A Visit to Fort Benton: The Birthplace of Montana

Fort Benton, Montana, may look like a quiet town along the banks of the Missouri River today, but for a time, it was one of the most important places in the American West. This was once the farthest point steamboats could reach from St. Louis, earning it two nicknames:

• the “World’s Innermost Port”
• the “Birthplace of Montana”

In the mid-1800s, its levee bustled with traders, miners, soldiers, and fortune-seekers heading toward the Rocky Mountain frontier.

History is still a big part of modern day Fort Benton’s allure. The creation of the Fort Benton Historic District, a National Historic Landmark, preserves the riverfront and Front Street as a living testament to the town’s pivotal role in Westward expansion.