 | AMERICAN WEST: STATE BY STATE |
AMERICAN WEST: STATE BY STATE
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WHAT IS THE AMERICAN WEST? GEOGRAPHICALLY, IT IS THE 22 STATES WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
Wonderful color history-map of territories and states, when ceded, and when they became states. (333 Kilobyte file; slow to load) For data and annotated hotlinks on the history of each Western state, click on the state name, below: ALASKA ARIZONA ARKANSAS CALIFORNIA COLORADO HAWAII IDAHO ILLINOIS INDIANA? IOWA KANSAS LOUISIANA MINNESOTA MISSOURI MONTANA NEBRASKA NEVADA NEW MEXICO NORTH DAKOTA OKLAHOMA OREGON SOUTH DAKOTA TEXAS UTAH WASHINGTON WISCONSIN WYOMING Puzzle: Hmmmm, There are 29 states listed above. Guess which 7 are NOT Westerns, and click to see if you're right.
ALASKA Settled: 1784 Date admitted to the Union: 3 Jan 1959 Order of admission: 49 Capital: Juneau Extent in Miles (length): 1,480 (not including Aleutian Islands and Alexander Archipelago) Extent in Miles (width): 810 Area in square miles (land): 570,833 Area in square miles (inland water): 20,171 Area in square miles (total): 591,004 Rank in Area: 1 Unofficial Nickname: "The Last Frontier" Motto: North to the future. Flower: Forget-Me-Not Bird: Willow Ptarmigan Tree: Sitka Spruce Song: Alaska's Flag Population (1990): 550,043 Population Rank (1990): 49 Population (2000): {to be done} Population Rank (2000): {to be done} Principal Industries: oil, gas, tourism, commercial fishing Annotated Link List: ABOUT.COM chronologies Yukon/Alaska Chronology 200,000,000 BC - 1799 AD 1800 - 1875 1876 - 1899 1900 - 1929 1930 - 2000 Northern History Links Northern Timelines & Chronologies ALASKA HISTORY from ABOUT.COM Alaska History: Index Archaeology & Anthropology Archives & Libraries Arctic Explorations Famous Northerners History (General) Klondike Gold Rush Museums Timelines and Chronologies Yukon & Alaska History other Alaska links: {to be done} Return to Top of American Western State-by-State
ARIZONA Settled: 1776 Date admitted to the Union: 14 Feb 1912 Order of admission: 48 Capital: Phoenix Extent in Miles (length): 400 Extent in Miles (width): 310 Area in square miles (land): 113,508 Area in square miles (inland water): 492 Area in square miles (total): 114,000 Rank in Area: 27 Official Nickname: Grand Canyon State Motto: Ditat Deus (God Enriches) Flower: Blossom of the Saguarro cactus Bird: Cactus Wren Tree: Palo Verde Song: Arizona Population (1990): 3,665,228 Population Rank (1990): 24 Population (2000): {to be done} Population Rank (2000): {to be done} Principal Industries: manufacturing, tourism, mining, agriculture Annotated Link List: Arizona History Traveller This site is sponsored by the Arizona Humanities Council and Arizona Office of Tourism. Journal of Arizona History Articles The Journal of Arizona History is published quarterly by the Arizona Historical Society, an agency of the State of Arizona. The Journal of Arizona History's Editor-in-Chief is Bruce J. Dinges and William H. Broughton is Associate Editor. Articles linked to this page appear with the permission of the authors and AHS. These articles greatly contribute to making scholarly publications on Arizona and the Southwest available to students, researchers and the public. The Arizonan There are disagreements over the origin of the word "Arizona." There are four Indian versions of the word. "Arizuma" is an Aztec word meaning "silver bearing." "Ali shonak" or "Ari-son" came from the Pima Indians and means "small spring." "Aleh-zone" also means "small spring" from the Tohono Oiodham Indians. However, it is known that a Spanish missionary first used the word in print during the 1750's. Organized as a territory in 1863, admitted to the Union in 1912, Arizona is one of the nation's youngest states. It is one alive with the spirit of youth, yet it is a place that has been inhabited for nearly 20,000 years. The region began with cliff dwellings and has continued on to the present with high-rise condominiums. From this early beginning, Arizona has grown. All the towns throughout Arizona have a history. These pasts have woven together to create a colorful tapestry that makes this great state what it is today. Take a journey back in time and learn what life was like long ago. To find out more about Arizona's history, continue to look through Arizonan.com. You will discover more about the rich history of the Grand Canyon State. Arizona Kids' History includes "THE ARIZONA STORY" (narrative) plus "ARIZONA HISTORICAL DATE-LINE", as excerpted below: 2000 BC: Indians introduce agriculture to Arizona. 1200 AD: Hopi village of Oraibi is founded. May be oldest American town where people have continuously lived. 1539: Father Marcos de Niza, looking for cities of gold, explores Arizona and claims it for Spain. 1540: De Cardenas discovers Grand Canyon. 1692: Father Kino starts work and founds Guevavi mission. 1700: San Xavier del Bac mission (White Dove of the Desert) is founded. 1776: A presidio (fort) is built at Tucson. 1821: Arizona is now governed by Mexico. 1848: At end of Mexican War most of Arizona becomes part of United States. 1853: By Gadsden Purchase, rest of Arizona becomes part of United States. 1854: Copper is discovered in Arizona. 1857: First stagecoach in Arizona. 1858: Gold is discovered on Gila River. 1862: Chief Cochise and Apaches attack soldiers at Apache Pass, beginning a ten year war with settlers. 1863: Territory of Arizona is created by Congress, with Prescott as capital. 1864: Kit Carson captures approximately 7,000 Navajo indians in Canyon de Chelly, forcing them to leave Arizona. 1869: John Wesley Powell explores the Grand Canyon by boat. 1870: Population is 9,658 1881: Railroad crosses state. 1881: The gunfight at the O.K. Corral, October 26. 1886: The great Apache Chief Geronimo surrenders to soldiers on September 4. Indian fighting is over. 1880: Phoenix becomes capital of Arizona Territory. 1900: Population is 122,931. 1911: Roosevelt Dam is completed. 1912: February 14th, Valentines Day, Arizona becomes the 48th State: Capital is Phoenix, first Governor is George W. P. Hunt. 1919: Grand Canyon National Park is founded. 1930: The planet Pluto is discovered by Clyde Tombaugh at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff. 1936: Hoover Dam is completed. 1940: Population is 499,261. Arizona is known as Grand Canyon State. 1948: Indians obtain the right to vote. 1960: Population has zoomed to 1,302,161. 1963: United States Supreme Court decision maintains Arizona's right to large amounts of Colorado river water. 1964: Barry M. Goldwater, Senator from Arizona, runs for president.... but loses. 1965: Judge Lorna Lockwood is elected as Chief Justice of Arizona State Supreme Court. 1968: London Bridge (which was falling down) is moved to Lake Havasu City, Arizona. 1968: Congress authorizes Central Arizona Project to bring Colorado river water to Phoenix and Tucson. 1975: Raul H. Castro became the first Mexican American Governor of Arizona. 1981: Population grows to 2,718,425. 1981: Arizona Justice Sandra Day O'Connor becomes the first woman on the United States Supreme Court. 1988: Governor Evan Mecham becomes the first United States Governor in 59 years to be impeached. 1988: Acting Governor Rose Mofford sworn in as the 18th Governor on April 5, the first woman in the state to hold the office. 1991: Fife Symington elected Governor in special run-off election. 1997: Secretary of State Jane Hull becomes Governor September 5, 1997, after Fife Symington resigns Return to Top of American Western State-by-State
ARKANSAS Settled: 1686 Date admitted to the Union: 15 June 1836 Order of admission: 25 Capital: Little Rock Extent in Miles (length): 260 Extent in Miles (width): 240 Area in square miles (land): 52,078 Area in square miles (inland water): 1,109 Area in square miles (total): 53,187 Rank in Area: 27 Official Nickname: Land of Opportunity Motto: Regnat Populus (The People Rule) (adopted 1836) Flower: Apple Blossom (adopted 1901) Bird: Mockingbird (adopted 1929) Tree: Pine (adopted 1939) State gem: (1967) diamond State insect: (1973) honeybee State instrument: (1985) fiddle State beverage: (1985) milk State fruit and blossom: (1987) South Arkansas vine ripe pink tomato State rock: (1967) quartz crystal State mineral: (1967) bauxite Official state historical song: (1987) The Arkansas Traveler (lyrics by the Arkansas State Song Selection Committee, 1949; music by Col. Sanford "Sandy" Faulkner, 1850) Official state songs: (1987) "Arkansas (You Run Deep in Me)" by Wayland Holyfield "Oh, Arkansas" by Terry Rose and Gary Klaff Official state anthem" (1987) "Arkansas" by Eva Ware Barnett The Arkansas Creed: (1972) I believe in Arkansas as a land of opportunity and promise. I believe in the rich heritage of Arkansas and I honor the men and women who created this heritage. I believe in the youth of Arkansas who will build our future. I am proud of my state.I will uphold its constitution, obey its laws, and work for the good of all its citizens. Population (1990): 2,350,725 Population Rank (1990): 33 Population (2000): {to be done} Population Rank (2000): {to be done} Principal Industries: manufacturing, agriculture, tourism, forestry Annotated Link List: The Arkansas History Commission and State Archives Includes the Questions & Answers excerpted below: How did Arkansas get its name? From the Quapaw Indians, who were called Akansea by certain other tribes. The name means "South Wind." Why is the name Arkansas pronounced and spelled as it is? The spelling comes from early French usage and the precedent set by the Arkansas Gazette. The pronunciation was determined by the General Assembly of 1881 after scholarly investigation. Who were the earliest inhabitants of Arkansas? Among them were the Folsom people, who wore skins and hunted with darts; the Bluff Dwellers, who lived in caves and rock shelters along the Ozark streams; and the Mound Builders, who constructed earthen mounds as foundations for houses and temples. Which Indian tribes were in Arkansas when European exploration and settlement began? The Quapaws, who lived on the lower Arkansas River near the Mississippi; the Osages, who roamed the Ozark region; and the Caddo, who lived along the streams of the southwest. After 1790 Cherokees, Choctaws, and a few Shawnee and Delaware came into Arkansas. Who was Sequoyah? A Cherokee who invented an alphabet for his people. He lived in Arkansas for a few years before 1828. What was the Trail of Tears? The route taken by the eastern Cherokees on their forced removal to Oklahoma in 1838-1839. The "trail" crossed northern Arkansas. Do Indians still live in Arkansas? Citizens of Indian ancestry live here, but there have been no tribes or reservations since the Quapaws were removed in 1834. Who were the first Europeans in Arkansas? A Spanish expedition led by Hernando de Soto in 1541-1542. When did the French come to Arkansas? Marquette and Joliet explored the Mississippi to the mouth of the Arkansas in 1673. Then in 1682 La Salle claimed the land for the King of France. What was the first permanent European settlement in Arkansas? Arkansas Post, founded in 1686 by Henry de Tonty on the Arkansas River south of present day DeWitt. What did La Harpe do? La Harpe, a French explorer, led expeditions up the Red and Arkansas rivers in 1719-1722. What does the name "Ozark" mean? The word comes from the French "aux arcs" but the meaning is uncertain. It could have meant "of the Arkansas" or "from among the Arkansas"; "with bows," referring to Indians; or the curves and bends of the rivers. What is the origin of the name "Ouachita"? It was the name of an Indian tribe in what is now Louisiana. How long did Arkansas belong to France? Until 1762, when France ceded Louisiana Territory including Arkansas to Spain. In 1800 a secret treaty returned Louisiana to France, but Spanish officials were still in charge when the Americans took over at Arkansas Post in 1804. Did Spanish Arkansas have any part in the American Revolution? Spain joined the Americans in their war against England. An attack by pro-English forces on Arkansas Post in 1783, known as the Colbert Incident, was repulsed by the Spanish and Quapaws. How did Arkansas become American Territory? By the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, when France sold most of the territory between the Mississippi and the Rockies to the United States. What was the political status of Arkansas in 1803-1819? Arkansas was a part of Louisiana Territory and then of Missouri Territory before it became the Territory of Arkansas in 1819. Has Arkansas had any major earthquakes? The New Madrid earthquake of 1811-1812 affected northeastern Arkansas. Where and when was the first post office established in Arkansas? At Davidsonville, near present day Pocahontas, in 1817. When did Arkansas become a state? Arkansas was admitted to the Union as the twenty-fifth state on June 15, 1836. Who was the first governor of the state? Who were the first United States senators and who was the first representative? James S. Conway was the first governor; Ambrose H. Sevier and William S. Fulton, the first senators; and Archibald Yell the first representative in Congress. Has Little Rock always been the capital of Arkansas? Arkansas Post was the capital of Arkansas Territory from 1819 until 1821, when the capital was moved to the new town of Little Rock. The latter place has been the capital ever since, except in 1863-1865 when the Confederate state government was at Washington in Hempstead County. How did Little Rock get its name? From a stone outcropping on the bank of the Arkansas River which was a landmark to early travelers. A cliff called "Big Rock" was located upstream. What was the first Arkansas newspaper? The Arkansas Gazette, founded by William E. Woodruff at Arkansas Post in 1819 and moved to Little Rock two years later. What were two of the earliest roads in Arkansas? The Southwest Trail, which led across Arkansas from the northeast to Fulton on