List of hillside letters in Montana

The M on Mt. Sentinel overlooks the University of Montana in Missoula

The M of Montana Tech, overlooking Butte

This is a list of hillside letters (also known as mountain monograms) in the U.S. state of Montana.^[1]^[2]^[3] There are at least 120 hillside letters, acronyms, and messages in the state. While western Montana provides plenty of mountains to support these monograms, many towns in the eastern prairie have also placed them on whatever hill they can find.

Existing letters

Monogram	Town	Description	Location
A (with graduating class year)	Absarokee		45°31′02″N 109°26′15″W / 45.5172°N 109.4376°W / 45.5172; -109.4376 (Absarokee)
A	Alberton		46°59′14″N 114°28′18″W / 46.9871°N 114.4716°W / 46.9871; -114.4716
A (with graduating class year)	Anaconda		46°07′03″N 112°58′14″W / 46.1174°N 112.9706°W / 46.1174; -112.9706 (Anaconda)
A	Arlee		47°09′23″N 114°05′41″W / 47.1565°N 114.0948°W / 47.1565; -114.0948 (Arlee)
A	Avon		46°36′14″N 112°35′43″W / 46.6040°N 112.5954°W / 46.6040; -112.5954 (Avon)
A (with graduating class year)	Augusta	Augusta School District	47°31′35″N 112°22′03″W / 47.5263°N 112.3674°W / 47.5263; -112.3674 (Augusta)
B	Dillon	Beaverhead County High School	45°14′20″N 112°40′03″W / 45.2389°N 112.6676°W / 45.2389; -112.6676 (Barrett High School)
B	Bainville		48°08′01″N 104°13′22″W / 48.1336°N 104.2228°W / 48.1336; -104.2228 (Bainville)
B	Belfry		45°08′43″N 109°01′08″W / 45.1453°N 109.0190°W / 45.1453; -109.0190 (Belfry)
B (with graduating class year)	Belt	Belt Public Schools	47°23′17″N 110°55′08″W / 47.3881°N 110.9190°W / 47.3881; -110.9190 (Belt)
B	Bloomfield		47°25′12″N 104°54′54″W / 47.4200°N 104.9150°W / 47.4200; -104.9150 (Bloomfield)
B	Bozeman	Bozeman High School	45°43′27″N 110°58′57″W / 45.7241°N 110.9825°W / 45.7241; -110.9825 (Bozeman)
B	Bridger		45°17′43″N 108°55′42″W / 45.2953°N 108.9282°W / 45.2953; -108.9282 (Bridger)
B	Broadus		45°26′52″N 105°24′39″W / 45.4479°N 105.4107°W / 45.4479; -105.4107 (Broadus)
B (with graduating class year)	Broadview	Broadview Grade and High School	46°05′35″N 108°52′48″W / 46.0931°N 108.8799°W / 46.0931; -108.8799 (Broadview)
B (Previously BHS with graduating class year)	Brockton	Brockton School District	48°09′25″N 104°55′06″W / 48.1569°N 104.9183°W / 48.1569; -104.9183 (Brockton)
C (With graduating class years painted nearby)	Ekalaka	Carter County High School	Not visible in aerial imagery 45°53′43″N 104°32′21″W / 45.8953°N 104.5391°W / 45.8953; -104.5391 (Carter Co. High School)
C (With graduating class year)	Cascade		47°16′53″N 111°42′37″W / 47.2815°N 111.7103°W / 47.2815; -111.7103 (Cascade)
