Montana in History
Historical Events
- 1864-05-26 Territory of Montana formed
- 1864-07-14 Gold is discovered in Helena, Montana
- 1864-10-30 Helena, Montana's capital, founded
- 1865-01-02 Welterweight Con Orem & heavyweight Hugh O'Neill brawl for 185 rounds before darkness ends legendary bare knuckle boxing match in Virginia City, Montana
- 1867-06-15 Atlantic Cable Quartz Lode gold mine located in Montana
- 1870-01-23 Marias Massacre: Approximately 200 Piegan Blackfeet Indians (mostly women, children, and elderly men) killed by US Army, in Montana Territory, spawning outrage and preventing the military from regaining control of the Bureau of Indian Affairs [1] [2]
Event of Interest
1873-08-04 Indian Wars: whilst protecting a railroad survey party in Montana, US 7th Cavalry, under Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer, clashes for the 1st time with the Sioux near the Tongue River. 1 man killed on each side.
George Armstrong Custer
- 1874-05-12 US Assay Office in Helena, Montana, authorized
Battle of Interest
1877-01-08 Crazy Horse and his warriors fight their last battle with the United States Cavalry at Wolf Mountain (Montana Territory).
Crazy Horse
- 1877-01-15 US Assay Office in Helena, Montana opens
- 1879-01-29 Custer Battlefield National Monument established in Montana
- 1887-01-28 In a snowstorm at Fort Keogh, Montana, the world's largest snowflakes are reported, being 15 inches (38 cm) wide and 8 inches (20 cm) thick.
- 1889-02-22 US President Cleveland signs bill to admit Dakotas, Montana & Washington state to the union
- 1889-11-08 Montana admitted as 41st state of the Union
- 1899-02-11 -61°F, Montana (record low temperature)
Event of Interest
1901-07-02 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid rob train of $40,000 at Wagner, Montana
Butch Cassidy
- 1910-05-11 Montana's Glacier National Park forms
Election of Interest
1916-11-07 Jeannette Rankin (Rep-R-Montana) is elected to Congress as its first woman Representative
Jeannette Rankin
- 1917-04-02 Jeannette Rankin (Rep-R-Montana) begins her term as 1st woman member of US House of Reps
- 1917-08-01 Frank Little, IWW organizer, lynched in Butte, Montana
- 1921-06-20 11.5" (29.2 cm) of rainfall, Circle, Montana (state record)
- 1923-03-05 Montana & Nevada become 1st states to enact old age pension laws
Boxing Title Fight
1923-07-04 Jack Dempsey beats Tommy Gibbons on points over 15 hard fought rounds in Shelby, Montana to retain world heavyweight boxing title
Jack Dempsey
- 1937-07-05 117°F (47°C), Medicine Lake, Montana (state record)
- 1938-06-19 "Olympian Flyer" express train crashes in Montana, killing 47
- 1943-02-27 The Smith Mine #3 in Bearcreek, Montana, explodes, killing 74 men
- 1954-01-20 -70°F (-57°C), Rogers Pass, Montana (US 48 state record)
- 1959-07-17 River Canyon extending man-made Lake Hebgen by 5 miles. (Montana)
- 1970-06-05 KPAX TV channel 8 in Missoula, Montana (CBS) begins broadcasting
Event of Interest
1975-08-08 Hank Williams Jr. falls off the side of Ajax Peak in Montana
Hank Williams Jr
- 1984-04-27 Over 70 inches of snow falls on Red Lake Montana
- 1992-12-01 2 C-141B Starlifters collide in Montana & crash, 13 die
- 1996-06-13 Montana Freemen surrender after an 81-day standoff with FBI agents
Boulder Glacier Melting
2017-05-10 USGS releases a report saying that some glaciers in Montana have receded by 85% in the last 50 years
Learn More
- 2019-05-14 Steve Bullock, US Governor of Montana announces his run for Presidential office
Famous Birthdays
Thomas J. Walsh
1859-06-12 Thomas J. Walsh, United States Senator (Montana), born in Two Rivers, Wisconsin (d. 1933)
Thomas J. Walsh
Jeannette Rankin
1880-06-11 Jeannette Rankin, American politician, 1st woman elected to US Congress (R-Montana), women's rights advocate and pacifist, born in Missoula, Montana (d. 1973)
Jeannette Rankin
- 1890-01-11 Monte Blue, US silent film actor (Montana, Oh Boy), born in Indianapolis, Indiana (d. 1963)
- 1892-04-04 Esther Howard, American actress, born in Helena, Montana (d. 1965)
