Montana Forts

American Forts: West

MONTANA

Last Update: 01/JULY/2007

Compiled by Phil and Pete Payette - Š2007 American Forts Network

Fort Gilbert
(1864 - 1867), near Sidney
A trading post on the Yellowstone River. A marker locates the site five miles north of town on MT 200.

Fort Assiniboine (1)
(1834 - 1835), unknown location
A temporary 100-foot square stockaded trading post and depot on the Yellowstone River where the steamboat Assiniboine went aground on a sandbar. Exact location undetermined.

Glendive Cantonment
(1877), Glendive
A temporary Army supply depot during construction of Fort Keogh. Located on the north bank of the Yellowstone River across from the mouth of Glendive Creek.
(info courtesy of Jerome Grenz)

Camp Porter
(1880 - 1881), Glendive
An Army camp that protected Northern Pacific railroad workers.

Colonel D.S. Stanley's Stockade
(1873 - 1876 ?), near Glendive
An Army supply depot for the Northern Pacific Railroad survey team, located six miles south of town.

Camp Terry
(1876 - 1882), near Terry
A supply depot located on the Yellowstone River at the Powder River.

Fort Keogh
(1876 - 1924), Miles City
First known as Cantonment on the Tongue River, then New Post on the Yellowstone, and then as Tongue River Barracks. In 1877 the fort was rebuilt one mile west of the original location and renamed yet again in 1878. After the Infantry left in 1908, it became an Army Remount Station and Quartermaster Depot until 1924. The USDA acquired the post in 1924 as a Livestock and Range Research Laboratory. A museum is in a reconstructed Officers quarters building, and several other original buildings are still here. One original Officers' quarters building was moved to the Range Riders Museum in town. Two other original Officers' quarters were moved away from the parade ground in the 1980's and sat abandoned until purchased in 2004 and restored as private homes. The Lewis and Clark Expedition camped near here in 1806.

Fort Sarpy (1)
(1850 - 1855), Rosebud
An American Fur Co. trading post located on the Yellowstone River five miles below the mouth of Rosebud Creek. Also known as Fort Alexander (Culbertson) (2). It was abandoned and burned. Replaced by Fort Sarpy (2).
(thanks to Marshall Sitrin for additional info)

Fort Van Buren
(1835 - 1842), near Rosebud
An American Fur Co. trading post at the mouth of Rosebud Creek. It was burned down when abandoned.

Fort Alexander (McKenzie) (1)
(1842 - 1850), near Cartersville
An American Fur Co. 100-foot square stockaded trading post located opposite the mouth of Rosebud Creek. It was burned down when abandoned. No trace remains.

Fort Pease
(1875 - 1876), near Bighorn
An independent trader's 100-foot square stockaded trading post on the north bank of the Yellowstone River, seven miles below the Big Horn River. It was abandoned and then burned by Indians.

Fort Cass
(1832 - 1835), Bighorn
An American Fur Co. 130-foot square log stockade trading post, with two blockhouses, often called Samuel Tulloch's Fort, located two miles below the site of Fort Manuel.

Fort Sarpy (2)
(1859 - 1860), Bighorn
The American Fur Co.'s rebuilt post, a 100-foot square log stockade at the mouth of the Big Horn River.

Fort Manuel
(1807 - 1808, 1809 - 1812 ?), Bighorn
A St. Louis Missouri Fur Co. trading post at the mouth of the Bighorn River. It was originally named Fort Remon (or Fort Raymond) for Lisa's son. It was rebuilt larger in 1809 and renamed, but was also known variously as Fort Manuel Lisa, Fort Lisa, Lisa's Post, and Big Horn Post (1).

Fort Benton (1)
(1821 - 1822), Bighorn
A St. Louis Missouri Fur Co. trading post located near Fort Manuel, built by Michael Immell and Robert Jones.

Fort Henry (4)
(1823 - 1824), near Custer
A wintering post for Andrew Henry and William Ashley's trading expedition, located on the south bank of the Yellowstone River.

Fort Howes
(1897), near Otter
A civilian 12-by 18-foot rock breastwork located five miles northeast of town. The threat of a Cheyenne uprising never materialized and the fort was never actually used.

Camp Crook
(1890), near Lame Deer ?
An Army camp located near the old Tongue River Indian Agency.