Red River; and the Memphis military road to Little Rock, built in 1826-1828. Who or what was the "Arkansas Traveler"? A humorous dialogue and fiddle tune attributed to Sanford C. "Sandy" Faulkner (1806-1874). Edward Payson Washburn, early Arkansas artist, did a painting illustrating the story. Who was Albert Pike? Pike (1809-1891) was an attorney, poet, journalist, schoolmaster, explorer, soldier, and Masonic leader who became the most famous Arkansas personality of his time. Where was the first Arkansas railroad? In 1858 the Memphis and Little Rock railroad company began operating trains on 38 miles of track between Hopefield on the Mississippi and Madison on the St. Francis River. On which side did Arkansas fight in the Civil War? Arkansas seceded from the Union in 1861 and joined the Southern Confederacy. About 60,000 Arkansas men fought for the South and 15,000 for the Union. What were the most important Civil War battles in Arkansas? In order of occurrence, they were Pea Ridge, Prairie Grove, Arkansas Post, Helena, Poison Spring, Marks' Mills, and Jenkins' Ferry. Who was David Owen Dodd? An Arkansas youth of 17, sometimes called the "Boy Martyr of the Confederacy," who was hanged as a spy by Union military authorities in Little Rock in 1864. Which Civil War generals came from Arkansas? The best known were Confederate generals Patrick R. Cleburne, Thomas C. Hindman, Thomas J. Churchill, and James F. Fagan. Who was "Hanging Judge Parker"? Judge Isaac C. Parker presided over the U.S. district court at Fort Smith from 1875-1896. His court hanged 88 criminals and brought in almost 9,500 convictions. Who discovered bauxite in Arkansas? John C. Branner, state geologist, in 1887. How did large-scale rice growing get started in the state? In 1904 William H. Fuller, who learned rice cultivation in Louisiana, raised his first successful crop near Hazen. Who found the first Arkansas diamonds? John M. Huddleston, a Pike County farmer, found the first diamonds near Murfreesboro in 1906. Why are University of Arkansas athletic teams called "Razorbacks"? Coach Hugo Bezdek is credited with naming the football team in 1909 when he referred to his men as "a wild band of razorback hogs." Where was the largest military camp in Arkansas in both world wars? Near North Little Rock. It was called Camp Pike during the First World War and Camp Joseph T. Robinson in the Second. When did the oil industry begin in Arkansas? In 1921 when a well near El Dorado produced a "gusher." What was the first large artificial dam in the state? Remmel Dam on the Ouachita River, completed in 1924. When did radio and television come to Arkansas? The first radio station, WOK in Pine Bluff, began broadcasting in 1921. Television station KRTV in Little Rock went on the air in 1953. How many state constitutions has Arkansas had? Five, adopted successively in 1836, 1861, 1864, 1868, and 1874. Who served longest as governor of Arkansas? Orval E. Faubus served six terms in 1955-1967. Which political party has been strongest in Arkansas? The Democratic party. Of our elected governors, 38 have been Democrats and four Republicans. The Democrats have controlled the general Assembly since 1873. How many counties does Arkansas have? Seventy-five. The first five - Arkansas, Lawrence, Pulaski, Clark, and Hempstead - were established while Arkansas was part of Missouri. The last county created was Cleburne in 1883. What is the official nickname of Arkansas? "The Natural State." Earlier names were "The Land of Opportunity" and "The Wonder State." Copyright © 1996 Arkansas History Commission. All rights reserved. ----------------------- The Butler Center for Arkansas Studies Arkansas History Lesson Plans Lesson plans are organized under the following subjects. Within each time period, plans are arranged by chronological order of events or by topic. In instances, where plans are on the same topic, the material is arranged by grade level with the lower grade material appearing first. Currently there is a single plan listed under each subject; more will be added. * Prehistory: The Land and Its People Can You Dig It? Developing an Overview of Arkansas History Mound Builders to the Civil War Arkansas Land Regions Introduces student to the role of geography in the study of history. Arkansas Geography Prehistoric Indian Game Arkansas' Prehistoric Indian * Exploration and Colonization: 1541-1803 Osage Legend and Arkansas History: Fact or Fiction DeSoto's Early Life DeSoto in North America Black Pioneers Before 1803 * The Territorial Years: 1803-1836 Territorial Population Life in Arkansas Territory Louisiana Purchase I Louisiana Purchase II 1818 Arkansas Journal * The United States Expands * The Early Statehood Years: 1836-1860 Slavery * The Civil War and Reconstruction Years: 1860-1874 Emancipation Proclamation Arkansas Civil War Drama Civil War Time Line * The New South Era: 1874-1900 Jim Crow and the Poll Tax St. Joseph's Colony * The Progressive Era and World War: 1900-1920 The Oil and Gas Boom in Arkansas Arkansas Progressive Era Dinner Party Horseshoes to Hubcaps: Blacksmithing in Arkansas History Mucket Mania: The Mussel Industry in Arkansas Happy Birthday, Arkansas Style circa 1920 * Development, Depression, and World War: 1920-1945 1927 Flood in Arkansas Big Arky, A Real Arkansas Monster * An Era of Social Change: 1945-1970 Daisy Bates and the Little Rock Crisis * Modern Arkansas: 1970 to the present Attracting a Business Producing a Product Arkansas Trade Arkansas in the World Market * General Topics Climate Arkansas On the Internet Create An Arkansas Climograph Minding Your P's and Q's Arkansas, a Feminine Perspective The Arkansas Poetry Connection Disasters! Arkansas': Earth, Wind and Water Idealism v. Reality; The Black Experience in Arkansas Arkansas, the Land of Cotton My Town Snapshot: Arkansas Photographs as Research Tools Ozark Folk Culture and the Geography in the Mt. View Area Who's Who in Arkansas This site is made possible in part by the generous donations of Friends of Central Arkansas Libraries (FOCAL) and in part through the support of the Arkansas Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities. more: {to be done} Return to Top of American Western State-by-State
CALIFORNIA Settled: 1769 Date admitted to the Union: 9 Sep 1850 Order of admission: 31 Capital: Sacramento Extent in Miles (length): 770 Extent in Miles (width): 250 Area in square miles (land): 156,299 Area in square miles (inland water): 2,407 Area in square miles (total): 158,706 Rank in Area: 3 Official Nickname: Golden State Motto: Eureka (I Have Found It) Flower: Golden Poppy Bird: California Valley Quail Tree: California Redwood Song: I Love You, California Population (1990): 29,760,021 Population Rank (1990): 1 Population (2000): {to be done} Population Rank (2000): {to be done} Principal Industries: agriculture, manufacturing, services, trade Annotated Link List: California Chronology Created by "Joel GAzis-SAx", includes: * Spanish Colonization 1530 to 1821 * The Californios 1821 to 1848 * The Gold Rush 1848 to 1869 * The Robber Barons 1869 to 1906 * Real Estate Boom 1906 to 1929 * Agony and Optimism 1929 to 1945 * New Dreams 1945 to 1964 * Revolution and Reaction 1964 to Present * Other California Chronologies * Earthquakes * The Missions * Joaquin Miller * California Almanac * California Reader Museum of the City of San Francisco San Francisco Gold Rush Chronology 1846-1849 A Southern California Chronology based on: Carruth, Gordon, The Encyclopedia of American Facts and Dates, Harper & Row, 1989 Clark, David L., Los Angeles: A City Apart, Winsor Publications, Inc., 1981 Longstreet, Stephen, All Star Cast: An Anecdotal History of Los Angeles, Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1977 Engstrand, Iris H.W., San Diego: Gateway to the Pacific, Pioneer Publications, 1992 Los Angeles Business Journal, July 19, 1999 Los Angeles Times Magazine, January 10, 1999 Newmark, Harris, My Sixty Years in Southern California, Houghton-Mifflin, 1916 Pitt, Leonard and Dale Pitt, Los Angeles A to Z: An Encyclopedia of the City and County, University of California Press, 1997 Robinson, W.W., Los Angeles: From the Days of the Pueblo, California Historical Society, 1981 California Historical Society As the state's official historical society, we hold extensive materials about California's rich history. Our Web site is still young, but growing and it primarily provides "content" for researchers. The History of How California Became a State * Pre-European Population The original California natives inhabited an isolated corner of North America, with mountains to the east and deserts to the south. They developed a stable and peaceful culture, with numerous tribes within well defined borders, leading to remarkable linguistic diversity but limited ability to organize a defense against European colonialism. * Spanish Period Spain claimed and occupied California in the interest of increasing the Spanish realm -- in terms of both land and people -- to increase Spanish and Catholic influence. The Spanish colonization was highly authoritarian and subject to all the inefficiencies of centralized planning. To their credit, the Spanish envisioned the native population as playing an important role as Catholic citizens, but the mission/presidio system failed to adopt the Indians to this role and failed to attract a sufficient number of Spanish settlers. * Mexican Period When Mexico fought and obtained independence, California lost virtually all its centralized support. As members of an isolated community, Californios spent three decades in political confusion (at one point, a Californio-based republic was declared). The richest families turned to the one industry guaranteed to earn a comfortable living -- selling hides and tallow generated from the virtually free cattle that roamed vast ranchos. In an attempt to increase the non-Indian population, foreigners of all types were admitted. Soon a sizable minority of Yankees grew, dominating the merchant class and entering into important positions in the political and social structure. * The Bear Flag Revolt and the Mexican-American War The defense of California, completely neglected by Mexico and lacking support from unstable Californio administrations, led to the unusual condition where any of several world powers could have easily occupied California. In point of fact, the Yankee residents themselves were the first to do it, in the Bear Flag revolt of June 1846. Just one month after, due to the Mexican-American war that in turn stemmed from the Yankee takeover of Texas, the American Navy took control of California without firing a shot. Most Californios were resigned to inevitable Yankee rule, though a revolt at Los Angeles led to a pocket of Californio resistance lasting from September 1846 to January 1847. * Achieving Statehood California was officially made a territory with the end of the Mexican-American war February 2, 1848, nine days before gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill. Through some local PR efforts, and support in late 1848 from President Polk himself, a gold mania swept the States and the world resulting in the remarkable 49er migration. The population soared, quickly (and brutally) overwhelming the Californios and Indians. Political leaders seized the moment to obtain a constitution and voter's ratification by November 1849, with recognition by the U.S. Congress in October 1850. Meanwhile, the great influx of miners was redirected to farming, trade, and business. The beauty, richness, and climate of California -- as well as a lack of options for bankrupt miners -- kept the population here long after the gold mania died down. The State of California, a chaotic mix of ethnicities and incomes, hopes and cynicism, was born. Return to Top of American Western State-by-State
COLORADO Settled: 1858 Date admitted to the Union: 1 Aug 1876 Order of admission: 38 Capital: Denver Extent in Miles (length): 380 Extent in Miles (width): 280 Area in square miles (land): 103,595 Area in square miles (inland water): 496 Area in square miles (total): 104,091 Rank in Area: 8 Official Nickname: Centennial State Motto: Nil Sine Numine (Nothing Without Providence) Flower: Rocky Mountain Columbine Bird: Lark Bunting Tree: Colorado Blue Spruce Song: Where the Columbines Grow Population (1900): 539,700 Population (1910): 799,024 Population (1920): 939,629 Population (1931): over one million Population (1990): 3,294,394 Population Rank (1990): 26 Population (2000): {to be done} Population Rank (2000): {to be done} Principal Industries: manufacturing, government, tourism, agriculture, aerospace, electronics equipment Annotated Link List: Old Colorado City Historical Society StudyWeb, Words and images copyright Old Colorado City Historical Society (history@oldcolo.com). Many historical documents and information, maps, and photographs for Colorado of the Old West. Colorado State Government Colorado State Archives Includes: Biographies of Notable Coloradans; Colorado; Incorporated Cities and Towns; Colorado History; a Chronology of Colorado; "Firsts"; Colorado History; Bibliographies; and History Links Colorado State Government Colorful Colorado History Page Chronology which describes events of Colorado's prehistory, early history and later history, nicely organized and presented The Photography Collection at The Denver Public Library The Denver Public Library collection of more than 500,000 photographs related to the history of the Old West, and Colorado in particular. C o l o r a d o H i s t o r i c a l S o c i e t y "WHERE HISTORY UNFOLDS" Extremely thorough history site about all of Colorado. COLORADO HISTORICAL SOCIETY: snail-mail address 1300 Broadway Denver, Colorado 80203. Georgetown, Colorado-History History of Georgetown, Colorado, as taken from a pamphlet printed in 1968 for guests new to the area. A Taste of Colorado History Includes: The Miner's Burro - Remembering Colorado's Flop Eared Heroes; Law & Disorder in Colorado; Chaffee County's only legal