1) In 1905, Montana became the first state to recognize Labor Day as a legal holiday. This decision followed years of labor disputes and acts of violence, including the infamous Anaconda Road massacre in 1894.

2) On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, sending shockwaves across the country and the world. Montanans joined millions of Americans in mourning the loss of the young and charismatic leader.

3) In 1869, gold was discovered near the town of Bannack in southwestern Montana, sparking the state's first major gold rush. The area would soon become one of the richest mining districts in the West, drawing in thousands of prospectors and entrepreneurs.

4) On November 22, 1955, the university town of Missoula was rocked by a plane crash that killed all 17 people on board. The victims included members of the Montana State University Bobcats football team and several prominent boosters, leaving the state in shock and mourning.

5) In 1887, the infamous "Belt Creek Flood" tore through central Montana, causing massive damage and claiming dozens of lives. The disaster, which was caused by a sudden and severe thunderstorm, remains one of the deadliest natural disasters in Montana's history.