1. Montana became a state on November 8, 1889, but it wasn't until November 17 of that year that the first state legislature met in Helena. This event marked the official beginning of state government in Montana.

2. In 1923, the town of Roundup in Musselshell County gained notoriety when a group of vigilantes lynched three men accused of murder. The incident spurred a wave of anti-vigilante sentiment in the state and led to the passage of laws making lynching a crime in Montana.

3. On November 17, 1955, the University of Montana football team won their first Big Sky Conference championship, defeating Idaho State 47-0 in Pocatello, Idaho. The Grizzlies would go on to win several more conference championships over the years, cementing their status as a powerhouse in Montana sports.

4. In 1970, the Montana Supreme Court handed down a landmark ruling in the case of State v. Armstead, which upheld a defendant's right to a jury trial in misdemeanor cases. The decision was considered a major victory for criminal defendants and helped to establish legal precedent across the country.

5. On November 17, 1984, the Marysville Schoolhouse in Lewis and Clark County was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Built in 1886, the one-room schoolhouse served the children of the Marysville mining district for over 70 years and is still standing today as a testament to Montana's pioneer spirit.