hanging (Nicolo Fiminello - 1888); and more... Colorado history - Buena Vista, Salida, Leadville FourteenerNet describes: "The Rich History of Colorado's Fourteener Country." Colorado lore, legend and fact New location of site for "History from Colorado's colorful past, stories and images of its people and places, quick facts, maps..." Golden History Time line and historical overview from the Colorado School of Mines. Colorado Department of Personnel, General Support Services Colorado State Government Colorado State Archives (GSS) Colorado State Archives. Area History: Mesa Verde Country Mesa Verde Country, and the University of Colorado area, "is fast becoming the cultural center..." Colorado Ski Museum - Ski Hall of Fame - Vail, Colorado "Overflowing with Ski History! For over 130 years, Colorado has been making skiing history. From the early trappers and miners of the late 1800's..." Artslynx Colorado - Cultural History Links 19th Century Colorado History Links, integrated with the Alfred Packer Collection at the Colorado State Archives; American Numismatic Association and Museum Colorado History 211 - Homepage Syllabus of University of Southern Colorado, Colorado History. History 211 course Colorado History Pages A brief outline of the history of the state of Colorado A Colorado History (Pruett Publishing) A Colorado History by Maxine Benson and Duane A. Smith, Carl Ubbelohde Publisher Colorado history videos, books, art, gifts... Data and links for Colorado history videos, books, art, gifts, mining camps, ghost towns, boomtowns, mines, mountain sight-seeing tours. ... Colorado GenWeb Project - Colorado History "Helpful links": Colorado Lookups; Colorado History; Colorado Newspapers On line; more helpful links to information; Colorado History. ... Encyclopedia.com - Results for Colorado (History) Electric Library's Free Encyclopedia on Colorado (History). "The cliff dwellings of Colorado's early inhabitants are preserved at Mesa Verde..." Colorado Family History Centers Listing of Latter Day Saints (Mormon) Family History Centers Colorado History "This page is for me a place to collect all of my facts, stories, and information on the topic of Colorado history..." CSU Libraries: Colorado History Special Topics Colorado History Special Topics; includes Photographs courtesy of the Denver Public Library Photograph Collection Homework Helper--COLORADO HISTORY Colorado History Resources, Women of the West, Western History Leadville Colorado History Leadville, Colorado: history, recreation, sight seeing, historic Ghost Towns, and the Colorado Video Collection Custer County, Colorado History and Genealogy Page A Short History of Custer County, Colorado. ... Georgetown, Colorado: The Birth of a Town Colorado History Chronology (from Colorado State Archives): The following chronology describes events of Colorado's prehistory, early history and events up to WWII. It is excerpted from archival records of the State Planning Commission's Colorado Year Book, 1959-1961. A.D. 1 to 1299 A.D.: Advent of great Prehistoric Cliff Dwelling Civilization in the Mesa Verde region. 1276 to 1299 A.D.: A great drought and/or pressure from nomadic tribes forced the Cliff Dwellers to abandon their Mesa Verde homes. c. 1500: Ute Indians inhabit mountain areas of southern Rocky Mountains making these Native Americans the oldest continuous residents of Colorado. 1541: Coronado, famed Spanish explorer, may have crossed the southeastern corner of present Colorado on his return march to Mexico after vain hunt for the golden Seven Cities of Cibola. 1682: Explorer La Salle appropriates for France all of the area now known as Colorado east of the Rocky Mountains. 1765: Juan Maria Rivera leads Spanish expedition into San Juan and Sangre de Cristo Mountains in search of gold and silver. 1776: Friars Escalante and Dominguez seeking route from Santa Fe to California missions, traverse what is now western Colorado as far north as the White River in Rio Blanco County. 1803: Through the Louisiana Purchase, signed by President Thomas Jefferson, the United States acquires a vast area which included what is now most of eastern Colorado. While the United States lays claim to this vast territory, Native Americans have resided here for hundreds of years. 1806: Lieutenant Zebulon M. Pike and small party of U.S. soldiers sent to explore southwestern boundary of Louisiana Purchase; discovers peak that bears his name, but fails in effort to climb it; reaches headwaters of Arkansas River near Leadville. 1807: Pike crosses Sangre de Cristo Mountains to Conejos River in San Luis Valley and builds Pike's Stockade; placed under nominal arrest by Spanish authorities and taken to Santa Fe; later, he and his men are released. 1820: Numerous Native American tribes live in the Colorado area. The Utes live in the mountains, the Cheyenne and Arapahoe reside on the plains from the Arkansas to the Platte rivers, and the Kiowas and Comanches live south of the Arkansas River. The Pawnee tribe hunts buffalo along the Republican River and the Sioux sometimes hunt in the outskirts of the Cheyenne and Arapahoe lands. 1820: Major Stephen H. Long is sent by President Monroe to explore southwestern boundary of the Louisiana Purchase. Long's party came up the South Platte River. Long's Peak named for him. Dr. Edwin James, historian of Long's expedition, leads first recorded ascent of Pike's Peak. James Peak, west of Denver, named for him. 1825: Opening of era of fur-traders, trappers and Mountain Men - Bent brothers, Ceran St.Vrain, Louis Vasquez, Kit Carson, Jim Baker, James Bridger, Thomas Fitzpatrick, "Uncle Dick" Wooten, and Jim Beckworth - who established posts in Arkansas and South Platte Valleys. 1832: Bent's Fort, one of the most important trading posts in the West, is built by the Bents and St. Vrain near present city of La Junta. 1836: Texas becomes independent republic and claims narrow strip of mountain territory extending northward through Colorado to 42nd parallel. Early 1840's: Mexico granted lands to the wealthy, south of the Arkansas Valley and in the San Luis Valley hoping to secure claims against Texas or America. 1842: Lieutenant John C. Fremont undertakes first of his five exploration trips into Rocky Mountains. His last expedition, in 1853, took him through the San Luis Valley and into the Gunnison River country. 1846: General Stephen W. Kearney leads Army of the West along Santa Fe Trail through southeastern Colorado en route to conquest of New Mexico during Mexican War. 1848: By Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Mexico cedes to United States most of that part of Colorado not acquired by Louisiana Purchase. 1850: Federal Government purchases Texas' claims in Colorado, and present boundaries of Colorado established. 1851: First permanent non-Indian settlement in Colorado is founded at Conejos in San Luis Valley; irrigation is begun; Fort Massachusetts established in San Luis Valley to protect settlers from Indians who believe that the non-Indians are encroaching on their land. 1853: Captain John W. Gunnison leads exploring party across southern and western Colorado. Gunnison named for him. Fremont's last expedition, seeking feasible railroad route through mountains, follows Gunnison's route. 1854: Treaties with Native American groups prove unsatisfactory which results in conflict as the Utes kill fifteen inhabitants of Fort Pueblo on Christmas Day. 1858: Green Russell's discovery of small placer gold deposits near confluence of South Platte River and Cherry Creek, precipitates gold rush from the East and "Pikes Peak or Bust" slogan. Montana City, St. Charles, Auraria, and Denver City are founded on present site of Denver. November 6, two hundred men meet here to organize County of Arapahoe, Kansas Territory. Pueblo founded as Fountain City. 1859: Gold is found by George A. Jackson along Chicago Creek on present site of Idaho Springs. March 9, first stagecoach with mail for Cherry Creek settlements leaves Leavenworth, Kansas. April 23, first newspaper in the region, the Rocky Mountain News, is published by William N. Byers. May 6, John Gregory makes famous gold-lode strike on North Clear Creek, stimulating rush of prospectors, who establish camps of Black Hawk, Central City and Nevadaville. October 3, O.J. Goldrick opens first school, at Auraria. Jefferson Territory is organized without sanction of Congress to govern gold camps; officers are elected. Prospectors spread through mountains and establish camps at Boulder, Colorado City, Gold Hill, Hamilton, Tarryall, and Pueblo. 1860: Rich placer discoveries cause stampede of miners to California Gulch on present site of Leadville. First schoolhouse is built at Boulder. Region continues to be administered variously by Jefferson Territory officials, and Miners' and People's Courts. 1861: Congress establishes Colorado Territory with boundaries of present state; President Lincoln appoints William Gilpin as first Territorial governor. July, Supreme Court is organized and Congressional delegates chosen. September, first assembly meets, creates 17 counties, authorizes university, and selects Colorado City as Territorial capitol. Manufacture of mining machinery begins. The population of the Colorado Territory is 25,371. 1862: Colorado troops aid in defeating Confederate General Henry H. Sibley's Army at La Glorieta Pass, New Mexico. Second Territorial Legislature meets for a few days at Colorado City, adjourns to Denver, and selects Golden as the new capitol. First tax-supported schools are established. First oil well drilled near Florence. 1863: Telegraph line links Denver with East; ten words to New York cost $9.10. Plains Indians attempt to drive white intruders from their hunting lands on the Eastern slopes. 1864: Tension between non-Indians and the Native American tribes escalates. The massacre (Sand Creek Massacre) of Native American men, women and children in a Cheyenne and Arapahoe Indian encampment by soldiers and settlers stirs Native Americans to fresh violence and overland trails are often closed. Fort Sedgwick is established near Julesburg. Camp Collins established to protect travelers on Overland Trail. Later became Fort Collins. Colorado Seminary (now University of Denver) is chartered; Sisters of Loretto open academy. 1865: Indian attacks along trails reach highest intensity; food is scarce for settlers and prices high; potatoes bring $15 a bushel and flour costs $40 per 100 pounds. Fort Morgan established for protection against Indians. 1867: Denver established as permanent seat of government by territorial legislature meeting in Golden. Golden Transcript established by George West. 1868: Nathaniel Hill erects first smelter in Colorado, at Blackhawk, inaugurating era of hard-rock mining. Cheyenne Indians disastrously defeated at Beecher Island near present site of Wray. The Pueblo Chieftain established by Dr. M. Beshoar at Pueblo. 1869: The final military engagement between whites and plains Indians in the eastern part of the territory took place at Summit Springs. 1870: Denver and Pacific Railroad is constructed to connect Denver with Union Pacific at Cheyenne, Wyoming; the Kansas Pacific enters Colorado from Missouri River. Union Colony is established by Horace Greeley and Nathan C. Meeker at Greeley, and first irrigation canal surveyed there. The Greeley Tribune established. Population of Colorado territory 39,864. 1871: Colorado Springs is founded by General William J. Palmer. Denver and Rio Grande Railroad is built southward from Denver by Palmer. Colorado School of Mines established at Golden. 1872: Blackhawk and Central City are connected with Denver by railroad; Denver and Rio Grande reaches Pueblo. Agricultural settlements established throughout South Platte Valley. Out West, later the Colorado Springs Gazette, was established. This year signals an end to the major use of the "Mountain Branch" of the Santa Fe Trail. 1874: Colorado College is founded at Colorado Springs; territorial legislature appropriates $15,00 for University of Colorado at Boulder, on condition that equal sum is raised by that city. W.H. Jackson, famous photographer of the Hayden Geological Survey, notes ruins of ancient cliff dwellings along the canyon on Mancos River. 1875: Lead carbonate ores, rich in silver, are found near present site of Leadville. Constitutional Convention of 38 members holds first meeting. 1876: Colorado is admitted to Union as 38th State; John L. Routt is elected first governor. Greeley's first industry, the tanning of buffalo hides, turns out 12 robes a day. 1877: University of Colorado opens classes at Boulder, with two teachers and 44 students. State Board of Agriculture is created to develop Agricultural College at Fort Collins. 1878: Leadville is incorporated; rich silver strikes on Iron, Carbonate, and Fryer hills soon make is one of the world's greatest mining camps. Central City opera house opens. First telephones are installed in Denver. 1879: Colorado College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts offers instruction at Fort Collins. Nathan C. Meeker, Indian Agent on White River (near Meeker) and several employees are slain in Ute uprising. Major Thornburg and half of his command of 160 soldiers killed in effort to give protection to Meeker. Utes defeated. 1880: Denver & Rio Grande lays tracks through Royal Gorge and on to Leadville. Great Ute Chief, Ouray, dies. Dry land farming undertaken extensively in eastern Colorado. Population of Colorado, 194,327. 1881: Ute tribes are removed onto reservations. Grand Junction is founded. Small quantities of carnotite are found in western Colorado along with gold; later, this mineral is found to contain radium. Tabor Opera House opens in Denver, built by H.A.W. Tabor, famous Leadville capitalist. 1882: Steel is milled in Pueblo from Colorado ores. Company later becomes Colorado Fuel and Iron Company. 1883: Narrow gauge line of Denver & Rio Grange is completed from Gunnison to Grand Junction. First electric lights are installed in Denver. 