Fort Benton, Montana is another spot important to the history of North American travel and of settlement in the American (and Canadian) Northwest
It was the furthest spot on the Missouri River that could be navigated by steamboat. As such it was the major crossroads for moving people and supplies to the Northwest before the transcontinental railroads. For gold rushes, trade with the Native Americans, and getting supplies up to Alberta this was the place where everything was unloaded from the river boats.
The recreated fort on the original site
Lewis and Clark obviously traveled through here on their Expedition. Sacagawea looks like she's thinking "are we there yet?" "can we please just stop and ask for directions?"
A nice old ad for passage on one of the steamboats
For onward travel from Fort Benton this guy, John Mullan, made a 600+ mile road to the head of navigation on the Colombia River at Fort Walla Walla.
Mullan's road took 47 days to travel and combined with the steamboats up the Missouri and down the Colombia it was the fastest land-water route across the continent in it's day. For some reason this sign is a lot closer than 28 miles from Fort Benton
Most interesting to me is Fort Benton's connection with Alberta's history. Traveling via the Missouri and Fort Benton was the easiest way to get people and supplies to Alberta before the railroad.
