The History of the West is a rich theme at Fort Benton. Known as the
"Birthplace of Montana" Fort Benton is a small town with
a large heritage. Situated on the banks of the Missouri River, Fort
Benton is a haven for history buffs as well as canoeists seeking
solitude and the unique beauty found along the Upper Missouri National
Wild and Scenic River. Fort Benton is located along the Lewis &
Clark National Historic trail, the Nez Perce National Historic Trail,
and is the gateway to the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument.
Fort Benton first gained fame as a robe trading post. The discovery of
gold in the Montana and Idaho Territories brought countless fortune
seekers, outlaws, merchants and madams to this riverside town. Whiskey
followed gold, and infamous trails were forged into Canada, including
the Whoop-up Trail into Alberta and the Fort Walsh Trail into
Saskatchewan. As the terminus for the 642-mile long Mullan Wagon
Road, Fort Benton became a crucial link between Missouri and Walla
Walla, Washington along the Columbia River. Steamboats plied the
Missouri River to Fort Benton for thirty years, until the railroad
signaled an end to this towns’ prominence as the “Worlds Innermost
Port”. This once feisty outpost played such a vital role in the
expansion of the West, that it is now registered as a National Historic
Landmark.
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