Fort Union Trading Post

In 1828, the American Fur Company set up shop as the Fort Union Trading Post, and opened its doors for business. Here, the Assiniboine, Crow, Cree, Ojibway, Blackfeet, Hidatsa and other tribes traded their buffalo, beaver and other furs for goods including cloth, beads, blankets, cookware, guns and knives. The national historic site straddles the border between North Dakota and Montana at the confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers, and consists of the reconstructed trade house and museum. The fort was torn down in 1867, when the post was no longer profitable after the fur trade declined. When Fort Union was dismantled, the building materials were used for the expansion of nearby Fort Buford. Outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers have much to take in – the area on both sides of the border is great for canoeing, bird watching, hiking, cycling and fishing.