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Hello Everyone!
This week I’m sharing a few things I’ve had on my mind… Including advice for newbies and visitors in Ten Things You Never Ask a Montanan—scroll down!
As you can see as you go through my posts, I like to mix some serious stuff with fun stuff in my posts. And, as you will find in this post, sometimes I embed a little B.S. too. Can you find it?
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‘From a friend a couple weeks ago as I was heading to Bozeman for a wedding:
“Keep it between the mayo and the mustard!”
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Hope you’re having a good end of Summer. We all look forward to a nice Fall!
See you next week!
Charley Pike
Montana License Plates
License plates have an interesting place in Montana’s history. A study of our license plates also reflects a bit on our 20th Century development.
The State of Montana first required license plates to be displayed on motor driven vehicles in 1913. A license fee of $5 to $20 was charged depending on the horsepower of the vehicle.
In the early years plate numbers were issued in numerical sequence as registrations were received. The state didn’t issue a license plate so vehicle owners would write the registration number on a piece of leather or wood and attach it to their vehicle.
Montana established a numeric county code system for its license plates in 1934, which remains in use today (except on optional plates).
With some exceptions, the order of the codes is based on the respective populations of the state's 56 counties according to the 1930 United States census.
The county code system has been put out the back door as we began getting too many vehicles in many areas that couldn’t handle only numbers. Plate codes still default to county codes.
The transition to an alfa-numeric system is quite a blow to Montanan’s who saw the old system as a source of identification.
In 2023 a former Blaine County man, Cody McCracken looked at Montana’s county code system based on present population.
Today, Yellowstone County residents would be able to carry the “1” prefix.
That would bump Silver Bow County residents down to “8”—something that might be a cause of consternation among Mining City residents!
Some Montana License Plate Facts and History
During 1944 license plates were manufactured from pressed soybean fiberboard due to a shortage of steel.
The “Treasure State” slogan was first used in 1950 and changed to “Big Sky Country” in 1967.
In 2010 “Treasure State” was reintroduced.
Some years there was no motto or slogan on Montana’s license plates.
The words “PRISON MADE” were stamped into plates during the years 1939-1959.
Montana offered its first alternate license plate, the Amateur Radio Operator plate in 1958.
Personalized (vanity) license plates were first issued in 1974.
Front and rear plates are required for most vehicles.
Steel was replaced by aluminum in 1960.
In 1968 adhesive decals replaced the metal annual tags dating back to 1954.
In 2002, the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial and Glacier National Park plates were the first specialty plates offered to the public.
The 2006 plate was the first standard issue plate to be printed on rather than stamped in metal.
Today drivers can select from 234 different Montana license plate designs.
Did You Know? Montana is an Urban State
The tide turned in 1960 when more Montanans began living in cities and towns as opposed to the country. Montana’s population was tallied at 50.2% “urban” by the 1960 U.S. census. Ten years earlier the 1950 census counted 43.7% of Montanans living in incorporated cities and towns.
The first census recorded in 1870 showed “urbanization” in Montana at 15.1% and of course it grew steadily thereafter.
Montana’s urbanization actually peaked in 1990 when 56.4% of our population lived in town versus outside city limits.
Montanan’s can take a bow to being the least urbanized state west of the Mississippi River. But there’s little solace in that as many of our rural areas are being “urbanized.”
Ten Things You Never Ask a Montanan
Ten Things You Never Ask a Montanan
Advice to visitors or newbies… Best to keep a few things to yourself unless you want to be treated with a blank stare or a roll of the eyes!!!
Have you ever lived in a trailer house?
You’ve got bear spray, right?
Wanna go glamping?
Why is that old refrigerator smoking?
Do you have a Trader Joe’s here?
Don’t you just LOOOVE Bozeman?
Can I borrow your backhoe?
Is that storm going around us?
Where can I find a charging station?
What’s so special about Butte?
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