Montana City Named One Of The Oldest In America

It depends on who you ask which city or town is the oldest in Montana. Many will say that Virginia City is the oldest, yet when I Googled the question, the answer was Fort Benton, which was established in 1846.

READ MORE: Montana's Most Boring Towns

While Montana is filled with towns from yesteryear, including our fair share of "Ghost Towns", one thing is for sure. There's a whole lot of history here in Big Sky Country.

Because of its location, Montana is a relatively "new state" when you compare it to those in the East, however, that doesn't stop us from having one of the oldest "cities" in America.

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Before we reveal which Montana city ranks as one of the oldest, let's take a look at the best places in Montana to raise a family.

Which Montana city is ranked as one of the oldest in the country?

While it may come as a surprise, the city of Stevensville is the oldest city in Montana and one of the oldest in the United States. Founded in 1841 as St. Mary's Mission, it was the first permanent "white" establishment in Montana. The location of the Mission would later become Stevensville.

According to data, Stevensville comes in 45th on the list of the 50 oldest cities in the United States.

While times have certainly changed since the mid-1800s, Stevensville is still an important part of the Bitterroot Valley. With a population of just around 2000 people, the town is surrounded by beauty and is a popular destination for locals and tourists traveling through the area.