
While traveling Interstate 90, a photo opportunity at a rest area in eastern Montana offers a look at the landscape.
Growing up in Montana and spending about 50 years living there certainly makes me a citizen for life. This short feature will shine the spotlight on three questions about the “Last Best Place” called Montana.
Here are three questions which will be answered in a moment or two. Good luck with your responses. Bonus points are awarded for anyone who scores a perfect 100%, without searching on the Internet.
- What is the coldest temperature ever recorded in the lower 48 states of the United States? Where did it occur?
- What are the two most popular nicknames used for Montana? What is the background behind each name?
- What is the most sparsely populated county in Montana?
The coldest temperature ever recorded is -70F on January 20, 1954. The location was Rogers Pass, which is located on Montana Highway 200 along the Continental Divide at an elevation of 5,610 feet. The thermometer malfunctioned because of the extreme cold, and a laboratory tested the broken thermometer to make a final determination on how cold it was on that January night.

Source: Pinterest.
Montana’s two most popular nicknames are the Treasure State and the Big Sky Country. The Treasure State has gained a presence because of Montana’s rich gold and silver deposits. The Big Sky Country was popularized to promote tourism in the state. With permission of author A. B. Guthrie, the state acquired the use of his best-selling novel’s title The Big Sky. Guthrie’s writing was honored with a Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1950.
Last of all, the most sparsely populated county (out of 56) is Garfield County. Depending on the population figures used, the statistics may vary just a bit. The county covers 4,849 square miles (of Montana’s 147,164) with an estimated population of 1,268, which equals an astonishing .261 people per square mile. For comparison’s sake, the state of Connecticut has a land size of 4,858 square miles, with a population density of approximately 738 people per square mile.
Thanks for your participation. Stay tuned for future posts about the “Last Best Place” of Montana.
oh man, i’m glad it’s not -70 where i am today (asheville, nc!) great post.
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I appreciating you sharing a thought from Asheville, NC. When I was living in Montana, I can recall one December night when the mercury went down to about -40. Brrr!
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Interesting and fun quiz about Montana! I am afraid that I failed the test. You must miss this place where you spent so much of your life! 🙂
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Susan, you earn an “A” for effort. I appreciate you reading. Yes, I miss the Big Sky Country often. It will always be home.
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Interesting facts.
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I appreciate you taking and a look and sharing. Montana will always seem like home. God’s peace!
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thanks for the Montana lesson. I am guessing that Garfield County doesn’t have a problem with social distancing…
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Yes, Jim. Your observations are right on! I taught for 22 years in McCone County, which is just east of Garfield County. There are more sagebrush than people in the prairie counties of Eastern Montana.
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that sounds pretty remote…
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Hi Richard, my husband loves Montana after visiting one summer a few years back. I have not yet experienced the state. Hoping I will in this lifetime. Thank you for your photos and facts 🙂
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Wonderful! Where did your husband go when he was in Montana? There probably are not too many places that I didn’t visit. I hope you can visit the Big Sky Country some day. Take care and be safe!
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My husband stayed in Twin Bridges, flew into Bozeman. Yes, I hope to go to visit, but something tells me I don’t want to live there. You too, be safe this week. Pray on, brother.
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Julie, thanks for the update. I went to college in Bozeman at Montana State University, and my youngest daughter and her husband live their. While I haven’t been to Twin Bridges, I have be in the area (Ennis and Virginia City). Have a great week!
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Wow…that’s really cold whether its in Fahrenheit or Celsius.
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Leola, you are right about the cold. The coldest overnight temperature I ever experienced was a December Arctic cold blast of about -40F. Brrrr!
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I would love to visit.
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Bonnie, I hope you will have an opportunity to see the Big Sky Country. It will always be home to me.
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I see it thru your eyes.
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I enjoyed learning about Montana. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Great post.
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Suzette, you are welcome. I am pleased you enjoyed the visit, and I am planning to do a similar post down the road. God’s peace!
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Interesting … And those cold temperatures don’t scare since I live in Alberta 🙂
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Well then, you are quite acclimated to winter up there. I visited Alberta years ago when I traveled from Montana to Edmonton. Take care up there.
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I’ve experienced 50 F below zero, Winnipeg, Manitoba one winter.
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Brrr! That is Arctic cold. I hope there wasn’t much of a wind chill. I’ve only experienced air temperatures of about -30 when I was living in eastern Montana, but some wind chills went down to -40 to -50.
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Neat facts! If all goes as planned for our summer, we’re to be in Polson for the month of August, can’t wait!
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I hope you able to visit the Flathead area this summer. Many years ago, I taught in the Bitterroot Valley as well as Missoula. Athletic trips took me up into the Flathead numerous times.
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Beautiful my brother
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I know nothing about a lot including Montana. I need some lessons.lol
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-70 F is too frigid for me!
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I agree with you Tiffany. When I lived in Montana, the coldest overnight temperatures once reached about 30-40 below (December, 1987).
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