Fort Benton, Montana
Encyclopedia
Fort Benton is a city in and the county seat
of Chouteau County
, Montana
, United States
. A portion of the city was designated as a National Historic Landmark District in 1961. Established a full generation before
the U.S. Civil War, Fort Benton is one of the oldest settlements in the American West; in contrast many other places—including large cities today—were settled in the
late 1860s, 1870s, or 1880s.
The population was 1,594 at the 2000 census.
of St. Louis in 1847 as the last fur trading post on the Upper Missouri River
, the fort became an important economic center. For 30 years, the port attracted steamboats carrying goods, merchants, gold miners and settlers, coming from New Orleans, Memphis
, St. Louis, Hannibal
, Bismarck
, Kansas City
, etc. As the terminus for the 642-mile-long Mullan Road
, completed by the US Army in 1860, Fort Benton was part of the overland link between trade on the Missouri River and the Columbia River, at Fort Walla Walla, Washington
. Twenty thousand migrants used the road in the first year to travel to the Northwest. It became an important route for miners from both directions going into the interior of Idaho. Riverboat travel to Fort Benton further provided an important route for miners to the newly-discovered gold fields of southern Montana at what became Virginia City/Bannack beginning in 1860, and Helena, beginning in 1865.
With the decline of the fur trade, the American Fur Company
sold the fort to the US Army in 1865, which named it for Senator Thomas Hart Benton
of Missouri. A town had grown up around it that surpassed the military presence. Besides being one of the most important ports on the Missouri-Mississippi river system, Fort Benton was once the "World's Innermost Port". Its importance in trade was superseded by the construction of transcontinental railroads in the late 19th century. In 1867 Fort Benton was the site where Union General Thomas Francis Meagher
, then acting governor of Montana Territory, fell overboard from his steamboat and drowned in the river; his body was never recovered.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²), all of it land.
The community sits in a river valley on the west bank of the Missouri River
and is in a geographic area known locally as the "Golden Triangle" due to the strength of the wheat industry of the region.
Fort Benton experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen
BSk) with cold, dry winters and hot, wetter summers.
of 2000, there were 1,594 people, 636 households, and 422 families residing in the city. The population density
was 763.2 people per square mile (294.5/km²). There were 731 housing units at an average density of 350.0 per square mile (135.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.68% White, 0.19% African American, 0.56% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 0.38% from other races
, and 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.56% of the population.
There were 636 households out of which 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were married couples
living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.8% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 23.1% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 23.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,406, and the median income for a family was $32,072. Males had a median income of $22,813 versus $20,787 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $14,861. About 11.6% of families and 13.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.6% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Chouteau County
Chouteau County, Montana
-National protected areas:* Lewis and Clark National Forest * Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument -Economy:Chouteau County is the largest winter wheat producer for the state of Montana...
, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. A portion of the city was designated as a National Historic Landmark District in 1961. Established a full generation before
the U.S. Civil War, Fort Benton is one of the oldest settlements in the American West; in contrast many other places—including large cities today—were settled in the
late 1860s, 1870s, or 1880s.
The population was 1,594 at the 2000 census.
History
Established by European-Americans Auguste Chouteau and Pierre Chouteau, Jr.Pierre Chouteau, Jr.
Pierre Chouteau, Jr. , also referred to as Pierre Cadet Chouteau, was an American merchant and a member of the wealthy Chouteau fur-trading family of St. Louis, Missouri.-Early life and education:...
of St. Louis in 1847 as the last fur trading post on the Upper Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
, the fort became an important economic center. For 30 years, the port attracted steamboats carrying goods, merchants, gold miners and settlers, coming from New Orleans, Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, St. Louis, Hannibal
Hannibal, Missouri
Hannibal is a city in Marion and Ralls counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. Hannibal is located at the intersection of Interstate 72 and U.S. Routes 24, 36 and 61, approximately northwest of St. Louis. According to the 2010 U.S. Census the population was 17,606...
, Bismarck
Bismarck, North Dakota
Bismarck is the capital of the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Burleigh County. It is the second most populous city in North Dakota after Fargo. The city's population was 61,272 at the 2010 census, while its metropolitan population was 108,779...
, Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, etc. As the terminus for the 642-mile-long Mullan Road
Mullan Road
Mullan Road was the first wagon road to cross the Rocky Mountains to the Inland of the Pacific Northwest. It was built by US Army Lieut. John Mullan between the spring of 1859 and summer 1860. It led from Fort Benton, Montana, the navigational head of the Missouri River to Fort Walla Walla,...
, completed by the US Army in 1860, Fort Benton was part of the overland link between trade on the Missouri River and the Columbia River, at Fort Walla Walla, Washington
Walla Walla, Washington
Walla Walla is the largest city in and the county seat of Walla Walla County, Washington, United States. The population was 31,731 at the 2010 census...
