largest City: Billings
Major Products: oil, copper, wheat
State Bird: Western Meadowlark
State Tree: Ponderosa Pine
State Flower: Bitterroot
