Montana State Motto: Oro y Plata
Fact-checked • Updated December 3, 2025
OFFICIAL STATE SEAL
"Oro y Plata"
Gold and Silver
About This Motto
Montana's state motto, Oro y Plata, was adopted in 1865 as part of territorial seal legislation. Spanish phrase translates to Gold and Silver. Committee chairman Francis M. Thompson designed seal and proposed motto. Original version read Oro el Plata but someone caught the Spanish error. Montana Territory was created May 26, 1864. Montana became 41st state November 8, 1889.
What the Motto Means
Oro y Plata translates to Gold and Silver in English. Spanish words reference Montana's mineral wealth discovered in the early 1860s. Oro means gold. Plata means silver. Y is the conjunction and. Three words captured what made Montana Territory economically valuable.
Committee members originally wrote Oro el Plata. Spanish error. El is the definite article the. Phrase would mean Gold the Silver. Someone noticed the mistake before final adoption. Changed el to y for proper Spanish grammar. Legislature approved corrected version February 9, 1865.
Lawmakers debated alternative mottos during 1865 discussions. Some committee members suggested El Dorado instead. Spanish term means the place of gold. Referenced legendary city of gold sought by conquistadors. Committee ultimately rejected this option. Oro y Plata won approval from both legislative houses. Governor Sidney Edgerton signed the territorial seal resolution into law.
Gold discoveries sparked Montana's territorial creation. Grasshopper Creek strike in 1862 brought thousands of prospectors. Silver deposits followed gold finds. Butte became known as Richest Hill on Earth for copper and silver. Committee wanted seal motto reflecting this mineral foundation. Gold and silver built Montana's early economy and funded territorial government.
Historical Background
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Montana Territory Created
President Abraham Lincoln signed legislation creating Montana Territory on May 26, 1864. Territory carved from portions of Idaho Territory and Dakota Territory. Gold strikes in early 1860s drove territorial creation. Bannack served as first territorial capital. Sidney Edgerton became first territorial governor. First Legislative Assembly met in December 1864 in a dirt-roofed cabin at Bannack.
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Committee Design Process
Territorial delegates appointed a committee shortly after Montana gained territorial status. Committee chairman Francis M. Thompson led seal design work during winter of 1864-65. Thompson came from Massachusetts to Montana Territory in 1862. He had experience engraving seals for mining districts on ax handles. Committee wanted seal incorporating essential elements of Montana's economy and natural features.
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Seal Resolution February 1865
Committee presented design to Legislature on February 4, 1865. Resolution described seal as central group with plow, miner's pick and shovel. Right side showed Great Falls of Missouri River. Left side depicted mountain scenery. Motto Oro y Plata appeared underneath. Seal diameter set at two inches. Surrounded by words The Seal of the Territory of Montana. Both legislative houses approved the design.
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Governor Signs February 9
Territorial Governor Sidney Edgerton signed seal resolution on February 9, 1865. Same day Legislature passed it. Thompson sent crude sketch to engraver who produced first seal. Original included bison on Missouri River banks. Seal shared between governor and territorial secretary. Later versions modified various elements but kept motto unchanged.
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Statehood November 8, 1889
Montana remained territory for 25 years. Enabling Act of 1889 opened path to statehood. Montana voters ratified new constitution in July 1889. President Benjamin Harrison proclaimed Montana the 41st state on November 8, 1889. Seal changed word Territory to State. Designer made other modifications but motto stayed Oro y Plata.
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Great Seal Adopted March 2, 1893
Third Legislative Assembly formally adopted Great Seal of State of Montana on March 2, 1893. Resolution gave official sanction to basic territorial design. Legislature debated adding various elements like Indians, settlers, miners, horses, sheep, cattle, trains, stagecoaches. Lawmakers recognized seal could become overpopulated. Decided to leave design mostly unchanged from territorial version.
