Lewistown in Fergus County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)
Fort Maginnis
Photographed By Don Morfe, July 9, 2005
1. Fort Maginnis Marker
Inscription.
Fort Maginnis, the last army post created in Montana, was built about 8 miles north of here in 1880. This country was great buffalo range before that time, but cattlemen were bringing in stock from the western valleys and the Texas longhorns were being trailed in from the southeast. There wasn’t room for both cattle and buffalo, so the latter had to go. The soldiers were to protect the cattle from being mistaken for buffalo by hungry Indians, to encourage settlement of the Judith Basin west of here and to patrol the Carroll Road to keep supplies rolling between Carroll (near the mouth of the Musselshell River) and Helena. By 1890 the post was no longer needed, the threatening Indians having been relegated to reservations, and the fort was abandoned with civilian blessings.
There were also quite a number of pale-faced parties who were handy with running iron and prone to make errors as to brands and ownership. Such careless souls were known as “rustlers”. Sometimes the cattlemen called on these pariahs with a posse and intimated that they were unpopular. Usually such a visitation cured a rustler or two permanently.
Fort Maginnis, the last army post created in Montana, was built about 8 miles north of here in 1880. This country was great buffalo range before that time, but cattlemen were bringing in stock from the western valleys and the Texas longhorns were being trailed in from the southeast. There wasn’t room for both cattle and buffalo, so the latter had to go. The soldiers were to protect the cattle from being mistaken for buffalo by hungry Indians, to encourage settlement of the Judith Basin west of here and to patrol the Carroll Road to keep supplies rolling between Carroll (near the mouth of the Musselshell River) and Helena. By 1890 the post was no longer needed, the threatening Indians having been relegated to reservations, and the fort was abandoned with civilian blessings.
There were also quite a number of pale-faced parties who were handy with running iron and prone to make errors as to brands and ownership. Such careless souls were known as “rustlers”. Sometimes the cattlemen called on these pariahs with a posse and intimated that they were unpopular. Usually such a visitation cured a rustler or two permanently.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Forts and Castles • Native Americans. A significant historical year for this entry is 1880.
Location. 47° 3.736′ N, 109°
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6.866′ W. Marker is in Lewistown, Montana, in Fergus County. Marker is on U.S. 87. The marker is located at a pull-off on the highway. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Lewistown MT 59457, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Photographed By Don Morfe, July 9, 2005
2. Fort Maginnis Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on February 23, 2016, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 914 times since then and 52 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on February 23, 2016, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
