MONTANA - When tracing the history of the Treasure State, the timeline leads to the scenic Bitterroot Valley and the town of Stevensville. Established in 1841, it is the first permanent pioneer settlement in Montana, predating the gold rushes that would later define the state.
The Founding: September 24, 1841
Stevensville's origins are religious rather than commercial. It began as St. Mary's Mission.
- The "Black Robes": In 1841, Father Pierre-Jean De Smet and a group of Jesuit missionaries arrived in the valley. They came in response to repeated requests from the Salish people, who had heard of the powerful "medicine" of the Catholic priests (whom they called "Black Robes") and sent four delegations to St. Louis to invite them.
- Firsts for Montana: The mission was not just a church; it was an agricultural breakthrough. It was here that the first wheat and potatoes were planted, the first cattle were raised, and the first irrigation ditches were dug in Montana. The settlement was renamed Stevensville in 1864 in honor of Isaac Stevens, the first territorial governor.
Indigenous Roots
The Bitterroot Valley has been the ancestral homeland of the Salish (Flathead) people for thousands of years. The Salish maintained a friendly relationship with the early missionaries, hoping the alliance would provide protection against their enemies, the Blackfeet. However, as the settlement grew and the U.S. government forced the Salish onto the Jocko Reservation (created by the Hellgate Treaty of 1855), the relationship deteriorated. In 1891, Chief Charlo led the last of the Salish out of the valley in a tragic event known as the "Trail of Tears" of the Bitterroot.
A Technical Distinction: The Fort Benton Rivalry
While Stevensville is the oldest settlement, the town of Fort Benton (established 1846) is often cited as the "Birthplace of Montana."
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The "Chicago of the Plains": Founded as a fur trading post on the Missouri River, Fort Benton became the head of navigation for steamboats. It was the commercial hub where gold miners and supplies entered the territory. While Stevensville is older by five years, Fort Benton was the economic engine that drove early growth.
Settlement vs. Incorporation
There is a major distinction between being the first settlement and the first incorporated city.
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Virginia City: While Stevensville and Fort Benton were settled first, Virginia City holds the title of the first legally incorporated city in Montana. Founded in 1863 after a massive gold strike at Alder Gulch, it grew instantly into a metropolis and was approved for incorporation by the First Territorial Legislature in January 1864.
Stevensville is the oldest permanent settlement in Montana, founded in 1841 as St. Mary's Mission by Jesuit missionaries at the invitation of the Salish people. It introduced agriculture to the region. Fort Benton (1846) followed shortly after as a commercial hub. However, the gold rush boomtown of Virginia City holds the legal distinction of being the first town to officially incorporate in 1864.
Sources
- Montana Historical Society. "St. Mary's Mission."
- Town of Stevensville. "History of Stevensville."
- Visit Montana. "Fort Benton: The Birthplace of Montana."
- National Park Service. "Virginia City Historic District."
- Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. "The Salish People."