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Designer Paid 1895
Legislature appropriated $20 in 1895 to pay G.R. Metten for drawing designs for Great Seal. Bill passed March 2, 1895. Metten created drawings in 1893 based on original territorial seal. Twenty dollars was compensation for his work two years earlier. Montana maintained basic seal design from 1865 forward with only minor modifications.
Meaning & Significance Today
Montana still uses Oro y Plata on official state seal. Great Seal appears on government documents, legal papers, state correspondence. Governor's office displays seal. State agencies use it on letterhead. Seal diameter now 2.5 inches per state law. Central design shows plow, pick, shovel. Great Falls and Missouri River appear on right. Mountains on left. Motto on banner at bottom.
Mineral wealth shaped Montana's identity from territorial days. Gold strikes created boomtowns throughout 1860s. Silver deposits followed. Copper mining made Butte famous. Montana earned nickname Treasure State from these riches. Sapphires became official state gemstones in 1969 alongside Montana agate. Mining remained major industry through mid-20th century.
Modern Montana economy shifted from extraction to services. Tourism replaced mining as second-largest industry after 1970. Agriculture stayed primary throughout. Cattle ranching began in 1860s supplying beef to mining camps. Winter of 1886-87 destroyed thousands of cattle. Ranchers continued on smaller scale. Today Montana produces wheat, barley, hay, sugar beets.
Motto connects Montana to its founding era. Spanish phrase reminds residents of territorial origins. Gold and silver discoveries brought settlers who built state. Committee picked words reflecting economic reality of 1865. Phrase remains accurate description of Montana's mineral heritage. State keeps motto unchanged for over 150 years.
Cultural Context in Montana
Gold Rush Era
Gold discovered at Grasshopper Creek in 1862 sparked Montana's first major rush. Bannack City grew from this strike. Further discoveries followed throughout southwestern Montana. Prospectors came from California, other western territories, Europe. Boomtowns appeared quickly. Many disappeared just as fast when gold ran out. Mining camps needed law enforcement. Citizens formed vigilante groups to combat lawlessness.
Francis M. Thompson
Thompson arrived in Montana Territory from Massachusetts in 1862. Served as representative from Beaverhead County at First Legislative Assembly. Chaired committee designing territorial seal. Had practical experience engraving seals for mining districts. Returned to Massachusetts in 1865. His original hand-drawn seal design preserved at Montana Historical Society.
Treasure State Nickname
Montana acquired Treasure State as unofficial nickname from mineral wealth. Gold, silver, copper, sapphires, agate all found in Montana mountains. Motto Oro y Plata reinforced this identity. Other unofficial nicknames include Big Sky Country and Last Best Place. Treasure State directly ties to motto meaning.
Secretary of State Role
Montana law designates Secretary of State as keeper of Great Seal. Office maintains official seal plates. Secretary authorizes seal use on state documents. Office ensures proper seal reproduction. Seal serves as Montana's primary visual symbol since territorial days.
Current Law
Montana Code governs Great Seal specifications. State statute describes seal as central group with plow, miner's pick and shovel. Right side shows Great Falls of Missouri River. Left side depicts mountain scenery. Motto Oro y Plata appears underneath. Seal measures 2.5 inches in diameter. Surrounded by words The Great Seal of the State of Montana.
Legislature never adopted Oro y Plata separately from seal description. Motto exists only as seal element. This mirrors pattern in many states. Montana statute provides complete heraldic specifications. Law derives from 1893 resolution with minor updates. Design remains faithful to 1865 territorial original.
Interesting Facts About the Motto
Fact 1 of 15
Original motto read 'Oro el Plata' (Gold the Silver) before someone caught the Spanish grammar error.
Sources & References
This article has been researched using authoritative sources to ensure accuracy and reliability. All information has been fact-checked and verified against official government records.
Official state documentation of Great Seal history, Francis M. Thompson's design work, and motto adoption in 1865. • Accessed: December 31, 2025
Comprehensive guide to Montana symbols including detailed seal design history and motto origin story. • Accessed: December 31, 2025
Encyclopedia entry covering seal adoption in 1865, modifications over time, and current design specifications. • Accessed: December 31, 2025
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