1. Montana was granted statehood on March 1, 1889, becoming the 41st state in the U.S. This event marked the end of a long journey for the territory of Montana, which had been seeking statehood since the 1860s.

2. On March 1, 1893, the Montana State Legislature approved the design for the state flag. The flag features a blue background with a representation of the state seal in the center, surrounded by the words "Montana" and "Oro Y Plata," which means "Gold and Silver" in Spanish.

3. On March 1, 1910, a wildfire swept through northwest Montana, destroying nearly 3 million acres of forest and killing 87 people. Known as the "Big Blowup," this was one of the worst wildfires in U.S. history, and it led to significant changes in the way that forests are managed and firefighting is conducted.

4. March 1, 1932, saw the opening of the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park. This scenic highway, which spans 50 miles and offers breathtaking views of the park's glaciers and mountains, is now a National Historic Landmark.

5. On March 1, 1979, the Montana Supreme Court ruled that the state's constitution guaranteed a woman's right to choose whether to have an abortion. This decision, which was one of the earliest state-level rulings on abortion rights, remains significant today as debates over reproductive freedom continue across the country.