Why So Few Americans Live In Eastern Montana

BIG SKY COUNTRY, or perhaps better known as Montana, is a absolutely gorgeous state! And true to its nickname, the state has some truly big sky due to its vast open prairie lands (though that's NOT where the nickname comes from). Despite all this wide open land, however, most Montanans have made their homes within the rugged Rocky Mountain region of the state which is unusual considering that, prior to the 1900s, traversing those Rocky Mountains was incredibly challenging. So why don't more Montanans live in the east?

In today's video we'll cover the history and physical geography of Montana, how its geography has influenced its population distribution, and why Montana, unlike basically every other state in the country, has a border that follows mostly mountain ranges rather than rivers, coasts or latitude and longitudinal lines.

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Video editing support provided by Kat Olsen

[caseyoutside]

This is a great video. Only thing is you labeled MSU (should be Bozeman) and UofM (should be Missoula) backwards

[scottishguard]

Eastern MT, similar to Western ND, is wide open, rolling prairies, hills, badlands, few trees, great for cattle, brutal in winter, and there just ain't much there.
That's why I like living in the northern high plains.
It's quiet.

[Foghat]

Montana state is in Bozeman
University of Montana is in Missoula

You had it the other way around in the video

[kevinnelson]

Great video, it is nice to see a Montana shout out. However, you got the colleges reversed. University of Montana is in Missoula and Montana State is in Bozeman. This is a deep rivalry, you may want to update the video

[patg]

3rd generation born and raised in eastern Montana to a family of ranchers and dry-land wheat farmers. After finishing my undergrad degree at MSU (Bozeman) in the 80's, I've lived all over the US. Mountains are stunning, the ocean is beautiful, but nothing makes my heart sing like standing in a sea of wheat rippling in the wind under an infinite blue sky. Was wondering if Montana would ever be on your radar. Thank you!

[SalveteOmnes]

The Rocky Mountains don't stop in New Mexico, they go all the way down to Oxaca, it's just that in Mexico we call them Sierra Madre.

[nofacebigfootgaming]

Browning is probably the most brutal town to live in Montana due to chinook winds causing insane temperature shifts including a record 100 degree swing in 24 hours. Eastern in Montana is home to many large ranches as well.

[TheKnuds]

I went to Montana State University, and you pixed up Bozeman and Missoula as to which school is located in which city. Montana State University is in Bozeman, and Missoula has that other school. Go Bobcats!

[universalist]

Eastern Montanan here and delighted we got a video! Thanks!

[BigSkidMedia]

I was born in Boise and my grandparents used to have a RV park in Northern Idaho, about 6 miles from the Montana border. I remember riding with my grandfather into Western Montana to get supplies for the park. Great memories from the late 70s and early 80s.

[benusmaximus]

I have learned so many quirky facts about US geography from this channel - never fails to disappoint!

[stuartaaron]

Montanna is the only state out of the lower 48 that never had a battleship named after it. There was the proposed Montana class, BB67-71, which were planned at the outbreak of WWII, but never started.

[tmarbut]

A fact missed by this video: our path to statehood was primarily influenced by international politics. In the 1880s, lots of British investors were looking at cattle operations (and other land investments) in Montana and other Western territories. Congress, in order to capitalize on this foreign capital, passed a law in approx. 1888 to ban foreign investment in territories (where it was difficult to collect tax revenue), and within months, 6 western states ratified statehood pacts with the United States, Montana among them.

[revinhatol]

FUN FACT: Due to its state motto ("Gold and Silver"), Montana is also known as the "Treasure State".

[johnking]

I lived in Billings from 2015-2018. That area has characteristics of both eastern and western Montana, although I too would consider it more of an eastern town. I worked at the sugar factory there and drove for Uber.

[adampehl]

Nice video. Should be mentioned that the border between Idaho and Montana is a mistake. A survey crew was supposed to map out the Continental Divide though followed the wrong mountain range. Idaho has tried several times to get this land back.

[garyleibitzke]

Years ago on my first road trip out west I was westbound on I-94 and then I-90 in Montana. I saw The Rockies rising up and thought, I'll be in those mountains in an hour. 😂😂😂😂 It took half the day before I got there.

[jeremiahallyn]

I would love to visit Montana, especially the western part of the state. It's a huge state with very few people, that would be a nice change of pace 🏞🙌

[TonerLow]

I've lived here for all 32 years of my life and I still feel like I have a whole state to explore.

[ejherndon]

As a resident of the middle of Eastern Montana, we wouldn't have it any other way. Yes, W. MT is gorgeous, but the High Plains have a beauty all their own and the people here are friendly, love their freedom, and are the most hardy of all.