Montana State Flag Facts You Probably Didn’t Know

There are some things in life that you see almost every day but never really think about. Like, if I walked into a grocery store and told the cashier, “Will you take a Federal Reserve Note for payment?” they’d probably look at me like I just asked to pay in seashells. How do I know that? Because I’ve actually done it. Most people don’t realize that every single dollar bill says “Federal Reserve Note” right across the top. It’s just one of those details hiding in plain sight.

That brings me to another overlooked detail right here in Big Sky Country: the Montana state flag. You’ve seen it: blue background, our Great Seal front and center. But did you know Montana is the only state in the country with a Spanish motto? That’s right, “Oro y Plata,” which means “Gold and Silver.” Pretty fitting for a state nicknamed “The Treasure State.”

The motto dates back to 1864 when Montana was still a territory. Francis McGee Thompson, a representative from Beaverhead County, came up with the original design for the seal. It featured a plow, a pick, and a shovel. All of these symbols of Montana’s hardworking miners and farmers. Of course, they are set against a backdrop of mountains and the Great Falls of the Missouri River. Early lawmakers debated all kinds of ideas for the motto, including the word “Eldorado,” but ultimately settled on “Oro y Plata.”

When Montana became a state in 1889, the seal got a small update, changing “Territory” to “State,” but the rest stayed true to the OG design. Fun fact: the guy who redrew the seal for the state version was paid just $20 for his work.