The numbers are used on the shoulder patch of the Montana Highway Patrol to honor the first men in the Montana Territory who organized for the safety and welfare of the people. It is also on the flight suits of Montana Air National Guard.
Various theories have been put forth about its meaning, including:
- The numbers represent the dimensions of a grave, 3 feet by 7 feet by 77 inches. (However, graves are traditionally known as being 6 feet deep.)
- The number meant the person had to buy a $3 ticket on the next 7:00 a.m. stagecoach to take the 77-mile trip from Helena to Butte. (The distance is actually about 67 miles.)
- The number may have something to do with the date March 7, 1877. The first Masonic meeting in Bannack, Montana took place March 7, 1877. Many members of this lodge were also the original Vigilantes.