. Twenty thousand migrants used the road in the first year to travel to the Northwest. It became an important route for miners from both directions going into the interior of Idaho. Riverboat travel to Fort Benton further provided an important route for miners to the newly-discovered gold fields of southern Montana at what became Virginia City/Bannack beginning in 1860, and Helena, beginning in 1865.
With the decline of the fur trade, the American Fur Company
American Fur Company
The American Fur Company was founded by John Jacob Astor in 1808. The company grew to monopolize the fur trade in the United States by 1830, and became one of the largest businesses in the country. The company was one the first great trusts in American business...
sold the fort to the US Army in 1865, which named it for Senator Thomas Hart Benton
Thomas Hart Benton (senator)
Thomas Hart Benton , nicknamed "Old Bullion", was a U.S. Senator from Missouri and a staunch advocate of westward expansion of the United States. He served in the Senate from 1821 to 1851, becoming the first member of that body to serve five terms...
of Missouri. A town had grown up around it that surpassed the military presence. Besides being one of the most important ports on the Missouri-Mississippi river system, Fort Benton was once the "World's Innermost Port". Its importance in trade was superseded by the construction of transcontinental railroads in the late 19th century. In 1867 Fort Benton was the site where Union General Thomas Francis Meagher
Thomas Francis Meagher
-Young Ireland:Meagher returned to Ireland in 1843, with undecided plans for a career in the Austrian army, a tradition among a number of Irish families. In 1844 he traveled to Dublin with the intention of studying for the bar. He became involved in the Repeal Association, which worked for repeal...
, then acting governor of Montana Territory, fell overboard from his steamboat and drowned in the river; his body was never recovered.
Geography
Fort Benton is located at 47°49′10"N 110°40′11"W (47.819307, -110.669726).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²), all of it land.
The community sits in a river valley on the west bank of the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
and is in a geographic area known locally as the "Golden Triangle" due to the strength of the wheat industry of the region.
Fort Benton experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
BSk) with cold, dry winters and hot, wetter summers.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,594 people, 636 households, and 422 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 763.2 people per square mile (294.5/km²). There were 731 housing units at an average density of 350.0 per square mile (135.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.68% White, 0.19% African American, 0.56% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 0.38% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.56% of the population.
There were 636 households out of which 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.8% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 23.1% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 23.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,406, and the median income for a family was $32,072. Males had a median income of $22,813 versus $20,787 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $14,861. About 11.6% of families and 13.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.6% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.
Notable residents
- Denise CurryDenise CurryDenise Curry is an American former basketball player and college and professional basketball coach. As of the 2007-2008 season, she is in her fifth year as an assistant basketball coach for the Cal State Long Beach women's basketball team.-College basketball:Curry moved to Davis, California by the...
, basketball player and coach. - Charles S. HartmanCharles S. HartmanCharles Sampson Hartman was a U.S. Representative from Montana.Born in Monticello, Indiana, Hartman attended the public schools and Wabash College in Crawfordsville.He moved to Bozeman, Montana, in January 1882....
, United States Congressman from Montana. - William Henry HuntWilliam Henry Hunt (judge)William Henry Hunt was a state and federal judge and a territorial governor of Puerto Rico.-Early law practice:...
, state and federal judge, and governor of Puerto Rico. - Daniel Webster MarshDaniel Webster MarshDaniel Webster Marsh was a businessman and mayor of Calgary, Alberta. He was born in Hudson, New Hampshire to parents Enoch Sawyer March and Margaret Whittier....
, mayor of Calgary, Alberta. - Charles Nelson PrayCharles Nelson PrayCharles Nelson Pray was a U.S. Representative from Montana.-Early life:Born in Potsdam, St. Lawrence County, New York, Pray attended the public schools in Salisbury and Middlebury, Vermont and graduated from Middlebury High School...
, United States Congressman from Montana. - U.S. Grant Sharp, Jr.U.S. Grant Sharp, Jr.Ulysses Simpson Grant Sharp, Jr. was a United States Navy four star admiral who served as Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Fleet from 1963 to 1964; and Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Command from 1964 to 1968. He was PACOM commander during the Gulf of Tonkin Incident. Sharp...
, four-star admiral and Commander-in-Chief of the United States Pacific FleetUnited States Pacific FleetThe United States Pacific Fleet is a Pacific Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its home port is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. It is commanded by Admiral Patrick M... - Dorothy SamuelsDorothy SamuelsDorothy Samuels is an American journalist and has been a member of the editorial board of The New York Times since 1984. Samuels writes on a wide array of legal and social policy issues. Prior to joining The Times, she briefly practiced corporate law with a big Wall Street firm, leaving there to...
, author of Memories a historic first person narrative of early life in Fort Benton