If you’re familiar with your Montana state history, you’re probably already aware of some pretty cool facts, like that Montana means “mountainous” in Spanish and that we are the only state to border three Canadian provinces. But we’d like to present you with a few fascinating facts to impress your friends with (or win big at any Montana trivia night). After all, the Treasure State is a pretty interesting place.

1. Montana pets have the nation's longest average life span.
Michal Ščuglík / Flickr
A 2013 report from the Banfield Pet Hospital found that Montana cats live more than two years longer than the national average, while Montana dogs are tied with South Dakota dogs with living 1.5 years longer than average.
2. The density of the state is only seven people per square mile.
Pat Henson / Flickr
We prefer to spread out here. To compare, Washington's population density is 108 people per square mile.
3. Montana's rivers and streams provide water for three oceans and three of the North American continent's major river basins.
Bear Paw Battlefield / Flickr
We're connected to a lot of important waterways.
4. Montana sent a woman to Congress before women could even legally vote.
Wikipedia
Jeannette Pickering Rankin was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives by the state of Montana in 1916.

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5. Montana sent a greater percentage of its population to fight in World War I and World War II than any other state.
Wikipedia
Just before World War II, many people in the state signed up for the military to escape the poverty of the Great Depression. 10% of our population ended up serving.
6. In Montana, the elk, deer and antelope populations outnumber the humans.
Northwest Power and Conservation Council / Flickr
7. Part of Montana almost became the 49th state.
Dirk Dallas / Flickr
In 1939, some ranchers and farmers in Wyoming got fed up with the federal government and the New Deal, and decided to secede and form a new state. It would have been called Absaroka, after a local mountain range, and included a chunk of southeastern Montana, southwestern South Dakota, and northern Wyoming. The movement never gathered enough steam to be productive, although a few license plates were made.
8. Montana served as the model for the wartime federal Sedition Act of 1918.
Tess Gilliam / Flickr
The Montana Sedition Law forbade any criticism of the state or federal government or their programs, including the war. About 200 Montanans were arrested under it.
9. The cause of Lyme disease was discovered in Montana.
A.Davey / Flickr
Scientist Willy Burgdorfer discovered the cause of Lyme disease while working at the Rocky Mountain Laboratory in Hamilton. While studying Rocky Mountain spotted fever, another disease transmitted by tick bites, he discovered the bacteria that causes Lyme disease in 1981.

Did you know any of these Montana facts? Here are some things about our crown jewel, Glacier National Park, that many people don’t know.

 

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