1886: The Steamboat Pilot established at Steamboat Springs. Charles H.Leckenby becomes owner and publisher, 1893. Denver Union Stockyards are established, later becoming largest receiving market for sheep in the nation. Town of Lamar is founded. The last public hanging in Denver occurred when Andrew Green was executed for the murder of streetcar driver, Joseph Whitnah. 1888: Band of Utes from Utah under Colorow make last Indian raid into Colorado; they are defeated and returned to the reservation. Union Colony at Greeley completes 900,000 acre irrigation project. Cliff Palace ruins, in what is now Mesa Verde National Park, discovered by two cowboys. 1890: Passage of Sherman Silver Purchase Act raises price of silver to more than $1.00 an ounce. New rich silver strikes are made along Rio Grande and Creede is founded. July 4, cornerstone of State Capitol at Denver is laid. October 3, first building of the State Normal School (now University of Northern Colorado) at Greeley is occupied. Population of state, 413,249. Boulder Daily Camera established by L.C. Paddock. 1891: Robert Womack's discoveries open great gold field of Cripple Creek. First national forest reserve in Colorado is set aside - White River Forest in Meeker area. Pike's Peak cog railroad begins operation. 1892: The Denver Post established. H. C. Brown opens Brown Palace Hotel in Denver. 1893: National panic brings great distress to Colorado. Repeal of Sherman Act strikes silver mining a paralyzing blow and adds to already acute unemployment problems. Grand Junction Sentinel established. 1894: State Capitol is completed at a cost of $2,500,000. Colorado is second state in the nation to extend suffrage to women, following the precedent set by Wyoming. 1899: First beet sugar refinery is built at Grand Junction. 1900: Gold production reaches peak of more than $20,000,000 annually at Cripple Creek, the second richest gold camp in the world. Population of State, 539,700. 1902: Constitutional amendment permits towns of 2,000 to adopt "Home Rule"; Denver becomes home rule city. Beet sugar refinery built at Fort Collins. David H. Moffat and associates begin construction of Moffat Railroad over the Continental Divide. Completed to Steamboat Springs in 1980 and to Craig in 1913. 1903: Mine, mill and smelter workers strike in many camps for higher wages and better working conditions; at Cripple Creek, strike results in much property damage and loss of life; all strike objectives in gold field are lost. Uncompahgre irrigation project, first federal government reclamation project in Colorado, is authorized. 1905: Colorado has 3 governors in one day in a political squabble. First, Alva Adams, then James H. Peabody, and finally Jesse F. McDonald. Construction of the six mile Gunnison water tunnel started by Bureau of Reclamation. 1906: United States Mint, Denver, issues first coins. March 12, National Western Stock Show is born with chartering of Western Stock Show Association following successful showing of about 60 head of cattle and horses and a few sheep and hogs in makeshift tent at Stockyards. July 29, Mesa Verde national Park is created by Congress. 1907: With Ben B. Lindsey as Judge, Denver Juvenile Court opens - the first such court in the United States. 1908: July 7, Denver municipal Auditorium, seating 12,500, is completed in time for the Democratic National Convention, when William Jennings Bryan was nominated the third time for President. August 1, Colorado Day is first celebrated, marking thirty-second anniversary of State's admittance to Union. Dome of the State Capitol is plated with gold leaf at a cost of $14,680. 1909: Colorado attains first rank among states in irrigation area with 2,790,000 acres under irrigation. Gunnison water tunnel completed by Reclamation Service and opened, on September 23, by President William Howard Taft at the tunnel site. Western State Teachers College opens at Gunnison. 1910: Population of State, 799,024. Number of farms, 46,170. Colorado voters adopt a constitutional amendment giving to the people the right of the initiative and referendum. May 8, first long distance phone call made from Denver to New York City. First airplane flight in Denver. 1911: Colorado National Monument west of Grand Junction, created by Presidential order. 1913: State Tax Commission created by Legislature. Assessed value of Colorado property for tax purposes set at $1,306,536,692. The "Big Snow of 1913" covers Colorado to a depth of 3 - 5 feet; transportation paralyzed for weeks. State begins licensing autos for the first time. 1914: Strike of coal miners in southern Colorado fields is climaxed by "Battle of Ludlow" near Trinidad; several men, women and children killed during hostilities between miners and the State militia. August: WWI begins. 1915: Worker's compensation measures are passsed: State Industrial Commission is created. Rocky Mountain National Park created by Congress. Toll road for auto travel to top of Pikes Peak built by Spencer Penrose. Construction of Broadmoor Hotel at Colorado Springs started. 1916: Colorado adopts prohibition. Emily Griffith Opportunity School is opened in Denver. Mining of tungsten causes flurry in Boulder-Nederland area. 1917: April 6: Congress declares war on Germany and many Coloradans volunteer for service. Colorado reaches maximum mineral production, more then $80,000,000. William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody, Famous Indian scout, dies and is buried on Lookout Mountain, west of Denver. 1918: Agricultural production increased sharply to aid war needs. Dry lands plowed up to produce wheat. Colorado citizens purchase Liberty Bonds by the millions of dollars to help finance war. More than 125,000 Colorado men register for the draft for army service. Fitzsimmons General Hospital established near Denver. Coal production of state reaches new high of 12,500,000 tons. Impetus of war stirs development of mining of molybdenum at Climax, near Leadville - the nation's greatest source of the metal. Denver Tourist Bureau establishes free auto camp ground for tourists at Overland Park, Denver. Other cities follow suit during the next few years. Federal Reserve branch bank established in Denver. Colorado voters approve constitutional amendment providing Civil Service for state employees. November, 11, 1918, Germany surrenders. 1919: Post-war inflation brings higher prices to farmers and producers; prices of farm land high; wages high; boom times everywhere. Colorado enacts tax of one cent per gallon on gasoline, for building of roads. Monte Vista stages first Ski-Hi Stampede. 1920: Population of State, 939,629. Employees of Denver Tramway company go on strike. Aroused by editorials in The Denver Post, strikers raid Post building and do much damage to property. 1921: General Assembly creates State Highway Department with seven man Advisory Board. Colorado begins building concrete highways on main traveled routes. Pueblo suffers disastrous flood in June; scores drowned and property damage amounts to $20,000,000. Post war deflation sets in and decline in prices brings trouble in the rural areas. During the next several years, numerous banks serving farming areas close, price and farm lands decline sharply from levels reached in World War I, and farmers clamor for farm relief. 1922: Coloradans vote $6,000,000 in bonds for highway construction. Moffat Tunnel Improvement District is created by General Assembly for construction of 6.4 mile bore under Continental Divide to provide better rail connections between Eastern and Western Slopes of the State. First commerical radio license in Colorado is issued, to station KLZ. Daring daylight hold-up of Federal Reserve bank truck is staged as it leaves U.S. Mint in Denver and $200,000 stolen. Robbery never solved. 1923: Oil discovered in Wellington field north of Fort Collins; flurry of oil stock promotion follows. 1924: April 26, Colorado is second state to ratify child labor amendment to federal Constitution. Celebration held in Greeley marking completion of concrete pavement between Denver and Greeley - first two major cities in State to be connected by paved highways. Ku Klux Klan secures domination of Republican party in Colorado and elects a pro-Klan Governor and U.S. Senator. 1925: Adams State Teachers College at Alamosa and junior colleges at Grand Junction and Trinidad are opened. 1931: Population reaches over one million. 1941: Denver recruiting offices swamped by over 2,000 enlistments during the month of December as United States enters World War II. 1941-1945: During World War II agriculture industry has greatest production in Colorado history. 1941-1945: Growth of military installations in Colorado mushroom. 1942: Federal government established Amache, a camp for Japanese-Americans who were interned and relocated from their homes on the West Coast. 1945-1950: Federal government presence in Colorado grows, military installations and scientific institutions continue to develop while many veterans relocate to Colorado. These changes cause a steady increase in population. 1958: Air Force Academy is built near Colorado Springs and first class graduates in June, 1959. 1950's and 1960's: Numerous water storage and diversion projects are constructed in response to increased agricultural and municipal water demands. Tourist and ski industries blossom. Population continues to increase. 1960: Colorado gets the Denver Broncos professional football team which eventually wins two Super Bowls. 1962-1965: Disposition of poisonous wastes into a deep well at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal results in earthquakes and hundreds of tremors around the Denver area. 1967: Denver Rockets become Colorado's professional American Basketball Association team. In 1974 they are renamed the Denver Nuggets. 1973: Eisenhower Tunnel is built beneath the Continental Divide sixty miles west of Denver, making it easier to reach the ski slopes of western Colorado. 1974: Desegregation of schools in Denver begins as busing attempts to achieve racial balance. 1970's and 1980's: Tremendous growth of Denver suburbs occurs. 1970's: The population swells, traffic problems grow, and the "brown cloud" develops over much of the Front Range. Coloradans become concerned over the consequences of pollution and overselling Colorado and reject hosting the 1976 Winter Olympics as a result. July 31, 1976: A cloudburst on the Big Thompson River results in a massive flood in Larimer County, killing more than 145 people. 1980: Coal mining production in Colorado on the Western Slopes hits all time high as United States becomes more dependent on energy resources at home rather than overseas. 1982: The state economic structure is shaken when the oil shale giant Exxon announces the closure of its oil shale development fields in Rio Blanco, Mesa and Garfield counties. Thousands are laid off and the economic stability of the western slope of the state is severely impacted. 1980's and 1990's: Major growth of technological industries occurs in Colorado. 1992: The voters of Colorado pass a citizens' initiative to limit the growth of state and local governments with the passage of the TABOR (Taxpayer Bill of Rights) amendment to the state constitution. 1993: Colorado Rockies become first regional major league baseball team. 1995: Quebec Nordiques National Hockey League team moves to Colorado to become the Colorado Avalanche. 1998: Colorado voters elect the first Republican Governor (Bill Owens) to the statehouse in twenty-four years. Return to Top of American Western State-by-State
HAWAII Settled: 1820 Date admitted to the Union: 21 Aug 1959 Order of admission: 50 Capital: Honolulu Extent in Miles (length): Not Applicable Extent in Miles (width): Not Applicable Area in square miles (land): 6,425 Area in square miles (inland water): 46 Area in square miles (total): 6,471 Rank in Area: 47 Official Nickname: The Aloha State Motto: The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness Flower: Yellow Hibiscus Bird: Hawaiian Goose Tree: Candlenut Song: Hawaii Ponoi Population (1990): 1,108,229 Population Rank (1990): 41 Population (2000): {to be done} Population Rank (2000): {to be done} Principal Industries: tourism, defense (and other government), sugar refining, pineapple (and other agriculture), aquaculture, fishing, motion pictures Annotated Link List: {to be done} Return to Top of American Western State-by-State
IDAHO Settled: 1842 Date admitted to the Union: 3 July 1890 Order of admission: 43 Capital: Boise Extent in Miles (length): 570 Extent in Miles (width): 300 Area in square miles (land): 82,412 Area in square miles (inland water): 1,153 Area in square miles (total): 83,564 Rank in Area: 13 Official Nickname: Gem State Motto: Esto Perpetua (It is perpetual) Flower: Syringa Bird: Mountain Bluebird Tree: White Pine Song: Here We Have Idaho Population (1990): 1,006,749 Population Rank (1990): 42 Population (2000): {to be done} Population Rank (2000): {to be done} Principal Industries: agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, lumber, mining, electronics IDAHO HISTORY Northwest Territory 1803 - 1847
Oregon Territory 1848 - 1852
Oregon &Washington Territories 1853 - 1858
Washington Territory 1859 - 1862
Idaho Territory 1863 - 1889
State of Idaho 1890 - 1899
State of Idaho 1900 - 1919
State of Idaho 1920 - 1939
State of Idaho 1940 - 1959
State of Idaho 1960 - 1979
State of Idaho 1980 to present Return to Top of American Western State-by-State
ILLINOIS NOT in the West: the Mississippi is its Western boundary. Illinois is considered an East-North Central state. Settled: 1720 Date admitted to the Union: 3 Dec 1818 Order of admission: 21 Capital: Springfield Extent in Miles (length): 390 Extent in Miles (width): 210 Area in square miles (land): 55,645 Area in square miles (inland water): 700 Area in square miles (total): 56,345 Rank in Area: 24 Official Nickname: The Prarie State Motto: State Sovreignty -- National Union Flower: Native Violet Bird: Cardinal Tree: White Oak Song: Illinois Population (1990): 11,430,602 Population Rank (1990): 6 Population (2000): {to be done} Population Rank (2000): {to be done} Principal Industries: manufacturing, services, travel, wholesale and retail trade, finance, insurance, construction, government, health care, agriculture Annotated Link List: {to be done} Return to Top of American Western State-by-State