- 1899-12-09 Howard Freeman, American actor (Studio One, Double Dynamite), born in Helena, Montana (d. 1967)
Gary Cooper
1901-05-07 Gary Cooper, American actor (Sgt York, High Noon), born in Helena, Montana (d. 1961)
Gary Cooper
- 1903-03-16 Mike Mansfield, American politician (Sen-D-Montana 1953-77) majority whip, born in New York City (d. 2001)
- 1904-11-25 Herbert Reynolds Inch, American composer and teacher, born in Missoula, Montana (d. 1988)
Myrna Loy
1905-08-02 Myrna Loy [Williams], American actress (The Great Ziegfeld, Thin Man, Vanity Fair), born in Helena, Montana (d. 1993)
Myrna Loy
- 1907-10-14 Pert Kelton, American actress (Cavalcade of Stars), born in Great Falls, Montana (d. 1968)
- 1908-06-21 William Frankena, American philosopher, born in Manhattan, Montana (d. 1994)
- 1911-11-24 Kirby Grant, American actor (Rustlers Round-Up, Yukon Gold, Sky King), born in Butte, Montana (d. 1985)
- 1911-12-10 Chet Huntley, American newscaster (NBC Huntley-Brinkley Report), born in Cardwell, Montana (d. 1974)
- 1913-10-27 Joseph Medicine Crow, Native American chief and historian, born near Lodge Grass, Montana (d. 2013)
- 1915-04-12 Emil Petaja, American sci-fi author (Star Mill, Tramontane), born in Milltown, Missoula County, Montana (d. 2000)
- 1915-08-11 Jean Parker [Luise-Stephanie Zelinska], American actress (Beyond Tomorrow, Little Women), born in Butte, Montana (d. 2005)
- 1916-08-27 Martha Raye [Margaret Reed], American actress (Waikiki Wedding, Martha Raye Show), born in Butte, Montana (d. 1994)
- 1916-08-29 George Montgomery, American actor (Battle of Bulge, Hallucination), born in Brady, Montana (d. 2000)
- 1917-10-23 Robert Bray, American actor (Corey-Lassie, Stagecoach West), born in Kalispell, Montana (d. 1983)
- 1918-06-20 George Lynch, American auto racer, born in Miles City, Montana (d. 1997)
- 1919-08-30 Maurice R. Hilleman, American microbiologist who developed over 36 vaccines including measles, mumps, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, chickenpox, meningitis, pneumonia, born in Miles City, Montana (d. 2005)
- 1921-07-22 William Roth, American politician (Sen-R-Delaware, 1971-2001), born in Great Falls, Montana (d. 2003)
- 1923-08-14 Alice Ghostley, American singer and actress (Bewitched, Designing Women), born in Eve, Vernon County, Missouri (d. 2007)
- 1924-09-06 John Melcher, American politician (Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Montana), born in Sioux City, Iowa (d. 2018)
- 1926-01-21 Stephen "Steve" Reeves, American professional bodybuilder, actor, and philanthropist (Hercules, Goliath, Sandokan), born in Glasgow, Montana (d. 2000)
- 1929-10-24 Yordan Radichkov, Bulgarian writer and playwright (The Tied Up Balloon), born in Kalimanitza, Montana region, Bulgaria (d. 2004)
- 1935-01-25 Conrad Burns, American politician (Senate-R-Montana 1989-2007), born in Gallatin, Missouri (d. 2016)
- 1935-08-08 Ron Marlenee, American politician (Rep-R-MT, 1977-93), born in Scobey, Montana
- 1935-08-25 Lones Wigger, American competitive rifle shooter (Olympic gold/silver-1964, 72), born in Great Falls, Montana (d. 2017)
- 1936-01-23 Jerry Kramer, American football player (Green Bay Packers) and author (Instant Replay), born in Jordan, Montana
- 1937-10-30 Pat Williams, American politician (Rep-D-Montana, 1979-93), born in Helena, Montana
Evel Knievel
1938-10-17 Robert "Evel" Knievel, American motorcycle daredevil (Snake River Canyon), born in Butte, Montana (d. 2007)
Evel Knievel
- 1941-04-27 Judith Blegen, American opera singer (Magic Flute - "Papagena"), born in Missoula, Montana
- 1941-05-17 Malcolm Hale, musician (Spanky and Our Gang), born in Butte, Montana (d. 1968)
- 1941-12-11 Max Baucus, American politician (11th United States Ambassador to China), born in Helena, Montana
- 1942-10-31 Dave McNally, American baseball pitcher (MLB All Star 1969-70, 72; World Series 1966, 70; Baltimore Orioles), born in Billings, Montana (d. 2002)
- 1945-03-01 Dirk Benedict, American actor (A-Team, Battlestar Galactica), born in Helena, Montana
Phil Jackson
1945-09-17 Phil Jackson, American basketball player and coach (Knicks/Bulls/Lakers), born in Deer Lodge, Montana
