1890 Map of Fort Benton

About this map

The Missouri River and Teton River converge just west of Fort Benton, a critical junction for late-nineteenth-century commerce and transportation. The St Paul Minneapolis and Manitoba Railroad follows the northern bank of the Missouri, providing a steel link through the northern plains. This landscape is defined by its dramatic relief, moving from the river basins up into the Highwood Mountains, anchored by Highwood Peak 7600 and Arrow Peak 7420. To the south, the Little Belt Mountains rise near the settlement of Clendenin. Early frontier communities and outposts like Stanford, Kibby, and Shepherd are connected by a burgeoning network of trails and roads that navigate the complex drainages of Belt Creek and Arrow Creek. The map documents a period where traditional river navigation was meeting the industrial expansion of the railroad.