What is the significance of "3-7-77" on the Montana State Police shield?

Question

I saw this featured on televison and have heard various explainations, none of which make sense.

Thanks Richard..that Montana website pretty much explained it all...that it's there and no one knows why. Or no one is telling why it's there.

Answer 1

It's one of those things lost in history. Id never heard of it myslf, so I did some googling. I foind the page below, which suggests a few alternatives.

Richard

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

In spite of the answers provided by the previous participants, I would have to say that since it first appeared on a door in Helena on November 1st, 1879, by an obviously well-organized group of vigilantes, that it was a mark made by one group of vigilantes to distinguish themselves from another, perhaps rival band of vigilantes, who did not wish to use any names that might be linked to any of the members to distinguish themselves from the other vigilantes, but chose instead the date upon which those vigilantes made their very first stand against some "undesirable", in other words, March 7th, 1877.

When I used to live in Montana and started looking this up, this was the ONLY thing that for some reason has NEVER been mentioned as a possible explanation.

Now, all I have to do is find out if there was actually some sort of lynching or something vigilante-ish that occurred on that date.

Not that it matters, really, does it?

Answer 4

THE RUMORS ARE RAMPANT. THE EXACTNESS OF A 3-7-77 IS TRACED TO THE VIGILANTES WHO RODE HOARD ON MONTANA IN THE 1860-80'S AND SAID THEY WERE A LAW ABIDING GROUP MEANT TO UPHOLD THE LAW.
DURING THAT TIME NUMEROUS INCIDENTS TOO PLACE AND AS MANY AS 60 VIGILANTES TOOK HOARD TO RIDE IN THE NAME SAKE OF MONTANA. THEY ALWAYS LEFT A BRAND THOUGH NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHY OF 3-7-77.
IN 1956, SUPERINTENDENT ALEX STEPHENSON DESIGNED AS A TRIBUTE TO LAW AND ORDER THE CURRENT AND STILL COLLECTIBLE BADGE OF MONTANA HIGHWAY PATROL WITH THE 3-7-77 AS A WARNING TO ALL WHO ENTERED MONTANA.
I WOULD ASSOCIATED THIS GESTURE WITH THE SAME ACCORD THE 1ST CAV HAS ALWAYS MAINTAINED THE BLACK MARK LINE OF COWARDICE ON ITS PATCH AS A PART OF IT'S PAST AND GLORIOUS HISTORY.

Answer 5

3/7/1977

Answer 6

3 feet wide 7 feet deep 77inches long

Answer 7

1,) the years of expreince - 2,) the number of teeth he has
left, & 3.) His "I.Q." - Nuff said.....