The Benton Road ran from Fort Benton to Helena, Montana. It was the lifeline for settlers, miners and the military during Montana’s pioneering days. Freight and pioneers would board steamships at St Joseph, Missouri and travel the Missouri River to Fort Benton. From there it was up to this road and its feeder roads to provide the people and goods necessary for settling and mining the vast wealth contained in that portion of the Rocky Mountains. Freight wagons, and caravans of people would travel the road. Eventually, stagecoach travel was added to the traffic along the way.