1. In 1887, the University of Montana was founded in Missoula. It began as a small liberal arts college and has since grown into one of the state's largest institutions of higher education.

2. On October 11, 1939, the Montana State Capitol Building was completed in Helena. The building's distinctive copper dome has become an iconic symbol of the state.

3. In 1963, a major earthquake struck the Yellowstone National Park area, causing significant damage to the park's infrastructure and disrupting tourism in the area. The earthquake, which measured 7.5 on the Richter scale, was one of the strongest ever recorded in the continental United States.

4. On October 11, 1986, the Montana Grizzlies football team set a new record for points scored in a single game in a 70-14 victory over Northern Arizona. The Grizzlies went on to win the Big Sky Conference championship that year.

5. In 2012, an archaeological team discovered a significant prehistoric site near the town of Livingston. The site, which dates back over 11,000 years, provides insights into the early human history of the Yellowstone region and is considered one of the most important archaeological discoveries in Montana in recent years.