The historic waterfront of Fort Benton, Montana was one of the largest inland ports in the world during the height of the steamboat era of the 19th century. It was as far up the Missouri River as you could take a large boat, more than 3,000 river miles from the mouth of the Mississippi. From all accounts it was a wild, wild west kind of place with gunslingers roaming the streets. Apparently, the madam of the local brothel once held off a whole posse that was looking for one of her customers with just an evil eye... and a Colt 45. Later on, the town declined as railroads replaced the steamboat.
Just downstream from here at the confluence of the Missouri and Marias Rivers, the Lewis and Clark Expedition spent several days in June 1805 deciding which river to go up (a very important decision because they wanted to cross the Rocky Mountains before winter). In the statue Sacagawea looks like she's thinking: "get on with it already!"
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