| 29th | Top settlements along the Missouri River |
| Fort Benton, Montana | |
|---|---|
| — City — | |
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| Coordinates: 47°49′10″N 110°40′11″W / 47.81944°N 110.66972°WCoordinates: 47°49′10″N 110°40′11″W / 47.81944°N 110.66972°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Montana |
| County | Chouteau |
| Area | |
| - Total | 2.1 sq mi (5.4 km2) |
| - Land | 2.1 sq mi (5.4 km2) |
| - Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,621 ft (799 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Total | 1,594 |
| - Density | 763.2/sq mi (294.7/km2) |
| Time zone | Mountain (MST) (UTC-7) |
| - Summer (DST) | MDT (UTC-6) |
| ZIP code | 59442 |
| Area code(s) | 406 |
| FIPS code | 30-28000 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1750122 |
Fort Benton is a city in and the county seat of Chouteau County, Montana, United States.[1] A portion of the city was designated as a National Historic Landmark District in 1961.[2]
The population was 1,594 at the 2000 census. Established by European-Americans Auguste Chouteau and Pierre Chouteau, Jr. of St. Louis in 1847 as the last fur trading post on the Upper Missouri River[3][4], 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.[3] 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.[5][6]
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Missouri-Mississippi river system, Fort Benton was once the "World's Innermost Port".[6] Its importance in trade was superseded by the construction of transcontinental railroads in the late 19th century.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.
Contents |
Fort Benton is located at 47°49′10″N 110°40′11″W / 47.81944°N 110.66972°W (47.819307, -110.669726)[7].
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.
| Fort Benton | |
|---|---|
| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
| U.S. National Historic Landmark District | |
| Location: | Fort Benton, Montana |
| Built/Founded: | 1846 |
| Governing body: | Local |
| Added to NRHP: | October 15, 1966[8] |
| Designated NHLD: | November 15, 1961[2] |
| NRHP Reference#: | 66000431 |
As of the census[9] 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/sq mi (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.
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