(Helena, MT) — After more than 13,000 votes cast across four rounds of competition, Montanans have spoken: Fort Benton is the state’s Best Place. The small town on the Missouri River, long known as the “Birthplace of Montana,” claimed the championship of Montana Madness, the Montana Historical Society’s March Madness-style bracket competition featuring 16 of the state’s most significant historic sites.
Fort Benton defeated First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park in the championship round, capturing more than two-thirds of the final vote. The victory was hard-earned. Entering the bracket as the fourth seed, Fort Benton navigated a competitive field that included Going-to-the-Sun Road, Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park, and Bearcreek before reaching the final. The top four finishers were Fort Benton, First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park, Going-to-the-Sun Road, and Pictograph Cave State Park.
