What is today, Montana was, at the beginning of the 19th Century occupied
by many Indian tribes, including: the Assiniboin, the Atsina, the Blackfoot,
the Flathead, the Cheyenne, the Crow, the Kalispel ,
the Kutenai, the Pend d'Oreille etc.

The first white explorers to have set foot in the area were the members of the
Lewis and Clark Expedition ( 1804 - 06 ). Fur trappers / traders followed,
setting up forts to do business with the Indians. Then came the missionaries.
Serious development began in 1862, with the discovery of gold at Grasshopper
Creek ( which became the site of the first capital in 1864, followed by
Virginia City in Alder Gulch ). Montana became a state
on November. 8, 1889, with Helena as the capital.

Here is an example of a very early ( 1878 - 1879 ) charge check written on
the banking house of L.H. Hershfield & Brother all dated in Helena
in the territorial era, some 10 years before Statehood.
All in very nice condition with a couple of cancellation holes.