The Treasure State

Montana State Nicknames

Glaciernationalparkmontana.jpg

Glacier National Park, Montana

Grinnell Point, Glacier National Park, Montana; photo by Mark Stevens on Flickr (noncommercial use permitted with attribution / share alike).

The Treasure State

The most familiar nickname for Montana is "The Treasure State" because of its rich mineral reserves. All State Nicknames

The mountains of Montana have yielded fortunes in gold and silver since the first substantial deposits were discovered in the mid 1800's (Montana's state motto is "Oro y Plata" - Spanish for "gold and silver"). Montana also has sapphires (gemstone symbol of Montana).

Big Sky Country

Another nickname for Montana is "Big Sky Country," made popular by a Montana State Highway Department promotion in the 1960's (originating from a book by Alfred Bertram Guthrie Jr. titled "Big Sky").

Montana

Images

Montana license plate; features Montana's nickname and an outline of the state.  Photo by Phil Hollenback/Flickr (noncommercial use permitted with attribution).

Montana license plate features the state nickname

The U.S. Mint's bicentennial commemorative quarter for Montana features a bison skull, mountains, the Missouri river, and one of Montana's nicknames: "Big Sky Country." Montana became the 41st state in 1889.  Public domain image on Wikipedia.

Montana quarter