INDIANA NOT in the West: the Mississippi is its Western boundary. Indiana is considered an East-North Central state. Settled: 1733 Date admitted to the Union: 11 Dec 1816 Order of admission: 19 Capital: Indianapolis Extent in Miles (length): 270 Extent in Miles (width): 140 Area in square miles (land): 35,932 Area in square miles (inland water): 253 Area in square miles (total): 36,185 Rank in Area: 38 Official Nickname: Hoosier State Motto: Crossroads of America Flower: Peony Bird: Cardinal Tree: Tulip Poplar Song: On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away Population (1990): 5,544,159 Population Rank (1990): 14 Population (2000): {to be done} Population Rank (2000): {to be done} Principal Industries: manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, finance, agriculture, government, services Annotated Link List: {to be done} Return to Top of American Western State-by-State
IOWA Settled: 1788 Date admitted to the Union: 28 Dec 1846 Order of admission: 29 Capital: Des Moines Extent in Miles (length): 310 Extent in Miles (width): 200 Area in square miles (land): 55,965 Area in square miles (inland water): 310 Area in square miles (total): 56,275 Rank in Area: 25 Official Nickname: Hawkeye State Motto: Our Liberties We Prize and Our Rights We Will Maintain Flower: Wild Rose Bird: Eastern Goldfinch Tree: Oak Rock: Geode Song: none ? Population (1990): 2,776,755 Population Rank (1990): 30 Population (2000): {to be done} Population Rank (2000): {to be done} Principal Industries: insurance, manufacturing, agriculture Annotated Link List: Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Iowa, 1875 Author: A. T. Andreas Table of Contents: Preface, Iowa History, Biographies Portraits, Town Plats, Views. "All information below the State level is organized by county. The biographies, portraits, town plats and views listed above provide an alphabetical listing for the entire state. County maps, atlas patrons, business directory and county histories are grouped by county and accessed only through the county table below. Biographies, portraits, town plats and views may also be accessed through the appropriate county. In some situations, a biography, portrait, etc. may be listed under two or more counties as appropriate." The Historic Period [of Iowa] by Carl A. Merry © Copyright 1996 The University of Iowa. All rights reserved. [Opening paragraph, to give a sample of the flavor of this fine essay.]: "The historic period began in Iowa with the European exploration of the midcontinent, as evidenced by their written records and artifacts. Many Indians possessed and traded European manufactured goods long before they ever set eyes on a French explorer, and the historic period for them began before actual contact. The presence of western Siouan and Algonquian Indians and fur-bearing animals, lead, and other natural resources was reported for the Upper Mississippi Valley as early as 1634 by Jean Nicolet, and confirmed by other western Great Lakes explorers in the decades that followed. The first recorded Europeans to venture into Iowa were Louis Joliet, Father Jacques Marquette, and the voyageurs who exited the Wisconsin River and paddled down the great Mississippi River in June of 1673. They traveled for eight days camping along the Iowa shoreline before visiting the Illiniwek (Illinois) Indians at the Illiniwek Village State Historic Site near the mouth of the Des Moines River, on the Missouri side. Jolliet-Marquette expedition journals indicated this summer village had nearly 300 lodges, laid out with streets. Archaeologists have recently begun excavations at this important early historic site." State of Iowa History by Dorothy Schwieder, professor of history, Iowa State University [1st paragraph as sample of style]: Marquette and Joliet Find Iowa Lush and Green "In the summer of 1673, French explorers Louis Joliet and Father Jacques Marquette traveled down the Mississippi River past the land that was to become the state of Iowa. The two explorers, along with their five crewmen, stepped ashore near where the Iowa river flowed into the Mississippi. It is believed that the 1673 voyage marked the first time that white people visited the region of Iowa. After surveying the surrounding area, the Frenchmen recorded in their journals that Iowa appeared lush, green, and fertile. For the next 300 years, thousands of white settlers would agree with these early visitors: Iowa was indeed lush and green; moreover, its soil was highly productive. In fact, much of the history of the Hawkeye State is inseparably intertwined with its agricultural productivity. Iowa stands today as one of the leading agricultural states in the nation, a fact foreshadowed by the observation of the early French explorers." Heart of Iowa ©1998 Vision Blue Design & Imaging: "French explorers Louis Joliet and Father Jacques Marquette and their crew members were the first non-Native Americans to set foot on what is now known as Iowa. They came ashore in the summer of 1673 and described the land as being lush, green and fertile." "Prior to 1673 that description of the region was well known to the many Native Americans who called the territory home. At various times approximately 17 different Indian tribes inhabited the area. They included the Iowa, Sauk, Mesquakie, Sioux, Potawatomi, Otoe and Missouri. Iowa is still home to the Mesquakie tribe." "Although some hardy settlers began drifting into the area following Joliet and Marquette, the first official European settlement was not begun until June 1833. That occurred in what was known as the Black Hawk Purchase, an area about 50 miles wide along the Mississippi River from Missouri to what is now the area of Clayton and Fayette counties." "Early settlers found Iowa to be a far different place than what they were accustomed to in the eastern United States. In the East, wood was plentiful for building homes, barns and fences, and for fuel. However, only in eastern Iowa could they find enough wood for all those activities. In some parts of eastern and central Iowa they found only enough wood for constructing homes and other buildings, and had to use alternatives, such as dried prairie hay or corn cobs, for fuel. Pioneers venturing into northwest Iowa constructed their homes from the only material they had available... sod." "Life in early Iowa was not easy. Constructing farmsteads was hard work, but those who stayed to work the land discovered it was worth it. The land was the richest to be found anywhere in the world and made agriculture the backbone of the state's economy. Although pioneers living on Iowa's fertile prairies faced many hardships, settlers continued to pour into the state in the mid-1800's." "In 1838 Iowa officially became a territory and Burlington was established as the as the capitol was moved to Iowa City in 1841. Finally, on December 28, 1846, Iowa was admitted as the 29th state in the Union. Iowa City continued to serve as the state's capitol until 1857, when a provision in Iowa's new Constitution moved it to Des Moines." "Those early Iowans, as do their present day descendants, considered education important; as the state's population and economy grew, so did plans for educational institutions. Iowa's first high school was established in the 1850's. In 1847 the University of Iowa was founded to provide classical and professional education to the state's youth. Iowa State College of Science and Technology (now Iowa State University) was established in 1858 for agricultural and technical training. In 1876 Iowa State Teachers' College (now the University of Northern Iowa) was founded to train teachers for the state's public schools." "With the outbreak of the Civil Wat in 1861, the peaceful lives of Iowans took a drastic turn. No battles were actually fought on Iowa soil, but the state sent more than 75,000 men to the Union Army. More than 13,000 of them died in the war from wounds or disease, while others died in prison camps. That number is almost equal to the total of all Iowans killed in World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam." "Following the Civil War, farms and small towns covered the state and the trend of raising crops continued. Prior to the war, farmers had primarily raised wheat; following the war they began to diversify. Their main crop became corn, which they fed livestock tp produce pork, beef and wool, a [practice] that continues today." "Also, after the Civil War the state continued to attract people. Iowa's population shot from 674,913 in 1860 to 1,194,020 in 1870. With this growth, Iowa--like the nation--became a community of diverse cultures. Germans were the largest group of immigrants and could be found in every county in the state. Iowa also became home for many other nationalities, including Swedes, Norwegians, Danes, Dutch, Czechs, Italians and Croatians." "Many of these groups settled in certain areas of the state and were known by particular occupations. For example, the Norwegians who settled in Boone County, and the Danes who settled in southwestern Iowa were known for their farming. However, many Swedes also became coal miners. The Dutch settled in two areas, Marion County and northwestern Iowa, and were also involved in farming. Many of the Italians and Croatians settled in southern and central Iowa and worked the coal mines." "During the late 19th and early 20th centuries many African-Americans also migrated to Iowa. At that time, Iowa was a center of the coal industry, and one of the best known coal communities was Buxton, which at one time had a population of 5000; 54% of which was African-American. When the coal mines died in the early 1900's so did Buxton, and its African-American population moved on to other areas of the state." "When the United States entered World War I in 1914 the wartime economy brought prosperity to Iowa's farmers and those in other states as well. To show their patriotism, Iowa farmers were urged to increase production of corn, beef and pork for the war effort. Because of the economic good times, they bought more land and expanded their operations. However, their economic boom was about to bust." "Starting in 1929, the farming community fell on hard times. Many farmers had trouble making payments for their earlier expansion. Those hardships continued until 1933, when a federal farm program was created to help farmers along the road to recovery; although complete recovery did not occur until the 1940's." "As the 1940's rolled in, so did World War II. Thousands of Iowans fought either in the European Campaign or in the Pacific, while thousands of others worked in factories which produced materials for the war effort." "Following World War II, peace brought prosperity and secutiry to Iowa. Agriculture continued as the state's number one industry, but more manufacturing operations started. Goods and commodities produced in Iowa were being sold around the world and all Iowans were enjoying a quality of life seldom, if ever, matched anywhere." "Life in Iowa continues to change. However, through all the changes there has been a constant: Iowans continue to hold fast to traditions. They still believe in strong educational systems, strong families, honesty and friendliness." Return to Top of American Western State-by-State
KANSAS Settled: 1727 Date admitted to the Union: 29 Jan 1861 Order of admission: 34 Capital: Topeka Extent in Miles (length): 400 Extent in Miles (width): 210 Area in square miles (land): 81,778 Area in square miles (inland water): 499 Area in square miles (total): 82,277 Rank in Area: 14 Official Nickname: Sunflower State Motto: Ad Astra Per Aspera (To the Stars Through Difficulties) Flower: Native Sunflower Bird: Western Meadowlark Tree: Cottonwood Song: Home on the Range Population (1990): 2,477,574 Population Rank (1990): 32 Population (2000): {to be done} Population Rank (2000): {to be done} Principal Industries: manufacturing, finance, insurance, real estate, services Annotated Link List: Cultures Timeline, Kansas State Historical Society Good timeline, and organization by topics Return to Top of American Western State-by-State
LOUISIANA Settled: 1699 Date admitted to the Union: 30 Apr 1812 Order of admission: 18 Capital: Baton Rouge Extent in Miles (length): 380 Extent in Miles (width): 130 Area in square miles (land): 44,521 Area in square miles (inland water): 3,230 Area in square miles (total): 47,752 Rank in Area: 31 Official Nickname: Pelican State Motto: Union, Justice, and Confidence Flower: Magnolia Bird: Eastern Brown Pelican Tree: Cypress Song: Give Me Louisiana Population (1990): 4,219,973 Population Rank (1990): 21 Population (2000): {to be done} Population Rank (2000): {to be done} Principal Industries: wholesale and retail trade, government, manufacturing, construction, transportation, mining Annotated Link List: Louisiana Timeline "This section of the Encyclopedia Louisiana contains chronological information about the development and history of the colony, territory and the state of Louisiana." "This timeline is the heart of the history section of this encyclopedia. A year by year and eventually a day by day chronology of the history of Louisiana will have links to biographies of people and maps of events that will help you understand the historical development that made our state what it is today. Below are indices arranged by decade and by historical period." 1671-1680: Early Exploration of North America 1681-1690: The Exploration of North America Heats Up 1691-1700:Early Exploration of Louisiana and the Mississippi 1701-1710:French Explore the Upper Mississippi 1711-1720: Crozat owns Louisiana, Louis XIV dies, John Law owns Louisiana Natchitoches and New Orleans Established 1731-1740 Louisiana Returns to Crown Colony Status Charity Hospital Established 1741-1750 Bienville Resigns for Good Vaudreuil Holds Court as Governor 1751-1760 Battle Over North America Heats Up Acadians Begin their Diaspora 1761-1770 France Loses Seven Years War Louis XV Cedes Louisiana to Spain First Revolution in Western Hemisphere Eventually Fails 1771-1780 The American Revolution Affects New Orleans Galvez Retakes Florida From Great Britain 1781-1790 Galvez takes West Florida The United States gets help from Louisiana 1791-1800 The Colony is Ignored Louisiana: The Most Efficient Spanish Colony 1801-1810 The Louisiana Purchase Territorial Struggles 1811-1820 Statehood The Borders of Louisiana Defined by treaties 1821-1830 Growing Pains Creoles vs. Americans 1831-1840 Rapid Growth American Economic Supremacy New Orleans Divided 1841-1850 War in Mexico and Zachary Taylor The Baroness Dresses Up the Square 1851-1860 Cotton is King Yellow Jack Visits Again and Again Storm Clouds Ahead 1861-1870 War and Military Occupation Freedom from Slavery Scalawags, Carpetbaggers and Crippled Heros 1871-1880 Reconstruction | Bulldozers A Deal for the Presidency 1881-1890 World's Industrial & Cotton Centennial Exposition Jim Crow and Agrarian Reforms in the North 1891-1900 Comprehensive Drainage Plan | Storeyville Then one page per decade for 20th Century Return to Top of American Western State-by-State
