From The 406 To Big Sky Country: Montana’s Nicknames

Montana, Big Sky Country, The Treasure State, The 406: no matter what you call it, Montana really is in a class all it's own.

Montana Has A Lot Of Nicknames And Slogans

We all know about Big Sky Country and they teach us the official nickname of Montana is the Treasure State, but what are some of the other nicknames we're known by?

READ MORE: Take A Look At Montana's Only Living Ghost Town

Before I show you the list I found, I think there needs to be a distinction between a slogan and a nickname.

Slogan-from Merriam-Webster

1: a war cry especially of a Scottish clan

     b: a word or phrase used to express a characteristic position or stand or a goal to be achieved

Famous Montana Slogans

Montana Beyond had an especially hard time figuring out slogans versus nicknames. Hopefully this helps clear things up:

• Montana: High, Wide, and Handsome: This is said to have origins in the book War of the Copper Kings--C.B. Glasscock
• Montana – Naturally Inviting: There were people living in the state that thought that people would confuse "Big Sky Country" with Big Sky Resort so they fruitlessly tried to get us to adopt this slogan, instead
• EZ2LUV: It's said to have originated in the mid 90's from a license plate at MSU
• Montana—Unspoiled, Unforgettable: adopted by the Montana tourism council in 1988

Famous Montana Nicknames

• The Treasure State: The official nickname for the state of Montana. Named as such due to the vast array of minerals mined in the state in the 1800's
• Big Sky Country: This was originated in the book The Big Sky by Alfred Bertram Guthrie Junior. In the 1960's the MHP used it in a tourist promotion and it just stuck
• The Last Best Place: While nobody can pin down just how this one got traction, but it fits Montana to a T
• The 406: Probably the best one in a while, The 406 originates from the area code used in Montana
• Bonanza State: This one was new to me. It's the same origin as the Treasure State only with bonanza instead
• Land of Shining Mountains: Indian tribes used this name to describe the Rocky Mountains of Montana. They are said to shine when the sun hits the snow-capped mountains
• Stub-Toe State: Nobody knows where this actually comes from. It's said that maybe it originates from the dangers faced by hikers on Montana's mountains. Not a fan of this one. It's just goofy
• Headwaters State: Montana got this nickname from the Columbia and Missouri originating in the Rocky Mountains