Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1941-05-17
Fort Benton Once Greatest Port In the Northwest:
Rich Treasures i'm Gold und Furs We're Shipped
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Of the great American Fur Co. Various
1 other trading posts we're built on the
! river above Fort Union in the Black
I feet country, and most of these had
| short-ived, tragic histories. Then, in
! l841, 1t was decided to build an i'm
/ portant fortified post as far up the
1 river as practicable, and Fort Lewis
was erected five miles above the site
chosen later for Fort Benton, and on
the south side of the Missouri This
proving an unfavorable point for trad
ing, Maj. Alexander Culbertson, then
chief factor for the American Fur Co.,
began the construction in 1916 of Fort
Benton.
CuIbertsOn Leading Figure
Major CulbertSon, who for 80 years
was a leading figure in upper Missouri
history, entered the service of the
American Fur Co. In 1893, tourneying
from st. Louis to Fort Union on the
steamer ASsinniboine in company with
Prince Macmillan of Wied, who was
a guest at the post for some time.
Developing great influence over the
Blackfeet Indians in trade relations
with this hostile tribe, Culbertson soon
succeeded the first factor of the COM
pany, Kenneth Mckenzie, in supreme
command in the fur trade. Ten years
40bN4t OCNAloC "a Vic kAOMA4B
ance of the Blackfeet trade, 1t became
necessary to remove headquarters
higher up the river than Fort Union,
and Fort Benton gradually grew into
chief Importance.
This fort had an enclosing wall $50
feet square. It was built of adobe /
blocks, or sun-dried bricks, for the |
manufacture of which Mexican labor |
was imported from the southwest. The !
walls of the fort were 80 inches in
thickness, and at two corners Of the
diagonally opposite from
each other were two baStionS, in which
were mounted cannon which COM
manded the walls outside the fort.
Between 1916 and 1860 Indian trade
at Fort Benton was carried on profit
ably to the American company, and
until about this time the post contin-
ued to grow in Importance as a re-
ceiving point for furs and robes, but
IN 1856 there was an incident outside
Of the usual routine of the garrison'S
experience that was destined to mark
the beginning of a new period in the
development of the west. This was the
arrival of a mountaineer, one Silver
Lhorne, at the post with a buckskin
sack filled with gold dust, which he
wished to exchange for goods. He said
ne had been prospecting in the noun
aims to the southwest and had made
4 rich strike. He demanded trade ar
,icles to the value of $1,000 for the
gold dust, and being finally given the
foods, departed. The next spring the ]
sold dust was sent east to the mint |
md the return realized was $1,525. /
This was the earliest exchange of gold !
lust in the northwestern Rocky noun |
ain area, and no more was received
It Fort Benton until 1860. l
first Steamboat Arrives
In 1859 the first steamboat arrived
Vt Fort Benton. from st. Louis This
vas the Chippewa, and its coming {
ignalized the coming of new chapter
n the history of the post, and it also !
marked the high point of the fur trad {
ng period. The late fifties and early I
rea at the fort. The Indians came l
rom far and near. There were not '
My the Blackfeet, but also the Crows, s
Sootenais, Flatheads and Pend dor
lies In those days a trade" was the !
ccaSion of no little ceremony. A band
Indians, having been out on a hunt
or sufficient period to have made
good catch of skins, would return to
he fort. The morning following their l
'omen and children, would paint their I
aces, dress in the best of their bar
aric costumes and move In a body Z
} the gates. First came the chief, clad I
l buckSkins and beadwork or porcu- l
inc quill ornamentation. Usually he L
ore as ornaments bear claws, eagle q
gathers, weasel skins and elk teeth. \
lie would be armed with bow and ar z
0ws, with a large, round and highly .
ainted shield and lengthy hunting I
nife.
When close to the fort the Indians =
ould begin to chant a song. Then I
ON the cannon of the fort there
Jared forth a salute, the flag was run b
loft and the portals were thrown Open 4
he factor would emerge to greet the S
cad chief, and the latter usually pre- =
snted the factor with fine horse or
18th some other valuable gift The fac
n then served the chiefs with a meal
nd q dram of Innislrtr and after o