C (with graduating class year)	Centerville	Centerville High School	47°23′11″N 111°08′20″W / 47.3863°N 111.1388°W / 47.3863; -111.1388 (Centerville)
C	Anaconda	Anaconda High School	46°06′50″N 112°57′04″W / 46.114°N 112.9512°W / 46.114; -112.9512 (Central High School)
C	Charlo		47°27′01″N 114°15′22″W / 47.4502°N 114.256°W / 47.4502; -114.256 (Charlo)
C (With thirty-year reunion class year)	Choteau	Choteau High School	47°46′40″N 112°12′19″E / 47.7779°N 112.2054°E / 47.7779; 112.2054 (Choteau)
C	Circle		47°25′32″N 105°35′20″W / 47.4255°N 105.5889°W / 47.4255; -105.5889 (Circle)
C	Columbus		45°39′08″N 109°15′02″W / 45.6521°N 109.2505°W / 45.6521; -109.2505 (Columbus)
C	Corvallis		46°20′09″N 114°01′34″W / 46.3359°N 114.0261°W / 46.3359; -114.0261 (Corvallis)
C	Culbertson		48°09′01″N 104°31′42″W / 48.1502°N 104.5282°W / 48.1502; -104.5282 (Culbertson)
CMR (With graduating class year)	Great Falls	C.M. Russell High School	47°29′34″N 111°20′55″W / 47.4928°N 111.3487°W / 47.4928; -111.3487 (Great Falls)
D	Darby	Darby High School	46°01′29″N 114°09′54″W / 46.0248°N 114.1649°W / 46.0248; -114.1649 (Darby)
D (With graduating class year)	Denton		47°18′45″N 109°56′12″W / 47.3124°N 109.9366°W / 47.3124; -109.9366 (Denton)
D	Sčilíp		47°20′15″N 114°19′39″W / 47.3375°N 114.3276°W / 47.3375; -114.3276 (Dixon)
D	Drummond		46°40′12″N 113°08′27″W / 46.6701°N 113.1407°W / 46.6701; -113.1407 (Drummond)
D	Dutton		47°50′02″N 111°44′26″W / 47.8338°N 111.7406°W / 47.8338; -111.7406 (Dutton)
E	Ennis		45°21′02″N 111°44′52″W / 45.3505°N 111.7478°W / 45.3505; -111.7478 (Ennis)
E	Ellistion		46°33′58″N 112°25′26″W / 46.5662°N 112.4239°W / 46.5662; -112.4239 (Elliston)
F	Fallon		46°51′36″N 105°06′32″W / 46.8601°N 105.1090°W / 46.8601; -105.1090 (Fallon)
F	Lewistown	Fergus High School	47°03′15″N 109°25′23″W / 47.0541°N 109.4230°W / 47.0541; -109.4230 (Fergus High School)
F	Kalispell	Flathead High School	48°10′45″N 114°22′54″W / 48.1793°N 114.3816°W / 48.1793; -114.3816 (Flathead High School)
F	Flaxville	Flaxville Public Schools (closed in 2006)	48°28′31″N 105°04′49″W / 48.4752°N 105.0803°W / 48.4752; -105.0803 (Flaxville)
F	Forsyth		46°15′41″N 106°40′26″W / 46.2613°N 106.674°W / 46.2613; -106.674 (Forsyth)
F	Foy Lake		48°10′45″N 114°22′54″W / 48.1792°N 114.3817°W / 48.1792; -114.3817 (Foy Lake)
F	Frazer		48°04′07″N 106°04′31″W / 48.0687°N 106.0754°W / 48.0687; -106.0754 (Frazer)
F	Frenchtown		47°01′18″N 114°13′16″W / 47.0218°N 114.2212°W / 47.0218; -114.2212 (Frenchtown)
FB (with graduating class year)	Ft. Benton		47°48′36″N 110°39′45″W / 47.8101°N 110.6626°W / 47.8101; -110.6626 (Ft. Benton)