MINNESOTA Settled: 1805 Date admitted to the Union: 11 May 1858 Order of admission: 32 Capital: St. Paul Extent in Miles (length): 400 Extent in Miles (width): 250 Area in square miles (land): 79,548 Area in square miles (inland water): 4,854 Area in square miles (total): 84,402 Rank in Area: 12 Official Nicknames: North Star State, Gopher State Motto: L'Etoile Nord (The Star of the North) Flower: Pink and White Lady's Slipper Bird: Common Loon Tree: Red Pine Song: Hail! Minnesota Population (1990): 4,375,099 Population Rank (1990): 20 Population (2000): {to be done} Population Rank (2000): {to be done} Principal Industries: agribusiness, forest products, mining, manufacturing, tourism Annotated Link List: Minnesota History: A Chronology Minnesota History: A Chronology 1659-1660: French fur traders Groseilliers and Radisson explore western end of Lake Superior and environs. 1673: French explorers Marquette and Joliet discover the upper portion of the Mississippi River. 1679: Frenchman Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Luth meets with Dakota Indians near Mille Lacs. 1683: Catholic Missionary Father Louis Hennepin returns to France after exploring Minnesota and being held captive by the Dakota to write the first book about Minnesota, Description de la Louisiane. 1745: The Ojibwe Indians defeat the Dakota Indians at the Kathio, driving the Dakota into southern and western Minnesota. 1763: Spain receives Louisiana Territory (includes Minnesota west of the Mississippi River) from France in compensation for its loss of Florida during the Seven Years War. Great Britain wins claim to what is now eastern North America (east of the Mississippi River) and Canada. 1770-1804: Grand Portage (Minnesota) evolves into the western fur-trading headquarters of the British Empire in North America. British troops stationed here act as only military force in Minnesota during the American Revolution. Fur trading continues to be the main source of commerce in Minnesota through the early 19th century. 1775-1783: American Revolution 1783: The newly formed republic of the United States of America wins the eastern portion of Minnesota (from the Mississippi river east) from Great Britain in the American Revolution. 1787: Eastern Minnesota officially designated part of the American Northwest Territories of the United States of America. David Thompson, working for the North West Company (fur-trading) completes the first formal mapping of Minnesota. 1800: France acquires Louisiana Territory from Spain. 1803: The United States of America purchases Louisiana Territory from France, gaining ownership of the western portion of Minnesota. Boundary disputes with British Canada keep British fur companies in Minnesota until 1818. 1805: Lieutenant Zebulon Montgomery Pike leads the first United States expedition through the Minnesota country. 1812-1814: War of 1812 between the United States and Great Britain with their Dakota, Winnebago, and Ojibwe allies. 1815 Peace treaty negotiated between the Dakota Indian nation and the United States government. First American fur traders enter Minnesota. 1818 Northern boundary of Minnesota fixed at the forty-ninth parallel. Boundary negotiations with British Canada continue until 1931. Lawrence Taliaferro instated as first United States Indian agent at Fort Snelling. 1819 Colonel Josiah Snelling begins construction of Fort St. Anthony on land purchased from the Dakota Indians for $2000 US. 1824 Fort St. Anthony completed. Name changed to Fort Snelling in Honor of Colonel Josiah Snelling's work. 1832 Henry Schoolcraft credited with finding the source of the Mississippi River at Lake Itasca, Minnesota with his Ojibwe guide Ozawindib. 1836 Creation of Wisconsin Territory which encompassed Minnesota. 1837 Land-cession treaties negotiated with the Dakota Indians and the Chippewa Indians for United States rights to a portion of land between the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers. This new land stimulates the lumber industry in Minnesota. 1841 Chapel of Saint Paul built. Later it would serve to name the state capitol which sprang up around it. 1838-1848 St. Paul, St. Anthony, and Stillwater (Minnesota's first towns) founded. 1848 Wisconsin admitted into the union as a state, leaving residents of the area between the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers (current day eastern Minnesota) without a territorial government or legal system. 1849 Minnesota Territory formed with present day eastern and southern boundaries set. The population amounts to less than 4000 people, not including persons of pure Native-American heritage. Law provides for free public schools to be open to all people between four and twenty-one years of age. Minnesota Historical Society formed to collect, publish, and educate people about Minnesota history. James Madison Goodhue begins publishing Minnesota's first newspaper, the Minnesota Pioneer. 1850 Treaties concluded at Traverse des Sioux and Mendota with the Dakota Indians whereby the Dakota ceded their lands east of the Red River, Lake Traverse, and the Big Dakota River and south of a boundary line between the Dakota and Chippewa in 1825. In return the Dakota received $1,665,000 US, $1,360,000 of which was set into a trust fund, of which the interest would be distributed to chiefs partly in cash, partly in supplies, and partly in education and civilization funds. The vast majority ended up being used to pay off Indian debts to white traders. Wheat becomes a major crop in Minnesota. 1851 Charter granted to the University of Minnesota, the first collegiate institution in the territory. 1853-1857 Population explosion occurs in Minnesota from 40,000 people in 1853 to approximately 150,000 people in 1857. 1854 St. Paul becomes a city with a total area of four square miles. 1855 Die Minnesota Deutsche Zeitung (The Minnesota German Newspaper), Minnesota's first non-English newspaper, rolls off the press for the first time in St. Paul. 1857 The Dred Scott Decision is rendered by the United States Supreme Court, where a Missouri slave, Dred Scott, sued for his freedom based in part upon his residence in Minnesota. Amidst the sectional and racial animosity sweeping the nation, the court ruled Scott remained a slave. The residents of the Minnesota territory ratify the state constitution almost unanimously. The Panic of 1857 sends prices skyrocketing. Banks bust and businesses fail. Depression lingers until 1861. 1858 Newspaper promotion of the Minnesota Territory prompts over one thousand steamboat arrivals in St. Paul, filled with settlers. On May 11 Minnesota becomes the thirty-second state admitted to the Union of the United States of America. State seal adopted by the Minnesota Legislature. 1858-1859 Henry Sibley instated as first governor of Minnesota. 1859 First Minnesota State Fair held. 1861 Civil War of the United States begins. Minnesota volunteers one thousand men for service in the Union Army. Minnesota eventually provides 24,000 men for service in the Union Army for fighting in the Civil War or the Indian Outbreak. 1862 The Dakota Conflict sweeps across Minnesota with a series of attacks motivated by hungry Dakota enraged by the failure of land treaties and unfair fiscal practices of local traders. By the end of the conflict 486 white settlers would be dead. On December 26 thirty-eight Indians were hung at Mankato. Minnesota's first railroad is completed, connecting Minneapolis and Saint Paul. 1863 At the Battle of Gettysburg the First Minnesota Regiment makes a heroic charges, losing 215 of 262 men. 1865 Civil War of the United States ends. 1868 Mankato receives a city charter. The Minnesota Legislature authorizes establishment of the 2nd State Normal School in Mankato (now known as Minnesota State University, Mankato). 1873 A three-day blizzard hits Minnesota in January, killing seventy Minnesotans. 1878 68.98% of tilled land in Minnesota devoted to wheat production, the high point for wheat farmers in Minnesota. After five consecutive summers of devastating infestations of Rocky Mountain Locusts (called the great Grasshopper Plague) which thrived on wheat, farmers decided to diversify, and wheat production was slowly replaced by other crops and dairy farming. A massive explosion in a Minneapolis flour mill kills 18. 1880 Telephone communication begun between St. Paul and Minneapolis. 1881 St. Paul is destroyed by fire. 1883 Mayo Clinic founded by Dr. William Worrall Mayo in Rochester, Minnesota after a tornado sweeps through Rochester, killing 35. With his two sons, Dr. William James Mayo and Dr. Charles Horace Mayo, he begins a clinic world-renowned for its dedication to the latest advances in medicine and surgical procedures. 1884 Minnesota iron ore begins to be exported heralding the dawn of iron mining in Minnesota. Over the next two decades mines spring up on the Mesabi, Cuyuna, and Vermilion iron ranges, spurring the rapid growth of mining cities such as Evelyth, Chisholm, Virginia, and Hibbing, Minnesota as well as the port cities of Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin. 1886 Sauk Rapids is flattened by a tornado. Seventy-nine people die. St. Paul holds its first winter carnival. 1887 St. Paul hosts the first ski tourney in the Midwest. 1888 Western Minnesota receives a major blizzard on January 12 which takes 109 lives. 1890s Electric streetcars become commonplace in large Minnesota cities. 1893 The Minnesota state flag, designed by Amelia Hyde Center of Minneapolis, is accepted by the Minnesota Legislature. Virginia, Minnesota destroyed by fire. 1894 A massive forest fire caused by clear-cut logging debris encompasses Hinckley, Minnesota and several other nearby communities. Over four hundred die. 1898 The Spanish-American War begins. Minnesota, the first state to volunteer, raises four regiments, one of which serves in the Philippines. Disease proves to be the biggest killer, with combat fatalities accounting for only four Minnesota soldier deaths. Farmer Olof Ohman finds a stone tablet with runic carvings on it in his field near Kensington, Minnesota. The runes indicate a party of Viking explorers passed through that area in 1362. Initially considered a hoax, it was accepted by the Smithsonian Institution in 1948. Opinions differ, but most academic sources today doubt its veracity. 1899 Minnesota's lumber industry reaches its peak. By 1930 only 1/3 of the state would remain forested, with very little of that virgin growth. 1900 Virginia, Minnesota destroyed by fire again. 1902 Approximately twelve automobiles appear in Minneapolis. Tom Shevlin, son of a lumber magnate, gets arrested for violating the ten mile per hour city speed limit. 1905 John A. Johnson, Minnesota's first native-born governor, elected to the first of his three terms. Lumber production peaks in Minnesota. 1906 William Williams is hanged in the county jail in St. Paul on February 13, ending capital punishment in Minnesota. 1908 Chisholm, Minnesota is virtually obliterated by a late summer forest fire. 1914 World War I begins. Minneapolis becomes the home of the Federal Reserve Bank. 1917 The United States of America enters World War I. 118,497 men from Minnesota serve in the war. 1918 World War I ends with 1,432 Minnesotans in uniform giving their lives for their country. The new Farmer-Labor Party becomes the second largest political party in Minnesota and capitalizes on the rural depression which plagues Minnesota until 1824 to gain a broad base of support. Influenza spreads to Minnesota. Labeled a "pandemic of influenza", this disease managed to kill 7,521Minnesotans in 1918 and more than 4,200 over the course of the following two years. Cloquet and Moose Lake, Minnesota are destroyed when seventy mile an hour winds change minor forest fires into major conflagrations. 1919 Minnesota ratifies the 19th amendment (women's suffrage) to the United States constitution. A tornado strikes Fergus Falls, Minnesota killing 59. 1920 Minnesota authors receive international recognition. Main Street, written by Sinclair Lewis, earns national recognition as he takes a critical look at his hometown of Sauk Centre, Minnesota. By the end of the decade he had won the Nobel Prize for literature after a string of four more novels won international acclaim. St. Paul native F. Scott Fitzgerald receives much acclaim for his book This Side of Paradise. By 1925 he had published five more works, all focusing on the extravagance and despair of the 1920s in the United States. 1921 WLB, the first Minnesota radio station, formed at the University of Minnesota. 