Camp Merritt
(1890 - unknown), Lame Deer
An Army camp at the Tongue River Indian Agency on Lame Deer Creek. It became a subpost of Fort Keogh in 1898.

Fort Custer
(1877 - 1898), Hardin
Constructed one year after the Battle of Little Bighorn, and originally named Big Horn Post (2) or Big Horn Barracks. One of the Officers' quarters has been moved to the town of Fort Smith and is a now a Crow Indian-managed B&B. The rest of the buildings were sold at auction and most were used to help build the town of Hardin two miles northeast of the site of the actual fort. A replica of the fort is at the Bighorn County Historical Museum. A D.A.R. monument is at the actual site.

Fort C.F. Smith
(Crow Indian Reservation)
(1866 - 1868), Fort Smith
Originally called Fort Ransom. The state's first Federal fort, it was built to protect the Bozeman Trail. Besieged for six months in 1866 - 1867 during the "Hayfield Fight" in which 31 soldiers held off 800 Cheyennes. The stockaded fort was abandoned according to treaty. The actual site is on private property, but tours can be arranged at the Yellowtail Dam - Fort Smith Visitors Center.

Fort Henry (1)
(1810 - 1812 ?), Bainville
A St. Louis Missouri Fur Co. trading post built by Andrew Henry.

Fort Henry (3)
(1822 - 1823), near Bainville
A wintering post for Andrew Henry and William Ashley's trading expedition, located on the south bank of the Missouri River opposite town.

Fort Stewart (1)
(unknown - 1860), near Culbertson
A Frost, Todd and Co. trading post. Abandoned and burned by Indians. Located on The Missouri River at Big Muddy Creek (on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation) west of town.

Fort Kipp
(1859 - 1860), near Culbertson
An American Fur Company trading post only 600 feet away from Fort Stewart (1). Abandoned and burned by Indians.

Fort Stewart (2)
(1861 - 1862), near Culbertson
A trading post built by Charles Larpenteur occupying the same site as Fort Stewart (1). Sold in 1862 to La Barge, Harkness and Co.

Roulette's Post
(1862), near Culbertson
An American Fur Co. trading post at or near the site of Fort Kipp. It was attacked and burned by Indians.

Fort Jackson
(1833 - 1834), Poplar
An American Fur Co. 50-foot square palisaded winter camp.

Poplar River Post
(1860 - 1861), Poplar
A winter post built by Charles Larpenteur.

Malcolm Clark's Fort
(1860 - 1861), Poplar
An American Fur Co. winter post in direct competition with Poplar River Post.

Camp Poplar River
(1880 - 1893), Poplar
An Army cantonment.

Fort Charles
(1863 - unknown), Wolf Point
An American Fur Co. post.

Fort Union
(1829 - 1866), Frazer
Often confused with Fort Union in North Dakota. Built by the American Fur Company. The Federal Government later bought the fort and dismantled it.

Louis Rivet's Post
(1867), near Nashua
An independent trading post on the "Big Bend" of the Milk River. Another trading post, Fort Hawley (1866), also built by Louis Rivet for the Hubble and Hawley Co., may have been located nearby.

Fort Galpin
(1862 - 1863), near Fort Peck
A La Barge, Harkness and Co. fur trade post built by Charles Larpenteur on the north bank of the Missouri River, 12 miles above the Milk River.

Fort Peck
(1867 - 1879), Fort Peck
Located one mile above the present-day dam, it was the fortified trading post of the Durfee and Peck Co., and between 1871 and 1879 served double duty as the Milk River Indian Agency. It was a 300-foot square log palisade with five bastions (blockhouses) and enclosing various log structures. The site of the fort is now underwater due to erosion of the bluff and the construction of the Fort Peck Dam.

Fort Kaiser
(unknown dates), near Fort Peck
A trading post located somewhere near the town of Fort Peck.
(info courtesy of Jerome Grenz)

Fort Fourchette
(unknown dates), near Regina
A trading post located on Fourchette Creek.
(info courtesy of Jerome Grenz)

Fort Sheridan
(1866 - 1874), near Valentine
Kerchival City Post (1866 - 1868) was first established on the Missouri River at the Musselshell River (Crooked Creek), but was abandoned. Fort Musselshell (1868 - 1870) was then built by the Montana Hide and Fur Co. on the south bank of the Missouri River. The Army arrived and built the stockaded Camp Reeve (1868) until the new town was well established. The town was attacked by Sioux in 1869. The Montana Hide and Fur Co. abandoned the town in 1870. The stockaded Fort Sheridan (1870 - 1874) trade post was built after the abandonment of Fort Musselshell. Replaced by Fort Carroll.