Fish	Livingston	Blue Ribbon Fishing Tours	45°40′15″N 110°33′51″W / 45.6708°N 110.5641°W / 45.6708; -110.5641 ('Trout capital of the world')
G	Gardiner		45°02′17″N 110°42′22″W / 45.038°N 110.7062°W / 45.038; -110.7062 (Gardiner)
G (with graduating class year)	Geraldine		47°36′21″N 110°17′13″W / 47.6057°N 110.287°W / 47.6057; -110.287 (Geraldine)
G	Geyser		47°17′10″N 110°30′32″W / 47.2861°N 110.5089°W / 47.2861; -110.5089 (Geyser)
G	Glasgow		48°12′42″N 106°38′22″W / 48.2118°N 106.6395°W / 48.2118; -106.6395 (Glasgow)
G	Philipsburg	Granite High School	46°19′50″N 113°16′59″W / 46.3306°N 113.283°W / 46.3306; -113.283 (Granite High School)
GR	Grass Range		47°01′37″N 108°48′31″W / 47.027°N 108.8087°W / 47.027; -108.8087 (Grass Range)
GF	Great Falls	Great Falls High School	47°31′18″N 111°20′07″W / 47.5218°N 111.3353°W / 47.5218; -111.3353 (Great Falls)
H	Hamilton		46°14′03″N 114°13′53″W / 46.2342°N 114.2315°W / 46.2342; -114.2315 (Hamilton)
H	Harlowton		46°26′40″N 109°48′55″W / 46.4445°N 109.8154°W / 46.4445; -109.8154 (Harlowton)
H (with graduating class year)	Havre	Havre High School	48°31′24″N 109°38′19″W / 48.5232°N 109.6386°W / 48.5232; -109.6386 (Saddle Butte)
H	Havre	Havre High School	48°32′48″N 109°41′14″W / 48.5468°N 109.6873°W / 48.5468; -109.6873 (Blue Pony stadium)
H	Helena		46°35′27″N 112°03′36″W / 46.5908°N 112.0599°W / 46.5908; -112.0599 (Helena)
H	Highwood		47°34′48″N 110°47′37″W / 47.5801°N 110.7935°W / 47.5801; -110.7935 (Highwood)
H	Hinsdale		48°22′40″N 107°05′47″W / 48.3778°N 107.0964°W / 48.3778; -107.0964 (Hinsdale)
H	Hot Springs		47°37′35″N 114°39′04″W / 47.6263°N 114.651°W / 47.6263; -114.651 (Hot Springs)
H	Hysham		46°15′45″N 107°13′30″W / 46.2624°N 107.2249°W / 46.2624; -107.2249 (Hysham)
J	Jackson		45°22′50″N 113°23′54″W / 45.3805°N 113.3982°W / 45.3805; -113.3982 (Jackson) (uncertain location)
J	Boulder	Jefferson High School	46°14′41″N 112°08′55″W / 46.2448°N 112.1486°W / 46.2448; -112.1486 (Jefferson High School)
J	Joliet		45°28′51″N 108°57′35″W / 45.4808°N 108.9598°W / 45.4808; -108.9598 (Joliet)
J	Jordan		47°18′54″N 106°53′54″W / 47.3151°N 106.8984°W / 47.3151; -106.8984 (Jordan)
JG	Judith Gap		46°41′15″N 109°44′34″W / 46.6876°N 109.7427°W / 46.6876; -109.7427 (Judith Gap)
K	Klein		46°24′02″N 108°33′04″W / 46.4006°N 108.5512°W / 46.4006; -108.5512 (Klein)
L (rock)	Lavina		46°18′41″N 108°56′01″W / 46.3114°N 108.9335°W / 46.3114; -108.9335 (Lavina)
L (painted)	Lavina		Not visible in aerial imagery 46°17′29″N 108°55′38″W / 46.2915°N 108.9273°W / 46.2915; -108.9273 (Lavina 2)
L	Libby		48°23′39″N 115°30′31″W / 48.3943°N 115.5087°W / 48.3943; -115.5087 (Libby)
