Distinctly Montana Magazine

36 D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G 2 0 2 3 V irtually from the moment that Lewis and Clark proclaimed the Three Forks of the Missouri as "richer in beaver and otter than any country on earth," the first generation of mountain men targeted that area as the holy grail of beaver trap- ping grounds. Unfortunately, their blatant disregard for Black- feet territorial claims sowed the seeds for 25 years of bloody conflict. Despite such entrenched resistance, the American Fur Company achieved dominance in that operational theater only five years after Kenneth McKenzie (1797-1861) assumed direc- torship of the AFC's Upper Missouri Outfit in 1827. A breakthrough in relations with the Blackfeet occurred short- ly after Fort Union, the region's flagship post, was completed in 1830. McKenzie dispatched Jacques Berger, who had 21 years of experience in the Canadian fur trade, to contact and, hopeful- ly, persuade Blackfeet leaders to entertain offers of commerce with the AFC. Berger's familiarity to the Blackfeet and his flu- ency in their language ultimately contributed to successful ne- gotiations. In the spring of 1831, almost 100 Piikani (Piegan), Siksika (Blackfeet proper) and Kainah (Blood) chiefs and lead- ing warriors accompanied Berger and his party to Fort Union, where they formally agreed to construction of the first American trading post in Blackfoot country. When Fort Piegan became operational later that year, the Blackfoot blockade of the upper Missouri fur trade had officially ended. McKenzie also formulated a strategy to revolutionize the indus- try's transportation network by introducing steamboat traffic to the upper Missouri. With the approval of Pierre Chouteau, Jr., contrac- tual arrangements were agreed upon for construction of a boat in Louisville, Kentucky, which was scheduled for delivery to St. Louis by April 1, 1831. Christened the Yellow Stone, its voyage in 1832 was, according to Hiram Martin Chittenden, a "landmark in the history of the West. It demonstrated the [feasibility] of navigating the Missouri by steam as far as the mouth of the Yellowstone, with a strong probability that boats could go on to the Blackfoot country." Fort Union was the final destination for steamboat traffic until 1859, when access was extended upriver to Fort Benton. THE ADVENT OF STEAMBOAT TRAFFIC ON THE UPPER MISSOURI AND ITS IMPACT ON THE FUR TRADE, ART, ANTHROPOLOGY, AND NATURAL SCIENCE When Steamboats Ruled Montana's Waters by DOUGLAS A. SCHMITTOU

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