Trading posts have been a part of American Indian life since the seventeenth century when the Dutch West India established Fort Orange as a trading post for the Iroquois in what would become the state of New York. The last trading post on the upper Missouri River in Montana was founded in 1846 to facilitate trade with the Blackfoot Indians. The photographs shown below are from the trading post in Old Fort Benton which provides visitors with displays regarding the fur and hide trade with the Indians.
![9517 photo DSCN9517_zps971d3329.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Fort%20Benton/Old%20Fort%20Benton/DSCN9517_zps971d3329.jpg)
![9514 photo DSCN9514_zps4a242eeb.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Fort%20Benton/Old%20Fort%20Benton/DSCN9514_zps4a242eeb.jpg)
Shown above is a display of trade items and other artifacts uncovered during archaeological excavations at the fort.
![9510 photo DSCN9510_zps6c15bdf6.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Fort%20Benton/Old%20Fort%20Benton/DSCN9510_zps6c15bdf6.jpg)
![9508 photo DSCN9508_zps7c466e5a.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Fort%20Benton/Old%20Fort%20Benton/DSCN9508_zps7c466e5a.jpg)
![9505 photo DSCN9505_zps092b273c.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Fort%20Benton/Old%20Fort%20Benton/DSCN9505_zps092b273c.jpg)
![9503 photo DSCN9503_zps1cc845e9.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Fort%20Benton/Old%20Fort%20Benton/DSCN9503_zps1cc845e9.jpg)
Shown above are some of the trade goods displayed at the trading post.
![9673 photo DSCN9673_zps403314b4.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Fort%20Benton/Old%20Fort%20Benton/DSCN9673_zps403314b4.jpg)
![9675 photo DSCN9675_zps76f27c84.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Fort%20Benton/Old%20Fort%20Benton/DSCN9675_zps76f27c84.jpg)
Shown above are beaver hats, part of the European and American fashion trend which drove the fur trade until the 1830s.
![9681 photo DSCN9681_zpsf31af98c.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Fort%20Benton/Old%20Fort%20Benton/DSCN9681_zpsf31af98c.jpg)
The beaver trade was driven by fashion: men’s hats made using beaver pelts are shown above.
![9565 photo DSCN9565_zps53b54a2b.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Fort%20Benton/Old%20Fort%20Benton/DSCN9565_zps53b54a2b.jpg)
![9678 photo DSCN9678_zpscb2b6d48.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Fort%20Benton/Old%20Fort%20Benton/DSCN9678_zpscb2b6d48.jpg)
Shown above are beaver pelts.
![9676 photo DSCN9676_zpsdb2b1b46.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Fort%20Benton/Old%20Fort%20Benton/DSCN9676_zpsdb2b1b46.jpg)
![9682 photo DSCN9682_zps6d509283.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Fort%20Benton/Old%20Fort%20Benton/DSCN9682_zps6d509283.jpg)
![9683 photo DSCN9683_zps1e57642d.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Fort%20Benton/Old%20Fort%20Benton/DSCN9683_zps1e57642d.jpg)
![9684 photo DSCN9684_zpsdde20c62.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Fort%20Benton/Old%20Fort%20Benton/DSCN9684_zpsdde20c62.jpg)
![9684 photo DSCN9684_zpsdde20c62.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Fort%20Benton/Old%20Fort%20Benton/DSCN9684_zpsdde20c62.jpg)
Shown above is a display showing a trader’s cabin.
![9685 photo DSCN9685_zpsb3a8f69a.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Fort%20Benton/Old%20Fort%20Benton/DSCN9685_zpsb3a8f69a.jpg)
Shown above is the flag of the American Fur Company.
![9583 photo DSCN9583_zps3a06802d.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Fort%20Benton/Old%20Fort%20Benton/DSCN9583_zps3a06802d.jpg)
![9513 photo DSCN9513_zps009c5bd7.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Fort%20Benton/Old%20Fort%20Benton/DSCN9513_zps009c5bd7.jpg)
![9517 photo DSCN9517_zps971d3329.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Fort%20Benton/Old%20Fort%20Benton/DSCN9517_zps971d3329.jpg)
Shown above is a model of the fort.
![9509 photo DSCN9509_zps413bc6f0.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Fort%20Benton/Old%20Fort%20Benton/DSCN9509_zps413bc6f0.jpg)
![9506 photo DSCN9506_zps38c55247.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Fort%20Benton/Old%20Fort%20Benton/DSCN9506_zps38c55247.jpg)
![9502 photo DSCN9502_zps9083faa3.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Fort%20Benton/Old%20Fort%20Benton/DSCN9502_zps9083faa3.jpg)
Shown above is a bull boat. This type of craft was used by many Indian tribes as a way of crossing rivers. It can be made fairly quickly from willows and a single buffalo hide.
![9501 photo DSCN9501_zpsd351f266.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Fort%20Benton/Old%20Fort%20Benton/DSCN9501_zpsd351f266.jpg)
![9499 photo DSCN9499_zps5d65add6.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Fort%20Benton/Old%20Fort%20Benton/DSCN9499_zps5d65add6.jpg)
![9497 photo DSCN9497_zps5f6e3bdb.jpg](http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139/Ojibwa/Fort%20Benton/Old%20Fort%20Benton/DSCN9497_zps5f6e3bdb.jpg)