L	Lima		44°37′07″N 112°34′42″W / 44.6185°N 112.5784°W / 44.6185; -112.5784 (Lima)
L (with graduating class year)	Lincoln	Lincoln Public Schools	46°57′24″N 112°43′00″W / 46.9567°N 112.7167°W / 46.9567; -112.7167 (Lincoln)
L	Lockwood	Lockwood High School	45°47′37″N 108°26′08″W / 45.7935°N 108.4356°W / 45.7935; -108.4356 (Lockwood)
L	Eureka	Lincoln County High School	48°53′03″N 115°03′22″W / 48.8842°N 115.0561°W / 48.8842; -115.0561 (Lincoln High School)
L	Missoula	Loyola High School	46°52′22″N 113°58′07″W / 46.8728°N 113.9685°W / 46.8728; -113.9685 (Loyola High School)
M	Melstone		46°36′13″N 107°52′17″W / 46.6035°N 107.8714°W / 46.6035; -107.8714 (Melstone)
M	St. Ignatius	Mission High School	47°18′03″N 114°06′24″W / 47.3007°N 114.1066°W / 47.3007; -114.1066 (Mission High School)
M (Originally an A)^[4]	Bozeman	Montana State University	45°42′52″N 110°58′25″W / 45.7144°N 110.9735°W / 45.7144; -110.9735 (Montana State University)
M	Butte	Montana Tech, built 1910	46°01′09″N 112°33′31″W / 46.0191°N 112.5587°W / 46.0191; -112.5587 (Montana Tech Miners)
M	Missoula	University of Montana, built 1909	46°51′34″N 113°58′33″W / 46.8594°N 113.9757°W / 46.8594; -113.9757 (University of Montana)
M	Dillon	University of Montana Western	45°13′15″N 112°40′02″W / 45.2209°N 112.6671°W / 45.2209; -112.6671 (University of Montana Western)
Montana State Prison	Deer Lodge	Montana State Prison	46°23′40″N 112°47′41″W / 46.3944°N 112.7947°W / 46.3944; -112.7947 (Montana State Prison)
Morning Star (Cheyenne Symbol)	Lame Deer	Northern Cheyenne	45°37′02″N 106°39′33″W / 45.6173°N 106.6591°W / 45.6173; -106.6591 ('Morning Star')
N	Nashua		48°08′17″N 106°21′24″W / 48.1381°N 106.3566°W / 48.1381; -106.3566 (Nashua)
N	Havre	Montana State University Northern	48°32′49″N 109°41′11″W / 48.5469°N 109.6865°W / 48.5469; -109.6865 (Blue Pony stadium)
P	Livingston	Park High School	45°40′17″N 110°33′45″W / 45.6714°N 110.5624°W / 45.6714; -110.5624 (Park High School)
PC	Park City
P	Plains		47°27′43″N 114°52′19″W / 47.4619°N 114.8720°W / 47.4619; -114.8720 (Plains)
P	Polson		47°40′47″N 114°08′50″W / 47.6798°N 114.1471°W / 47.6798; -114.1471 (Polson)
P (With graduating class year)	Deer Lodge	Powell County High School	46°25′20″N 112°45′36″W / 46.4222°N 112.7599°W / 46.4222; -112.7599 (Powell High School)
Peace Symbol	Missoula	Jeannette Rankin	46°52′39″N 113°59′14″W / 46.8775°N 113.9871°W / 46.8775; -113.9871 (Waterworks Hill)
RL	Red Lodge		45°10′36″N 109°14′33″W / 45.1766°N 109.2425°W / 45.1766; -109.2425 (Red Lodge)
R	Redstone		48°49′25″N 104°57′02″W / 48.8237°N 104.9505°W / 48.8237; -104.9505 (Redstone)
