Mosby in Garfield County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)
Fort Musselshell
Photographed By Dawn Bowen, July 23, 2008
1. Fort Musselshell Marker
Inscription.
Fort Musselshell was located on the Missouri River about 35 miles north of here. It was a trading post in the ’60s and ’70s and as such had a brief but colorful career. The only whites in that part of the state were woodchoppers for the Missouri River steamboats, wolfers, trappers and Indian trappers. The River Crows and Gros Ventre Indians traded there. A buffalo robe brought them 3 cups of coffee, or 6 cups of sugar, or 10 cups of flour. It was a tolerably profitable business from the traders standpoint. The Assiniboine and Sioux regarded this post as an amusement center where bands of ambitious braves could lie in ambush and get target practice on careless whites. Musselshell became a cattle rustlers hangout but after a Vigilance Committee stretched a few of them they seemed to lose interest.
Fort Musselshell was located on the Missouri River about 35 miles north of here. It was a trading post in the ’60s and ’70s and as such had a brief but colorful career. The only whites in that part of the state were woodchoppers for the Missouri River steamboats, wolfers, trappers and Indian trappers.
The River Crows and Gros Ventre Indians traded there. A buffalo robe brought them 3 cups of coffee, or 6 cups of sugar, or 10 cups of flour. It was a tolerably profitable business from the traders standpoint.
The Assiniboine and Sioux regarded this post as an amusement center where bands of ambitious braves could lie in ambush and get target practice on careless whites. Musselshell became a cattle rustlers hangout but after a Vigilance Committee stretched a few of them they seemed to lose interest.
Location. 46° 59.39′ N, 107° 51.566′ W. Marker is in Mosby, Montana, in Garfield County. Marker is on Route 200, 1.4 miles east of Garfield/Petroleum County line (Montana Highway 200), on the left when traveling east. At the Mosby Rest Area. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Mosby MT 59058, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 2 other markers are
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on July 29, 2008, by Dawn Bowen of Fredericksburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 2,444 times since then and 84 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on July 29, 2008, by Dawn Bowen of Fredericksburg, Virginia. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.
