Rating:

5.0 (1 vote)

A bit of Montana history is enjoying a moment in the sun, thanks to the "Google doodle" seen by tens of millions of people on Saturday.

The "doodle" on the Google homepage is often used to highlight special events, such as the birth (or death) of famous scientists or artists, or significant historical events.

On Saturday, the doodle featured a snowy scene to mark the anniversary of the world's largest snowflake being reported, and when clicked, the doodle brings up search results for people to learn more about the record-setting snowflake:

"Largest snowflake ever observed: 38 centimeters (15 in) in diameter; Fort Keogh, Montana, United States, 28th January 1887."

Where is Fort Keogh? It's in eastern Montana, on the edge of Miles City; click here to see some historical photos.

As far as the claim of a 15-inch snowflake: a 2007 article in the New York Times takes it with a grain or two of salt:

Guinness World Records lists the largest snowflakes as having fallen during a storm in January 1887 at Fort Keogh, in Montana. A rancher nearby, the book says, called them "larger than milk pans" and measured one at 15 inches wide. But no corroborating evidence supports the claim.

And about the Google doodle, Danny Goodwin of SearchEnglineWatch.com explained:

The Doodle features a cow grazing in snow-covered ground. Over a few seconds, the giant snowflake descends, sending birds flying to avoid being crushed, and slightly drawing the interest of the cow once the flake lands, shaking the animated logo. The snowflake become the second "o" in Google's logo, joining a leafless tree as the "G" and a tower which substitutes for the "l".

Whether it was 15 inches across or not, it was certainly large enough to capture the attention of many people - and put Montana in the spotlight 125 years later.