The Oldest Town In Montana That Everyone Should Visit At Least Once

This small city has a big history. Lewis and Clark explored the area in 1805, when the Blackfeet Indians called it home. Fort Benton eventually became known as a robe trading post.

Fortune-seekers, merchants and madams moved to town. Its riverside location made it a crucial link between Missouri and Walla Walla, Washington. At one time it was known as the world’s Innermost port.

It’s also on the National Register for Historic Places and a Preserve America City. This means that you can explore almost 200 years of frontier history when you visit.

… especially if you’re a history buff.

The bridge was built in 1888 as a toll bridge. Vehicles haven’t been allowed on it since 1963, but pedestrians are still welcome.

The remaining monument to the old fur trading days of Fort Benton sits on the banks of the Missouri River. Visitors will see rooms filled with period furniture, the old trade store with buffalo robes, and other goods used for trading.

It still contains the original hand pumper that came upriver by steamboat. The building was later used as the designated City Hall.

The statue serves as a memorial to Shep, the most loyal dog in Montana. In 1936, a sheepherder became ill and was brought to the St. Clare Hospital in Fort Benton. Shep, his dog, followed him and set up vigil outside the hospital door. The man ended up dying, and his family requested that the body be sent home. Shep witnessed his owner’s body being placed on the train and proceeded to wait at the train station every single day for his return. The railroad employees fed him and took care of him until he died.

The onsite Union Grille Restaurant serves delicious food in an elegant setting, and the beautifully restored rooms are luxurious but comfortable.

Our historic towns tend to have that effect on people.