Animal - Grizzly Bear Ballad - Montana Melody Bird - Western Meadowlark Fish - Blackspotted Cutthroat Trout Flower - Bitterroot (Lewisia Rediviva) Fossil - Duck-billed Dinosaur Gemstones - Sapphire and Agate Grass - Bluebunch Wheatgrass Song - Montana State Seal and state Flag Tree - Ponderosa Pine

 

Information for this page is from Symbols of Montana by Rex C. Meyers and Norma B. Ashby, Montana Historical Society Foundation, 1989.

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Animal - Grizzly Bear

• The state animal was chosen by school children throughout the state. They nominated over 74 different animals and then had primary and general elections to chose the candidates. The grizzly bear was named the state animal on April 7, 1983.

 

Ballad - Montana Melody

• In 1983 this song by LeGrande and Carleen Harvey was named the state ballad. The intent of the legislation was to replace the state song, but a compromise was made adn Montana Melody was named the state ballad.

 

Bird - Western Meadowlark

• In 1930 school children were asked which bird best represented Montana and overwhelmingly chose the Meadowlark. The 1931 Legislature agreed.

 

Fish - Blackspotted Cutthroat Trout

• Added by the 45th legislature in 1977. Campaign started by Norma B. Ashby.

 

Flower - Bitterroot (Lewisia Rediviva)

• 1895 Legislature sanctioned this symbol. Mary Long Alderson was the person most responsible for getting Bitterroot as the state flower.

 

Fossil - Duck-billed Dinosaur

• Naming a dinosaur as the state fossil would bring awareness to the fact that Montana is one of the best places in the world for important dinosaur discoveries. The bill adding the state fossil was signed into law on February 22, 1985.

 

Gemstones - Sapphire and Agate

• These gemstones were added in 1969.

 

Grass - Bluebunch Wheatgrass

• Bluebunch wheatgrass occurs throughout the state and was named the state grass in 1973 by the 43rd legislature.

 

Song - Montana

• Lyrics by Charles C. Cohan and Melody by Joseph E. Howard
• Song was written in 1910. Governor Sam C. Ford and the legislature made it the state song on February 20, 1945.

 

State Seal and state Flag

• Information about the state seal and the state flag can be found at the Montana Secretary of State website by clicking the links above.

 

 

Tree - Ponderosa Pine

• In the spring of 1908, Helena school children held a referendum on which tree best represented the state. Ponderosa Pine was chosen, but it was not until 1949 that the Legislature agreed.

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