Did you know this about Montana?

We all love our great state of Montana.  It provides plenty of open space and lots of freedoms.  But did you know this about Montana?

Montana has the largest migratory elk herd in the nation.

Did you know Montana has 2.6 million head of beef cattle.  That is more than twice the population of us humans.

Montana got its name from the spanish word for mountains.  How wide open is the state?  The town of Jordan is a county seat yet it is 175 miles from the nearest airport,  85 miles from the nearest bus line and 115 miles from the nearest train.  Now that's isolated.

Everybody knows some of the official nicknames for the state.  Ones like the "treasure State" and "big Sky Country."  But did you know the state has a third nickname?  "The Land of Shining Mountains,"   And some of you might add,  "The Last Best  Place."

The Montana Yogo Sapphire is the only jewel from North America to be used in the Crown Jewels of England.

Did you know that Glacier National park actually has 250 lakes within its boundaries.  Can you name them all?....lol.

Here in Great Falls.  The Roe River at Giant Springs State Park is the shortest river in the world.  And according to chlorofluorcarbon dating the water at Giant Springs takes 26-years to travel underground before returning to the surface.

Montana is the fourth largest state and is big enough to fit the states of New York, Virginia,  Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware inside its borders.  And there would still be enough room to fit in the District of Columbia.

Montana's highest point in the state is Granite Peak.  It sits at over 12,000 feet.  It is the tenth highest point in the United States.

Now for some quirky facts about the state.    It is still illegal for single women to fish alone.  Fort Keogh holds the record for the largest snowflake ever,  15 inches in diameter.  The smokestack at Anaconda is one of the world's tallest free-standing brick structures.

In Montana, you can use the word "ditch" to order a drink.  What are you getting?  it would be whiskey and water.  Montana is the only state in the US with a triple divide.  This means the state has water flowing into the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and the Hudson Bay.

And if you ever drive on Highway 59 south of Miles City check out what rancher Harry Landers has done.  He's topped a mile of his fence posts with over 300 boots.