Phil Jackson
David Lynch
1946-01-20 David Lynch, American actor & director (Dune, Eraserhead), born in Missoula, Montana
David Lynch
- 1948-03-30 Justin Deas, actor (As The World Turns, Santa Barbara), born in Connellsville, Pennsylvania
- 1949-03-17 Patrick Duffy, actor (Bobby-Dallas, Man from Atlantis), born in Townsend, Montana
- 1952-08-21 Keith Hart, Canadian professional wrestler, born in Great Falls, Montana
- 1953-07-01 Pat Donovan, American NFL offensive lineman (4-time Pro Bowl, Dallas Cowboys), born in Helena, Montana
- 1955-06-02 Dana Carvey, comedian (SNL, Garth-Wayne's World), born in Missoula, Montana
- 1955-09-04 Brian Schweitzer, American politician (Governor of Montana, 2005–13), born in Havre, Montana
- 1957-09-24 Brad Bird, American director (The Iron Giant, The Incredibles), born in Kalispell, Montana
- 1958-07-31 Wallace Kurth, American actor (Days of Our Lives, General Hospital), born in Billings, Montana
- 1959-08-22 Denise Curry, American basketball forward (Olympic gold 1984; World C'ship gold 1979, 83), born in Fort Benton, Montana
- 1960-10-16 Val Skinner, American golfer (6 LPGA Tour wins), born in Hamilton, Montana
- 1962-05-07 Robbie Knievel, American daredevil, son of Evel (Chips Something Special), born in Butte, Montana
- 1964-08-14 Brannon Braga, American scriptwriter, born in Bozeman, Montana
- 1965-01-06 Lindsay Burns, American rower (Olympic silver 1996), born in Big Timber, Montana
- 1965-03-04 Stacy Edwards, American actress (Santa Barbara), born in Glasgow, Montana
- 1966-04-11 Steve Bullock, American politician (Governor of Montana 2013-), born in Missoula, Montana
- 1966-05-04 Monica Tranel [Michini], American rower (Olympics 1996), born in Big Horn, Montana
- 1966-12-20 Tim Hauck, NFL safety and coach (Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks), born in Butte, Montana
- 1970-07-14 Missy Gold, American actress (Katie-Benson), born in Great Falls, Montana
- 1972-01-29 Scott Davis, American figure skater (Olympics 1994), born in Great Falls, Montana
- 1972-09-07 Willy Tate, American NFL tight end (KC Chiefs), born in Montana, California
- 1973-01-11 Dave Dickenson, Canadian football coach and quarterback (Calgary Stampeders), born in Great Falls, Montana
- 1973-10-24 Levi Leipheimer, American road racing cyclist, born in Butte, Montana
- 1974-10-05 Colin Meloy, American singer (The Decemberists), born in Helena, Montana
Michelle Williams
1980-09-09 Michelle Williams, American actress (Dawson's Creek), born in Kalispell, Montana
Michelle Williams
Famous Weddings
Wedding of Interest
1990-07-01 Country singer-songwriter Hank Williams Jr (41) weds model Mary Jane Thomas at a Congregational church near his ranch in Missoula, Montana
Hank Williams Jr
- 2004-07-04 Actor Dennis Quaid (50) weds real estate agent Kimberly Buffington (32) at his 500-acre Montana ranch in Paradise Valley, Montana
- 2008-07-26 Actress Jennifer Siebel (34) weds San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom (40) at her parents horse ranch in Stevensville, Montana
Wedding of Interest
2009-03-19 Talk show host David Letterman (61) weds longtime girlfriend Regina Lasko (48) at a civil ceremony in Choteau, Montana
David Letterman
- 2013-08-31 "Blue Crush" actress Kate Bosworth (30) weds director Michael Polish (42) in Philipsburg, Montana
Wedding of Interest
2014-10-01 Actress Scarlett Johansson (30) weds advertising agency owner Romain Dauriac in Philipsburg, Montana
Scarlett Johansson
Famous Deaths
Thomas J. Walsh
1933-03-02 Thomas J. Walsh, United States Senator (Montana), dies of a heart attack at 73
Thomas J. Walsh
- 1961-03-23 James Edward Murray, (Sen-D-Montana) (1935-61), dies
Jeannette Rankin
1973-05-18 Jeannette Rankin, American politician, 1st woman elected to US Congress (R-Montana), women's rights advocate and pacifist, dies at 92
Jeannette Rankin
- 2016-04-28 Conrad Burns, American politician (Senate-R-Montana 1989-2007), dies at 81
- 2018-04-12 John Melcher, American politician (Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Montana), dies at 93