Camp Loder
(1879), near Valentine
An Army post located near Fort Sheridan on the Musselshell River at Lodge Pole Creek.

Fort Andrew
(1862 - 1863), near Valentine
An American Fur Co. 125-foot square log palisaded trading post located on the north bank of the Missouri 15 miles upstream from the Musselshell River. Site possibly flooded by the Fort Peck Resevoir.

Fort Andrews
(1882 - unknown), unknown location
A trading post located somewhere on the north bank of the Missouri River.
(info courtesy of Jerome Grenz)

Fort Carroll
(1874 - 1882), near Valentine
Located on the Missouri River 25 miles upstream from the Musselshell River. A trading post and steamboat landing also called Carroll Landing Post, built by the Diamond R Transportation Co. Replaced Fort Sheridan. An Army garrison was here in 1874 - 1875. The town was later abandoned.

Cantonment Rocky Point
(1881), near Valentine
A temporary Army camp and government landing on the Missouri River during the building of Fort Maginnis. Rocky Point Post, a trading post of the C.A. Broadwater and Co., was also here during that time. Located 11 miles upstream from Fort Carroll.

Fort Maginnis (State Monument)
(1880 - 1890), near Maiden
A Federal fort built on Ford's Creek to protect settlers and cattlemen. It was abandoned, and later dismantled by the citizens of Lewistown where some of the houses were rebuilt. Four miles away is the ghost town Giltedge.

Fort Sherman
(1873 - 1874), Lewistown
A private trading post of the Story and Hoffman Co. that was sold and replaced by Reed's Fort. The site is preserved in a city park below the mouth of Casino Creek.

Alonzo Reed's Fort
(1874 - unknown), Lewistown
A trading post that replaced Fort Sherman. Located about 1.5 miles down Spring Creek from Fort Sherman.

Francis Janneau's Post (2)
(1879 - 1882), Lewistown
A 100 by 150-foot stockaded trading post with two bastions (blockhouses), also known as Fort Turnay (2). Also spelled Janeaux.

Camp Lewis
(1874), Lewistown
A temporary Federal camp located two miles southeast of town. A sub-post of Fort Shaw originally called Camp Big Spring Creek. A small plaque is located on Main Street between 3rd and 4th Aves.

Fort Chardon
(1844 - 1845), near Everson
An American Fur Co. trading post at the mouth of the Judith River. Replaced Fort McKenzie and was then replaced by Fort Lewis (1).

Fort Clagett
(1870 - 1878), near Everson
A trading post of the T.C. Power and Brothers Co., located on the south-side of the Missouri River above the Judith River, originally called Fort Cooke until 1872 when it moved to the opposite side of the Judith River.

Camp Cooke
(1866 - 1870), near Everson
An Army post located west of the mouth of the Judith River.

Fort Turnay (1)
(1872 - 1879 ?), near Hinsdale
A Durfee and Peck Co. trading post located on Frenchman's Creek about 12 miles north of the Milk River. Provided winter shelter for 100 Canadian Metis families during one year. Used by the United States Northen Boundary Survey team on another occasion. Also known as Francis Janneau's Post (1).
(thanks to Jim Antoine for providing info)

Fort Browning
(1868 - 1872), near Dodson
A trading post located two miles southwest of town.

Fort Belknap
(1871 - 1886), Chinook
A Durfee and Peck Co. trading post on the south bank of the Milk River. Fort Belknap Indian Agency, located 30 miles east, adopted the name later.