R	Reed Point		45°42′09″N 109°32′33″W / 45.7026°N 109.5424°W / 45.7026; -109.5424 (Reed Point)
R	Roberts		45°22′35″N 109°11′11″W / 45.3764°N 109.1864°W / 45.3764; -109.1864 (Roberts)
R	Rosebud		46°16′23″N 106°26′14″W / 46.273°N 106.4372°W / 46.273; -106.4372 (Rosebud)
R	Roy		47°19′22″N 108°57′10″W / 47.3227°N 108.9527°W / 47.3227; -108.9527 (Roy)
R	Ryegate		46°18′08″N 109°15′24″W / 46.3023°N 109.2568°W / 46.3023; -109.2568 (Ryegate)
S	Scobey	Scobey Schools	48°47′27″N 105°24′05″W / 48.7907°N 105.4014°W / 48.7907; -105.4014 (Scobey)
S	Shelby		48°31′10″N 111°52′02″W / 48.5195°N 111.8671°W / 48.5195; -111.8671 (Shelby)
S	Sheridan	Sheridan K-12 Schools	45°27′05″N 112°07′30″W / 45.4514°N 112.1251°W / 45.4514; -112.1251 (Sheridan)
S	Stanford		47°09′56″N 110°16′21″W / 47.1655°N 110.2724°W / 47.1655; -110.2724 (Stanford)
S	Superior		47°11′44″N 114°52′45″W / 47.1955°N 114.8791°W / 47.1955; -114.8791 (Superior)
SGHS	Big Timber	Sweet Grass County High School	45°49′09″N 109°57′34″W / 45.8191°N 109.9595°W / 45.8191; -109.9595 (Big Timber)
S	Billings	Skyview High School	45°49′49″N 108°30′56″W / 45.8302°N 108.5155°W / 45.8302; -108.5155 (Skyview High School)
T	Terry		46°48′38″N 105°18′55″W / 46.81058°N 105.3153°W / 46.81058; -105.3153 (Terry)
T	Three Forks		45°53′11″N 111°39′00″W / 45.8864°N 111.6501°W / 45.8864; -111.6501 (Three Forks)
T	Troy	Troy High School	48°27′37″N 115°54′22″W / 48.4604°N 115.9060°W / 48.4604; -115.9060 (Troy)
TB	Twin Bridges		45°33′55″N 112°18′46″W / 45.5653°N 112.3127°W / 45.5653; -112.3127 (Twin Bridges)
TF	Thompson Falls		47°35′55″N 115°24′12″W / 47.5987°N 115.4034°W / 47.5987; -115.4034 (Thompson Falls)
U	Ulm		47°26′19″N 111°30′00″W / 47.4387°N 111.4999°W / 47.4387; -111.4999 (Ulm)
U	Utica		46.9693°N 110.0945°W
V	Victor		46°26′23″N 114°11′57″W / 46.4396°N 114.1992°W / 46.4396; -114.1992 (Victor)
W	Deer Lodge	Powell County HS Wardens	46°23′37″N 112°43′46″W / 46.3935°N 112.7295°W / 46.3935; -112.7295 (Deer Lodge)
W	Westby		48°51′59″N 104°04′36″W / 48.8663°N 104.0768°W / 48.8663; -104.0768 (Westby)
W	Whitehall		45°54′37″N 112°02′14″W / 45.9103°N 112.0373°W / 45.9103; -112.0373 (Whitehall)
W	Wibaux	Wibaux County High School	46°59′30″N 104°11′42″W / 46.9917°N 104.1951°W / 46.9917; -104.1951 (Wibaux)
W	Windham		47°05′02″N 110°08′20″W / 47.084°N 110.139°W / 47.084; -110.139 (Windham)
W	Winifred		47°33′54″N 109°22′07″W / 47.5651°N 109.3685°W / 47.5651; -109.3685 (Winifred)
W	Winnett		46°59′31″N 108°20′45″W / 46.992°N 108.3458°W / 46.992; -108.3458 (Winnett)
WP (With graduating class year)	Wolf Point		48°06′02″N 105°37′31″W / 48.1006°N 105.6253°W / 48.1006; -105.6253 (Wolf Point)

