Fort Benton, Montana.gif)
 |
| The
Courthouse in Fort Benton |
Fort
Benton is a scenic and very nice little town located to
the south of the Hi-Line. Truthfully, Fort Benton is probably
not considered to be part of the Hi-Line, as it lies about
40 miles (as the bird flies) south of Highway 2. Still,
Fort Benton could rightly be considered to be on the southern
boundary of the Hi-Line region. Moreover, a side-trip off
the Hi-Line down to Fort Benton is a worthy diversion,
as Fort Benton has a great downtown, a scenic setting and
is overflowing with history.
Fort Benton is a National Historic Landmark, and for good
reason. Fort Benton was first explored by Lewis and Clark
in 1805, who passed through here on their epic journey to
the Pacific Ocean. After their passing, though, the area
around Fort Benton continued to be only inhabited and explored
by the Blackfeet Indians.
Then,
beginning in the 1830’s, fur trappers begin
to make inroads in establishing some settlements in this
region. However, a combination of poor town choices (several
settlements were flooded out) and hostile Indians prevented
the development of a full fledge town. Finally, in 1847,
a new settlement, called Fort Clay in the locatioin that
is now Fort Benton.
Fort
Clay was re-named Fort Benton in 1850. The name change
was to show support for Thomas Hart Benton, a US senator
from the state of Missouri who was a constant supporter of
the fur traders. By this time, the hostilities between the
white settlers and the Blackfeet Indians began to thaw down
a bit (prior to 1850, there were numerous skirmishes between
the settlers and the Indians).
Fort
Benton soon began to thrive as a center of trade. Indians
arrived in Fort Benton
with furs and hides, exchanging them to the white traders
for guns, ammunition and other items. Fort Benton then
served as a center of peace talks between the local Indian
tribes
and the white settlers, talks which concluded with a successful
peace treat in 1855. The peace treaty allowed for the US
Government to builds roads and to navigate the Missouri
River in exchange for annual annuity payments to the
Blackfeet tribe. The Crow Indians were also granted buffalo
hunting
rights.
 |
| Downtown Fort
Benton, Montana |
Following
this treaty, the “boom” era around
Fort Benton began. With navigation of the Missouri River
insured, boats of all kinds began to make their way up and
down the Missouri River, ferrying goods, pelts, furs and
a wealth of other items. The first steamboat, the Chippewa,
arrived in Fort Benton in July, 1860. As it turned out, the
arrival of the steamboats to Fort Benton coincided with the
discovery of gold in Southwest Montana. As such, the steamboats
saw a booming business of transporting people and goods up
and down the Missouri River. The town also thrived as the
prospective miners stocked up on all the goods needed for
a mining venture.
The “boom
time” in Fort Benton proved to be
relatively short-lived. The decline in the mining boom led
to a drop-off in people arriving in Montana. Then the Great
Northern Railroad arrived in the late 1880’s. The railroad
took over much of the freight moving traffic that the steamboats
had. The last steamboat
loaded with freight docked in Fort Benton in 1890.
Yet,
Fort Benton continued to have a solid economy. This was
due to the Homestead Act and the resulting boom in agriculture
that occurred throughout the Montana plains in the 1900’s – 1920’s.
However, the Great Depression, followed by the consolidation
of the agricultural industry, led to a weakening economy
in the post World War II years – the same problems
other eastern and central Montana towns faced.
 |
| The
Remains of Old Fort Benton |
However,
Fort Benton, unlike many other prairie towns, began to
become known for its recreational opportunities. A vast
area to the east of town is known as the Missouri Breaks.
Through this area the Missouri River flows through essentially
unchanged and completely wild country. This nearly unchanged
area of Montana has recently become more well-known, and,
combined with the renewed interest in Lewis & Clark,
has allowed Fort Benton to prosper on the tourist trade.
Fort Benton acts as the major “jumping off point” for
people who will be floating the Missouri
River through the
Missouri Breaks area, something that has become much more
popular recently. Additionally, the historic past of Fort
Benton draws thousands of people downtown each year.
And
finally, Fort Benton is also fortunate enough to be relatively
close to a “major city”, which in
this case is Great
Falls. Over the past few years, people
who work in Great Falls have been moving into Fort Benton
to take advantage of living in an attractive small town,
making the 40 mile commute. In some ways, it seems like Fort
Benton may be destined, over the longer term, to become a “bedroom
community” of Great Falls.
Overall,
Fort Benton is a nice, little town, nestled on the scenic
Missouri River. Fort Benton is a great place to
visit if you are looking to see a historic town in Montana.
Additionally, Fort Benton is an ideal “base area” for
anyone who will be venturing out into the wilds of the Missouri
Breaks area.
Be sure
to view the complete assortment of Fort
Benton Pictures,
too.
Next
Page : Side Trip to
The Bears Paw Mountains
Top
of Page
|
