Living Our Dream: River Walk In Fort Benton

Drove into town (we could walk it if we wanted to) and parked the car on the main drag. Wanted to read and sight see some of the interpretive signs that are along the Missouri River. Neither one of us remember as many signs from our visit 4 years ago. And we did not remember the walking bridge over the Missouri, so we did the tourist thing and stopped, read, took pictures, etc.

Standing on Main Street looking across the Missouri River

Pretty interesting town. Historical, considered the birthplace of Montana. River boats would steam up the river to Fort Benton where 75% of the goods to be moved to the Northwest territories were unloaded right here on the levee. The river was too shallow from this point on and boats were unloaded with goods and then repacked with the local goods to be sent to St. Louis. Lots of people disembarked off boats and stayed in this booming town, but alas as all booms go - they must go bust. Before the railroad Fort Benton was thought to be the next Chicago of the country. The railroad did not come through Fort Benton and therefore the town saw a huge decline.

Looking down Main Street today

On bridge - looking at main drag and the levee - Grand Union Hotel on left.
Notice how low water is?

But it did prosper. Today the wheat that is grown in this area is considered to be one of the finest in the world. A new chickpea factory was built last year, there are numerous grain silos, Fort Benton is the county seat, a hospital is located in town, eateries, 8 museums, casinos, bars/saloons, grocery store, gift stores, etc. The Grand Union Hotel was built on the levee of the river in the heart of town and was thought to be the finest establishment between St. Paul and the Pacific Ocean. We stepped inside the Hotel and looked around and it was stunning. Still very well appointed.

Grand Union Hotel

Wondered what this was

One of the statues in town is of a dog named Shep. In 1936 Shep's owner became ill and was taken to the hospital where Shep set up his vigil outside the doors, waiting for his owner to come out. The owner died and was taken in a casket to the train depot, and Shep followed the casket to the train depot and watched as the casket was placed on the train. The dog then took up residence at the train depot, waiting for his owner to return, greeting every train as it came into the station. Shep never left the depot, the employees fed him and made sure he had shelter. One day 12 years later when Shep was old and still greeting every train as it came in, he slipped on the tracks and was killed by a train. Huge funeral with many attended with the procession to the local cemetery in honor of the dog whose devotion to his owner never wavered. A true story of love, devotion, and of courage.

We walked over the Missouri River on the old toll bridge which is now a foot bridge - stared down into the waters and saw how low the water is. Could actually see the bottom. I stopped into a quilt store afterward and the woman said that she had canoed the river many times and right now it would be more wading in the water, pulling the canoe behind you than actually paddling the river.