Missing or Unmaintained Letters

Monogram	Town	Description	Location
A (now an M)^[5]	Bozeman	Montana A&M (now Montana State University)	45°42′52″N 110°58′25″W / 45.7144°N 110.9735°W / 45.7144; -110.9735 (Montana State University)
C (no longer exists)	Helena	Carroll College	46°34′13″N 112°01′48″W / 46.5704°N 112.0299°W / 46.5704; -112.0299 (Carroll College)
C (uncertain existence)	Colstrip		45°53′06″N 106°37′59″W / 45.8850°N 106.6331°W / 45.8850; -106.6331 (Colstrip) (uncertain location)
D (uncertain existence)	Glendive	Dawson County High School	(uncertain location)
F (uncertain existence)	Fromberg		45°23′19″N 108°55′15″W / 45.3886°N 108.9209°W / 45.3886; -108.9209 (Fromberg) (uncertain location)
H (no longer exists)	Missoula	Hellgate High School	46°51′45″N 113°59′48″W / 46.8624°N 113.9966°W / 46.8624; -113.9966 (Hellgate High School) (uncertain location)
KG (uncertain existence)	Gildford	Kremlin-Gildford High School (closed)	48°34′11″N 110°18′00″W / 48.5698°N 110.3000°W / 48.5698; -110.3000 (Kremlin-Gildford High School) (uncertain location)
L (no longer exists)	Lewistown		(uncertain location)
M (uncertain existence)	Malta		48°21′18″N 107°52′12″W / 48.3549°N 107.8701°W / 48.3549; -107.8701 (Malta) (uncertain location)
R (no longer exists)	Billings	Rocky Mountain College	45°48′08″N 108°33′17″W / 45.8023°N 108.5547°W / 45.8023; -108.5547 (Rocky Mountain College) (uncertain location)
R (uncertain existence)	Roundup		46°26′17″N 108°32′15″W / 46.4381°N 108.5376°W / 46.4381; -108.5376 (Roundup) (uncertain location)
R (uncertain existence)	Saint Regis		47°18′23″N 115°06′19″W / 47.3064°N 115.1053°W / 47.3064; -115.1053 (St. Regis) (uncertain location)
S (no longer exists)	Missoula	Sentinel High School	46°50′49″N 114°00′36″W / 46.847°N 114.0099°W / 46.847; -114.0099 (Sentinel High School)

Sources

↑ Corning, Evelyn (2007). Hillside Letters A to Z: A Guide to Hometown Landmarks. Missoula, Montana: Mountain Press Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-87842-533-4. OCLC 79256698. OL 8556565W.
↑ Parsons, James J. (1988). "Hillside Letters in the Western United States". Landscape. 30 (1). Santa Fe, New Mexico: 15–23. Retrieved August 16, 2015.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
↑ Rocha, Guy (June 2004). "Hillside Letters: In Plain Sight But Not Intended for Planes". Sierra Sage. Archived from the original on August 17, 2015.
↑ https://outsidebozeman.com/places/cities-towns/letter-the-land#:~:text=The%20Facts%20on%20Bozeman's%20M&text=“A”%20(as%20in%20“,on%20the%20mountainside%20came%20later.
↑ https://outsidebozeman.com/places/cities-towns/letter-the-land#:~:text=The%20Facts%20on%20Bozeman's%20M&text=“A”%20(as%20in%20“,on%20the%20mountainside%20came%20later.

External links

Mountain Monograms, a website explaining the origins and with an incomplete list and pictures
Hillside Letters, a companion website to a book on the subject
Letters on Hills, a category on waymarking.com for geocachers
Modern Geoglyphs, a compilation of geoglyphs in Montana with photos and maps

[Corning2007-1] Corning, Evelyn (2007). Hillside Letters A to Z: A Guide to Hometown Landmarks. Missoula, Montana: Mountain Press Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-87842-533-4. OCLC 79256698. OL 8556565W.

[Parsons1988-2] Parsons, James J. (1988). "Hillside Letters in the Western United States". Landscape. 30 (1). Santa Fe, New Mexico: 15–23. Retrieved August 16, 2015.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)

[Rocha2004-3] Rocha, Guy (June 2004). "Hillside Letters: In Plain Sight But Not Intended for Planes". Sierra Sage. Archived from the original on August 17, 2015.

[4] ttps://outsidebozeman.com/places/cities-towns/letter-the-land#:~:text=The%20Facts%20on%20Bozeman's%20M&text=“A”%20(as%20in%20“,on%20the%20mountainside%20came%20later.

[5] ttps://outsidebozeman.com/places/cities-towns/letter-the-land#:~:text=The%20Facts%20on%20Bozeman's%20M&text=“A”%20(as%20in%20“,on%20the%20mountainside%20came%20later.

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