Fort Assiniboine (2) (Historical Site)
(1879 - 1911), near Havre
At one time, this was the largest Army post west of the Mississippi River. It consisted largely of brick-built buildings, uncharacteristic of a typical western fort. Located on Beaver Creek four miles above the Milk River, six miles southwest of town, it was built to prevent Sitting Bull and his followers from returning from Canada. It became a USDA Agricultural Experiment Station in 1913 and most of the original buildings were torn down. A guardhouse and officers quarters remain. Tours in season. Another website at Montana.edu

Fort Piegan (1)
(1831 - 1832), Loma
An American Fur Co. winter trading post built by James Kipp at the mouth of the Marias River, at a former campsite of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1805. Consisted of three log cabins within a stockade. Burned by Indians in the spring.

Fort McKenzie
(1832 or 1833 - 1844), near Loma
An American Fur Co. stockaded trading post, also called Fort Piegan (2), located six miles above the mouth of the Marias River. It was a 1,420 square-foot quadrangular fort with two blockhouses and several cannon. Burned by the company as it was being abandoned. The site was later referred to as Fort Brule ("burned fort"). Replaced by Fort Chardon.

Ophir Post
(1864 - 1865), near Loma
Located on the south bank of the Marias River near the Missouri River. A short-lived trading post created as an emergency measure when the steamboat Cutter failed during the winter. Abandoned after being attacked by Blood Indians.

Fort Benton (2)
(1847 - 1881), Fort Benton
Located at River Front Park, the original blockhouse and adobe wall remain. This was the last navigable port on the Missouri River. The fort was originally an American Fur Co. trading post known as Fort Lewis (3). It was rebuilt and renamed in 1850 (possibly already renamed in 1848). This was the state's first permanent white settlement. The US Army took control of the fort in 1869 after whiskey traders caused trouble here and in Canada. (see also Fort Conrad below, and Fort Whoop-Up, Alberta)

Fort Campbell
(1845 - 1860), Fort Benton
A Harvey, Primeau and Co. log stockade trading post on the south bank of the Missouri River. Moved in 1847 across the river one mile west of Fort Benton (2) and rebuilt with adobe, the first such post in the state. Sold to the American Fur Company in 1857 and later abandoned.

Fort La Barge
(1862 - 1863), Fort Benton
Located 1.5 miles upriver from Fort Benton (2), built by the La Barge, Harkness and Co. Sold to the American Fur Company and dismantled.

Fort Lewis (2)
(1846 - 1847), near Fort Benton
Originally located here on the south bank of the Missouri River, three miles upriver from Fort Benton (2), was Fort Cotton, or Fort Cotton Bottoms, (1842 - 1843) of the Union Fur Company. It was abandoned and burned. In 1846 the American Fur Company built a new post, also known as Fort Henry (5), Fort Honoré (Picotte), and Fort of the Blackfeet, to replace Fort Chardon. It was moved three miles downriver in 1847.

Fort Lewis (1)
(1845 - 1846), near Carter
A short-lived American Fur Co. trading post on the south bank of the Missouri River opposite Pablois Island, 18 miles upriver from Fort Benton (2). Dismantled and moved downriver to Fort Lewis (2).

Great Falls Camps
(1805, 1806), Great Falls
Two campsites of the Lewis and Clark Expedition on the Missouri River. Lower Portage Camp was located below the falls, and Canoe Camp was located above the falls. It took the Expedition eight days to bypass the falls with all their equipment and supplies. The sites were used again on the return trip eastward.

Fort Shaw
(1867 - 1891), Fort Shaw
Originally named Camp Reynolds. It was built to protect settlers in the Sun River Valley, and the road from Fort Benton (2) to Helena. After it was closed, the fort was used as an Indian School from 1892 until 1910. Some of the original buildings still exist as part of a county school.

Fort Conrad
(1875 - 1880's), near Shelby
An American Fur Co. stockaded trade post located on the Marias River south of town. Bought by Joseph Kipp in 1878 and sold again sometime after that to James McDevitt. The actual site has eroded away. This may have also been known as Fort Standoff, a whiskey traders' fort named after the fact that the owner, Joseph Kipp, bluffed and eluded U.S. Marshalls from taking him into custody.

Camp Morris
(1883), Whitlash
A temporary Army post on the west-side of Cottonwood Creek near the Sweet Grass Hills.

Western Montana - page 2

NEED MORE INFO: Square Butte near Ulm called "Fort Mountain"; Nickwall Creek near Poplar also called "Indian Fort Creek".
Towns:

Thanks to Jerome Grenz for additional information on Montana forts and posts.