1927 Charles Lindbergh, a native of Little Falls, Minnesota, flies solo across the Atlantic Ocean from New York to Paris. 1929 Great Depression begins in the United States. The depression begins in Minnesota with the bankruptcy of key employers in Minneapolis and quickly spreads to the rest of the state. 1930-1935 Over 1/2 of iron ore extracted from the earth originates in Minnesota mines. 1931 Ancient remains of 20,000 year old skeleton dubbed "Minnesota Man" found in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. 1933 "Browns Valley Man" remains, estimated to be 8,000 - 10,000 years old, discovered in Brown County, Minnesota. 1934 Edward G. Bremer of St. Paul kidnapped by the Barker-Karpis gang. His ransom of $200,000 US is one of the largest ransoms in the United States up to that time. By 1936 the kidnappers had been caught and convicted. "Public Enemy Number 1" John Dillinger has a gun battle with FBI agents in St. Paul on March 11 and escapes. 1936 Temperatures remain below zero for a record thirty-six days beginning on January 18. Later in the summer Moorhead, Minnesota ties a state record high official temperature of 114 degrees Fahrenheit, previously set in Beardsley, Minnesota in 1927. 1939 A hockey game in the Duluth Amphitheater is interrupted when the ceiling collapses under the weight of snow. No deaths are reported. 1940 The Armistice Day Blizzard strikes Minnesota leaving a 16.8 inches of snow in twenty four hours. Winds that day exceed thirty two miles per hour with gusts over sixty miles per hour. Forty-nine Minnesota residents die and over $1,500,000 US worth of property is damaged as a result of the storm. 1941 First tax on taconite, a black magnetic iron-bearing ore, in effect in Minnesota. The United States enters World War II. Singer Bob Zimmerman (Bob Dylan) born in Duluth. 1944 The Democratic and Farmer Labor parties merge to form the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. 1945 World War II ends with 6,255 American servicemen from Minnesota giving their lives for their country. The Minnesota state song, "Hail! Minnesota" is adopted by the Minnesota Legislature. 1948 Minnesota's first television station, KSTP, goes on the air. 1950 The Korean War begins. By the time of the armistice in 1953, 688 Minnesotans had died in the fighting. 1951 Over 82% of iron ore extracted from United States mines during this year originates in Minnesota. 1954 Coya Knutson becomes the first (and currently the only) Minnesota woman elected to the Congress of the United States. 1958 Prince Rogers Nelson (the artist formerly known as Prince) born in Minneapolis. 1959 The opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway makes Duluth accessible to the Atlantic Ocean. 1963 Last iron ore shipment leaves the Vermillion iron range. 1964 Minnesota Senator Hubert Humphrey elected vice-president of the United States as the running-mate of president Lyndon Johnson. Conventional American ground forces are introduced into Vietnam. 1968 Senator Eugene McCarthy of Minnesota begins his bid for the presidency by easily winning the New Hampshire presidential primary. Minnesota Senator Hubert Humphrey also runs for president that year, narrowly losing to Richard Nixon. The American Indian Movement (AIM) is founded in Minneapolis to combat racism. 1969 Warren Burger, a native of St. Paul, named to the Supreme Court of the United States. 1970 Minnesotan Harry Blackmun named to the Supreme Court of the United States. He would later write the majority opinion in the case of Roe v. Wade, which legalizes abortion. 1975 The last American military personnel leave Vietnam with the evacuation of the United States embassy in Saigon, completely ending American involvement in Vietnam and the Vietnam War. 1,053 Minnesotans gave their lives over the course of the war. 1976 Jimmy Carter becomes the 39th president of the United States with Minnesota Senator Walter Mondale as his vice-president. Mondale would later run for president in 1984, losing to Ronald Reagan. 1977 Rosalie Wahl becomes the first woman justice in the Minnesota Supreme Court. 1980 Last iron ore shipment leaves the Cuyuna iron range. 1982 A total of 34.3 inches of snow falls on the Twin Cities on January 20 and 22. Taconite mining emerges as the future employment source for the iron range, with 12,000 workers. The subsequent depression and trend toward mechanization halve that number by 1995. 1984 Last iron ore shipment leaves the Mesabi iron range, effectively ending Minnesota's direct iron ore industry and confirming a difficult depression on the iron range. 1987 The Minnesota Twins win the World Series. 1988 The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, passed to promote tribal economies, causes a boom in Indian casinos and gambling in Minnesota. By 1990 Minnesota ranks fourth in the nation in per capita gambling sales. Minnesota hit by a record setting drought. 1990 Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev visits Minnesota. 1991 Operation Desert Storm occurs with approximately 11,000 Minnesotans in uniform helping to defeat Iraq and liberate Kuwait. The Minnesota Twins win the World Series. A record-breaking snowstorm hits Minnesota on November 1 depositing twenty-four inches of snow in twenty-four hours. 1996 Coldest official temperature ever recorded in Minnesota set at -60 degrees Fahrenheit on February 2 near Tower, MN. 1998 Minnesota becomes home to largest ethnic Hmong population in America. Sources: * The Minnesota Legislative Manual * Awesome Almanac Minnesota * Minnesota: A History of the State * The American Past: Part 1: A Survey of American History to 1877 * All Hell Broke Loose: Experiences of Young People During the Armistice Day 1940 Blizzard * The People's Health: A History of Public Health in Minnesota to 1948 * Muskets to Missiles: A Military History of Minnesota * Minnesota: A History * "The Minnesota Territory." A lecture by Dr. William E. Lass * The Minnesota Book of Days * State of Minnesota, Department of Natural Resources Website Return to Top of American Western State-by-State
MISSOURI Settled: 1735 Date admitted to the Union: 10 Aug 1821 Order of admission: 24 Capital: Jefferson City Extent in Miles (length): 300 Extent in Miles (width): 240 Area in square miles (land): 68,945 Area in square miles (inland water): 752 Area in square miles (total): 69,697 Rank in Area: 19 Official Nicknames: Show Me State Motto: Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto (The Welfare of the People Shall Be the Supreme Law)) Flower: Hawthorn Bird: Bluebird Tree: Dogwood Song: Missouri Waltz Population (1990): 5,117,073 Population Rank (1990): 15 Population (2000): {to be done} Population Rank (2000): {to be done} Principal Industries: agriculture, manufacturing, aerospace, tourism Annotated Link List: Missouri State Archives Timeline of Missouri History 1673 During their voyage down the Mississippi River, Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet were the first Europeans to set foot on land that would later become Missouri 1682 Explorer Robert Cavalier, Sieur de La Salle took possession of the Louisiana Territory area for France (Apr. 9) 1724 Fort Orleans built on the north bank of the Missouri River by Etienne de Bourgmont in today's Carroll County; it was abandoned six years later 1750 Approximate date of the founding of Ste. Genevieve, the first permanent white settlement 1762 Spain gained control of the Louisiana Territory in the Treaty of Fontainebleau (Nov. 13) 1764 City of St. Louis was founded by Pierre Laclede Liguest (Feb. 15) 1769 City of St. Charles was established by Louis Blanchette as a trading post 1770 The Spanish government officially assumed control of the Territory of Louisiana (May 20) 1773 Mine au Breton (later Potosi) founded 1789 Colonel George Morgan established the city of New Madrid (Feb. 14) 1793 Louis Lorimer received trading privileges and authority to establish a post at Cape Girardeau (Jan. 4) 1798 Lieutenant Governor Zenon Trudeau of the Spanish government offered Daniel Boone 1000 arpents to settle in the Louisiana Territory. 1800 Moses Austin made the first sheet lead and cannonballs manufactured in Missouri 1800 Spain returned the Louisiana Territory to France (Oct. 30) Fort Osage 1803 The Louisiana Purchase was signed (Apr. 30) 1804 The Lewis and Clark Expedition set out from St. Louis (May 21) 1805 The Territory of Louisiana was established; the seat of government was St. Louis (Mar. 3) 1808 The city of Ste. Genevieve was incorporated (June 18) 1808 Joseph Charless founded the first newspaper in Missouri, the "Missouri Gazette" 1808 Fort Osage was established on the Missouri River 1809 The Missouri Fur Company was organized in St. Louis. The abundance of animal pelts in the Mississippi Valley region played a key role in the development of the Upper Louisiana territory. Prominent members of the Company included fur trader Manuel Lisa, Auguste and Pierre Chouteau, and William Clark 1811 The first shocks of the New Madrid earthquakes, the worst in US history, occurred (Dec. 16) 1812 A portion of the Territory of Louisiana became the Territory of Missouri (June 4) 1812 The first general assembly of the Territory of Missouri met (Oct. 1); the five original counties were organized: Cape Girardeau, New Madrid, St. Charles, St. Louis, and Ste. Genevieve 1816 Mid-Missouri's first circuit court opened at Cole's Fort (July 8) 1817 The steamboat Zebulon M. Pike reached St. Louis, the first steamboat to navigate the Mississippi River above the mouth of the Ohio River (Aug. 2) 1818 The Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives presented the first petition to Congress from Missouri requesting statehood (Jan. 8) 1820 The Missouri statehood controversy became a national issue as the issue of slavery was debated. The "Missouri Compromise" allowed Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state and Maine as a free state, thus keeping the balance of slave and free states equal in Congress. Although Missouri was allowed to enter as a slave state, the remaining portion of the Louisiana Purchase area north of the 36° 30¢ line was to be forever free of slavery. 1820 Missouri's Enabling Act was passed and approved by President James Monroe (Mar. 6) 1820 Missouri's first Constitution was adopted (July 19) 1820 Missouri's first state elections were held and Alexander McNair was elected Missouri's first governor (Aug. 28) 1820 Missouri's first General Assembly began its first session at the Missouri Hotel in St. Louis (Sept. 18) 1821 President James Monroe admitted Missouri as the 24th state; the state capitol was located in St. Charles until a permanent location was designated (Aug. 10) 1821 The Santa Fe Trail was opened by William Becknell's successful trading expeditions to Santa Fe (Sept. 1) 1821 Governor Alexander McNair signed the bill designating the site for the City of Jefferson (Dec. 31) 1822 A bill to create the Missouri State Seal was adopted (Jan. 11) 1825 William Beaumont began research observing the human digestive system (Aug. 1) 1826 Jefferson City was designated Missouri's permanent seat of government; all state records, equipment, and the Great Seal were moved to Jefferson City on October 1st. 1829 Missouri State Library established by law (Jan. 22) 1835 Writer Samuel L. Clemens (Mark Twain) was born in Florida, Missouri (November 30) 1836 Missouri State Penitentiary received its first prisoner (Mar. 8) 1837 President Martin Van Buren issued a proclamation which completed the annexation of the Platte Purchase area to Missouri, establishing the northwestern border of the state (Mar. 28) 1837 Missouri's first capitol in Jefferson City was destroyed by fire (Nov.15) 1838 Governor Lilburn Boggs issued the "Extermination Order" against Mormons living in Missouri, demanding that members of the Mormon church leave the state (Oct. 27) 1839 The Geyer Act, the foundation of Missouri's public school system, was approved (Feb. 9) 1841 The University of Missouri, the first state university west of the Mississippi River, opened (Apr. 14) 1843 Joseph Robidoux filed a plat of a town which he called St. Joseph (July 26) 1843 Susan Elizabeth Blow, founder of the public kindergarten movement, was born in St. Louis (June 7) 1847 Legislation was enacted to establish a hospital for care and treatment of the insane; State Hospital No. 1 was established in Fulton and began receiving patients in 1851 1847 Boatmen's Bank, the oldest bank west of the Mississippi River, was established (Oct. 18) 1847 St. Louis was connected to the East Coast by telegraph (Dec. 20) 1849 U.S. Senator David Rice Atchison, from Missouri, was President for a day (Mar. 4) 1849 With the discovery of gold in California, the Missouri towns of St. Louis, Independence, Westport, and St. Joseph became points of departure for emigrants bound for California, making Missouri the "Gateway to the West" 1849 The second, and most serious, cholera epidemic struck St. Louis; over 4000 people died 1850 The town of Kansas (later Kansas City) was incorporated (Feb. 4) 1850 Poet Eugene Field was born in St. Louis (Sept. 3) 1851 Groundbreaking ceremonies for the construction of the Pacific Railroad were held in St. Louis; the line was to go from St. Louis to Jefferson City and then to some point on the western boundary (July 4) Missouri Botanical Gardens 1854 President Franklin Pierce signed the Kansas-Nebraska Act, allowing the notion of "popular sovereignty" in determining if a territory would be a slave state or a free state. This act set the stage for the violent Kansas-Missouri border wars where the Missouri "Border Ruffians" and the Kansas "Jayhawkers" transformed a frontier quarrel over slavery's borders into a national issue (May 30) 1857 The Dred Scott decision was handed down by U.S. Chief Justice Roger B. Taney; the case originated in St. Louis. Under Missouri statutes, in 1846 Scott was allowed to sue for his freedom from slavery based on the fact that he had previously lived in a free territory (Wisconsin) before his return to the slave