Near Shelby in Toole County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)

Whoop Up Trail

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, August 22, 2020

1. Whoop Up Trail Marker

Inscription. The Whoop Up Trail came into being in the late 1860's. It headed northwest from Fort Benton to Fort Whoop Up which was built before the broader between Canada and the United States was surveyed. The trail extended to Fort Macleod when that outpost of authority was built in 1874. Trade goods shipped up the Missouri River to Fort Benton was freighted by bull teams to Canadian points and furs made up the return load. The long trains of ox-drawn wagons made the 240 miles between Fort Benton and Fort Macleod in 12 to 20 days. Later mule team freighters and horse stages traveled up the trail. The traffic led to the opening up of the Whoop Up country. The trail crossed the Marias River at Fort Conrad. The route varied, following the coulees in dry weather and climbing to high ground in wet weather. With the coming of the railways, river shipping on the Missouri came to a standstill. The last bull team passed over the overland route in 1892 and a picturesque period in Montana-Alberta history came to an end. The trail is shown on the 1893 survey map as the Fort Benton-Macleod Wagon Road.

The trail angled across a part of the

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Pingel Homestead here. This one-acre site was deeded by Mrs. Henry (Jessie M.) Pingel on August 23, 1966 to Marias Museum of History and Art and the North Central Montana Council, Boy Scouts of of America, to commemorate the Whoop Up Trail. The roadside park was developed and the marker erected by the Boy Scouts and Scouters of Nu Ooh Ska District.

State Historical Site designated Feb. 19, 1968
Whoop Up Trail Marker dedicated May 19, 1968

Erected 1968 by Boy Scouts and Scouters of Nu Ooh Ska District.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Roads & Vehicles.

Location. 48° 28.78′ N, 111° 47.255′ W. Marker is near Shelby, Montana, in Toole County. It is on U.S. 2 at milepost 283 near Kraft Road, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Shelby MT 59474, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American Mountain West

and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Rocky Mountains,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, August 22, 2020

2. Whoop Up Trail Marker

Historically, it finds itself in what was once Rupert’s Land

and also the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 5 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The Baker Massacre (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Oily Boid Gets The Woim (approx. 1½ miles away); 1964 Flood (approx. 3½ miles away); Shelby Town Hall (approx. 3½ miles away); Rainbow Conoco (approx. 3.8 miles away).

Also see . . .
1. The Whoop-Up Trail -- HistoryNet. Recognizing the profit to be made from liquor traffic with First Nations tribes, those traders carved out a route that soon garnered the name Whoop-Up Trail. The origin of its name is uncertain, but the expression “whoop it up” had long been in common use, and bullwhackers reportedly shouted, “Whoop it up!” when they wanted their oxen to move faster. Others insist the trail name originated with one particular trader, who, when asked how things were going up north, replied memorably in fractured English, “Oh, we’re just whoopen on ’em up.” (Submitted on December 1, 2020, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.)

2. Drink And Destruction On The Frontier -- Frontier Partisans.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, August 22, 2020

3. Whoop Up Trail Marker

The tall grass to the left of the monument denotes a portion of the Whoop Up Trail.

Frontier living was hard on the body and rough on the health, and alcohol provided relief from pain and masked the symptoms of chronic disease. Then, as now, it was a highly counterproductive form of self-medication for depression. (Submitted on December 1, 2020, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.)

Bull Team on the Whoop Up Trail image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mhsmuseum.com

4. Bull Team on the Whoop Up Trail

Fort Whoop Up image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer

5. Fort Whoop Up

Fort Whoop-up was a notorious whiskey trading center on the Alberta prairie. Traders from Montana founded the post — and flew the Stars and Stripes. The establishment of Fort Whoop-up led to the formation of the Northwest Mounted Police.

Credits. This page was last revised on December 1, 2020. It was originally submitted on December 1, 2020, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 957 times since then and 80 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on December 1, 2020, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.