As the site of a 1902 Tyrannosaurs Rex find, one of the first in the world, the barren terrain of northeastern Montana is a graveyard for world-class discoveries. The most complete T-Rex Skeleton in the world was also found here in 1990. Visitors to Missouri River Country can see the remains of many species of these ominous creatures at area museums. The Fort Peck Powerhouse Museum at Fort Peck has a Triceratops skull on display, along with numerous fossils discovered during the digging of the Fort Peck Dam. Excavations around the region continue to take place yearly.
Some digs are open to the public.
As the inland sea gave way to mountains and prairies, and rivers and streams, the Missouri River, in time, became one of this continent's most important waterways. The expedition also spotted the first grizzly bear ever seen by white men near present-day Culbertson. As the expedition forged westward from the confluence, the Corps did not encounter a single person, Indian or white. The pristine landscape revealed its wilderness beauty during this group's trek to learn what opportunities lay within the Louisiana Purchase. For the most part, encounters with the native peoples of the land were friendly.