state of Missouri (Mar. 6) 1857 Work began on the Missouri Botanical Gardens in St. Louis, established by Henry Shaw 1860 The short-lived Pony Express started its first run from St. Joseph to Sacramento, California (Apr. 3) 1861 The Battle of Wilson's Creek resulted in a Union retreat and southwestern Missouri was left in Confederate hands until the Battle of Pea Ridge (Aug. 10) 1861 President Abraham Lincoln revoked John Fremont's emancipation proclamation for Missouri (Sept. 11) Lincoln University, c1900 1861 Missouri's "Rebel Legislature" adopted an Act of Secession (Oct. 28) 1862 In a three-day battle at Pea Ridge, Arkansas, the Union Army forced the Confederates, excluding the state guard from Missouri, to retreat; this battle effectively ended the threat of Confederate military control in Missouri (Mar. 6-8) 1863 William Clarke Quantrill and his band of pro-Southern guerillas raided the pro-Union town of Lawrence, Kansas, killing nearly 150 men and boys. This attack served to avenge the imprisonment of their wives, mothers, and sisters in Kansas City (Aug. 21) 1863 Brigadier General Thomas Ewing issued General Order No. 11, requiring all people living in Jackson, Cass, Bates, and northern Vernon counties to vacate the area unless their loyalty to the Union could be proven (Aug. 25) 1864 George Washington Carver born near Diamond, Missouri 1865 Slavery was abolished in Missouri by an ordinance of immediate emancipation, making Missouri the first slave state to emancipate its slaves before the adoption of the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution (Jan. 11) 1865 Missouri's second Constitution (Drake Constitution) was adopted. A group of politicians, known as "Radicals," favored emancipation of slaves and disfranchisement of persons who were sympathetic to the Confederacy during the Civil War. The Radicals included an "Ironclad Oath" in the new constitution to exclude former Confederate sympathizers from the vote and certain occupations, severely limiting their civil rights (Apr. 10) 1866 Lincoln Institute (later Lincoln University) was incorporated (Apr. 6) as an institution for black students in Missouri 1866 The Missouri Historical Society was organized in St. Louis (Aug. 11) 1867 The Missouri Woman's Suffrage Club was organized in St. Louis; the sole purpose of this organization was the political enfranchisement of women, the first such organization in the United States (May 8) 1868 Ragtime composer Scott Joplin was born in Sedalia, Missouri (Nov. 24) 1870 M. Lemma Barkeloo was the first woman lawyer in Missouri (St. Louis); She was the first woman trial lawyer in the United States, and the first woman lawyer to try a case in federal court. 1871 Phoebe W. Couzins of St. Louis became Missouri's first woman law school graduate when she graduated from the Washington University Law Department (May 8) Couzins later became the nation's first Woman U.S. Marshal in 1887 1872 Governor B. Gratz Brown and family moved into the newly completed Governor's Mansion (Jan. 20) Eads Bridge, St. Louis, Mo. 1873 The Missouri Supreme Court upheld a decision by the St. Louis Circuit Court, denying Virginia Minor the right to register to vote 1873 Susan Blow opened the first public kindergarten in the United States in St. Louis 1874 The first train robbery by the James Gang took place at Gads Hill (Jan. 31) 1874 The Eads Bridge, spanning the Mississippi River, was opened in St. Louis (July 4) 1875 Grasshopper plague in Missouri caused an estimated $15 million worth of damages 1875 Missouri's third Constitution was adopted (Oct. 30) 1881 Governor Thomas Crittenden offered a $5000 reward for the arrest and conviction of members of the Jesse James gang (July 28) 1882 Jesse James was killed by Bob Ford in St. Joseph (Apr. 3) 1891 St. Louis' Wainwright Building, one of America's first skyscrapers, was designed by Louis Sullivan. 1894 The American School of Osteopathy was incorporated by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still in Kirksville (Oct. 30) 1898 Volunteers for the Spanish-American War began arriving in St. Louis (May 4) 1899 The State Historical Society of Missouri was incorporated in Columbia (Mar. 9) 1901 The first State Fair held at Sedalia opened (Sept. 9) 1901 The Monsanto Company was founded in St. Louis (Nov. 29) 1904 Worlds Fair 1904 The 1904 World's Fair opened in St. Louis (Apr. 30) 1907 The primary election law was adopted in Missouri 1909 Missouri Supreme Court handed down a decision in the case against Standard Oil Company, affirming the company's violation of Missouri antitrust laws 1911 Missouri State Capitol was completely destroyed by fire after being struck by lightning (Feb. 5) 1913 Direct election of senators was authorized; previously US senators from Missouri were elected by the General Assembly 1919 Governor Frederick D. Gardner signed a law granting presidential suffrage to women (Apr. 5) 1919 Missouri became the eleventh state to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment granting suffrage to women (July 2) 1920 Marie Byrum became the first woman to vote in Missouri history (Aug. 31) 1921 The Centennial Road Law, providing for the construction of a modern system of Missouri highways, was signed into law (Aug. 4) 1922 Mellcene T. Smith and Sarah Lucille Turner became the first women elected to the Missouri state legislature (Nov. 7) 1927 Charles Lindbergh landed the "Spirit of St. Louis" in Paris (May 21) 1931 A bill creating the Missouri State Highway Patrol was signed by Governor Henry S. Caulfield (Apr. 24) 1931 Bagnell Dam was completed, forming the Lake of the Ozarks, one of the largest artificial lakes in the world with approximately 1400 miles of shoreline 1933 William Rockhill Nelson Gallery of Art, was opened to the public in Kansas City 1935 Thomas Hart Benton painted A Social History of Missouri in the State Capitol Building's House Lounge 1937 The first Missouri Conservation Commission was appointed (July 1) 1938 The United States Supreme Court handed down its decision in the Lloyd Gaines case. The court struck a blow to Missouri's "separate but equal" laws, stating that in the absence of an equal law school for black students, Gaines should be admitted to the University of Missouri law school (Dec. 12) 1939 Kansas City "Boss" Tom Pendergast was sentenced to fifteen months in the federal penitentiary for income tax evasion (May 22) 1939 The McDonnell Aircraft Corporation was organized by J.S. McDonnell; it merged with Douglas to form McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Corporation in 1967 1940 The Ellis Fischel State Cancer Center was opened in Columbia, becoming the first state-owned and operated hospital west of the Mississippi River devoted exclusively to the care of cancer patients 1945 The Missouri Supreme Court handed down its decision in the Kraemer v. Shelley St. Louis housing segregation case 1945 Missouri's fourth, and current, Constitution became effective (Mar. 30) 1945 U.S. Vice President Harry S Truman became President upon the death of Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Apr. 12) 1945 Japan signed documents of surrender ending World War II in the Pacific on the deck of the USS Missouri (Sept. 2) 1946 Winston Churchill, former Prime Minister of England, delivered his "Iron Curtain" speech at Fulton's Westminster College (Mar. 5) 1948 President Harry S Truman elected to the Presidency 1952 Leonor K. Sullivan became Missouri's first woman U.S. Representative 1954 The Missouri State Penitentiary Riot (Sept. 22) 1957 Missouri Commission on Human Rights was created (June 8) 1965 The Gateway Arch (Jefferson National Expansion Memorial) designed by Eero Saarinen was completed. Located on the original settlement site of St. Louis, it symbolizes the role of St. Louis in the development of the western frontier 1968 Race riots in Kansas City in response to the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (April) 1972 Mary Gant became Missouri's first woman state senator 1977 Gwen B. Giles became Missouri's first African-American woman state senator 1980 Court-ordered desegregation began in Missouri, attempting to alleviate the racial isolation of black students. The court determined that the State of Missouri was required to pay half of the cost of school desegregation plans; numerous legal issues arose (May) 1982 Government workers began taking soil samples, testing for dioxin at Times Beach; the town was later evacuated 1984 Margaret B. Kelly became the first woman to hold statewide office in Missouri when she was appointed to the office of State Auditor (May 30) 1987 Whiteman Air Force Base in Knob Knoster was designated as the home of the B-2 Stealth Bomber unit 1987 Ann K. Covington became the first woman appointed to the Missouri Supreme Court 1988 The Missouri Supreme Court handed down its decision in the Nancy Cruzan "right to life" case 1988 Missouri's first presidential primary on the occasion of Richard Gephardt, US Congressman from Missouri, running for the Democratic nomination 1992 Missouri voters approved riverboat gambling excursions on the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers 1993 The Great Flood of 1993 devastated parts of Missouri and the Midwest 1993 Outstanding Schools Act was passed; it was a $310 million measure to reform Missouri schools and their funding Return to Top of American Western State-by-State
MONTANA Settled: 1809 Date admitted to the Union: 8 Nov 1889 Order of admission: 41 Capital: Helena Extent in Miles (length): 630 Extent in Miles (width): 280 Area in square miles (land): 145,388 Area in square miles (inland water): 1,658 Area in square miles (total): 147,046 Rank in Area: 4 Official Nicknames: Treasure State Motto: Oro y Plata (Gold and Silver) Flower: Bitterroot Bird: Western Meadowlark Tree: Poderosa Pine Song: Montana Population (1990): 799,065 Population Rank (1990): 44 Population (2000): {to be done} Population Rank (2000): {to be done} Principal Industries: agribusiness, forest products, mining, manufacturing, tourism Annotated Link List: MONTANA HISTORY TIMELINE 1805-1806: Lewis and Clark Expedition crosses and recrosses Montana 1807: Manuel Lisa builds first fur fort in Montana on the Yellowstone River 1828: Fort Union, an American Fur Company post, is built at the mouth of the Yellowstone River 1841: Father Pierre Jean de Smer establishes St. Mary's Mission in the Bitterrot Valley 1853: Johnny Grant starts the first beef herd in the Deer Lodge Valley 1857: First sheep ranching begins in the Bitterroot Valley 1860: First steamboat reaches Fort Benton 1862: Placer miners rush to gold strike on Grasshopper Creek (Bannack) 1864: Vigilantes hang Henry Plummer and other "Innocents"; Congress creates Montana Territory; First newspaper, the Montana Post, published in Virginia City 1870: Open-range cattle industry begins on Montana Prairies 1872: Congress creates Yellowstone National Park 1876: Custer's command is annihilated at the Battle of the Little Big Horn 1877: Significant copper mining begins in Butte; Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce retreat across Montana 1880: Utah and Northern Railroad enters Montana 1883: Northern Pacific Railroad is completed through Montana; Marcus Daly establishes the town of Anaconda and its smelting works 1889: Montana joins the Union as the 41st state 1890: First hydroelectric dam is built at Great Falls 1935: Works Progress Administration (WPA) begins projects in Montana; Series of severe earthquakes hits central Montana 1936: Rural Electrification Administration (REA) begins work in Montana 1941: Congresswoman Jeanette Rankin votes against U.S. entry into World War II 1943: Smith Mine disaster kills 70 coal miners 1950: Great Falls replaces Butte as Montana's largest city 1951: Petroleum boom begins in eastern Montana 1952: Mike Mansfield is first elected to the U.S. Senate 1953: KOOK-TV (Billings), Montana's first licensed television state, broadcasts 1955: Aluminum plant begins processing in Columbia Falls; Berkeley Pit copper operation starts in Butte 1956: Construction of the federal interstate-highway system begins in Montana 1959: Severe earthquakes hit upper Madison Valley 1961: Malmstrom Air Force Base (Great Falls) becomes site of the nation's first ICBM missile command 1964: Congress passes federal Wilderness Act 1967: Bell Creek petroleum field is discovered and developed; Longest and costliest strike in Montana history runs in Butte 1968: Yellowtail Dam is completed; Work begins on Libby Dam 1969: Large-scale strip mining of coal begins at Colstrip 1970: Consolidation creates the Burlington Northern Railroad 1972: Montana's electorate approves new constitution 1975: Underground mining ceases in Butte 1976: Mike Mansfield retires from U.S. Senate; becomes U.S. ambassador to Japan 1980: Anaconda Company announces the closing of its Montana operations; Billings replaces Great Falls as Montana's largest city; Fallout from Mount St. Helena volcanic eruption blankets Montana 1981: Milwaukee Road declares bankruptcy 1982: Copper-mining operations cease at Butte's Berkeley Pit 1986: Limited underground mining resumes in Butte; Some high-tech gold mining reopens in Montana mountains 1987: Burlington Northern sells a major portion of its Montana trackage to Montana Rail Link; Last gaps in federal interstate-highway system are completed in Montana 1988: U.S. and Canada initiate a Free-Trade Agreement, directly affecting Montana's economy; Large forest fires sweep areas of a drought-striken Montana and Yellowstone National Park 1989: Montana celebrates its statehood centennial 1990: Montana's timber-industry income declines, while gains occur in tourism and specialized mining Return to Top of American Western State-by-State
NEBRASKA Settled: 1823 Date admitted to the Union: 1 Mar 1867 Order of admission: 37 Capital: Lincoln Extent in Miles (length): 430 Extent in Miles (width): 210 Area in square miles (land): 76,644 Area in square miles (inland water): 711 Area in square miles (total): 77,355 Rank