Fort Peck is a town in Valley County, Montana, United States. The population was 239 at the 2020 census.
History
The name Fort Peck is associated with Col. Campbell K. Peck, the partner of Elias H. Durfee in the Leavenworth, Kansas trading firm of Durfee and Peck. In 1867, company employee Abe Farwell constructed the Fort Peck trading post along the Missouri River, which enjoyed a virtual monopoly in trade with the Sioux and Assiniboine people. After its short life as a trading post, Fort Peck served as an Indian agency from 1873 until 1878. At that time, the agency was moved to its current location at Poplar. Fort Peck had a post office from 1879 to 1881.
A new town of Fort Peck, located approximately two miles north of the original, was built in 1934 to house Army Corps of Engineers employees involved in the construction of the Fort Peck Dam. Designed to be temporary, the government-owned town nevertheless included many features of a permanent town, including an administrative headquarters, a hospital, stores, a theater, a recreation hall, and other facilities. Totally inadequate to house the 10,000-plus employees, Fort Peck was soon joined by numerous shanty towns, including Wheeler, New Deal, Delano Heights, and Park Grove. The Fort Peck Original Houses Historic District, the Fort Peck Theatre, and the hospital, administration building, and other associated public works properties are listed in the National Register.
The Administration Building, the Employee's Hotel and Garage, the Garage and Fire Station, the Hospital, and the Recreation Hall of the government-run town are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Culture
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which oversees the powerhouses, dam, lake, and dredge cuts, is the major employer in Fort Peck, as well as, other government programs. Until recently all of the houses in Fort Peck were government built.
Fort Peck draws people from hundreds of miles away to recreate around Fort Peck Reservoir. Most popular is utilizing the lake and dredge cuts for boating, swimming, and fishing. Camping and barbecuing are very popular and facilities for camping and cooking are well developed.
Besides the lake, Fort Peck offers several more activities. The Fort Peck Theatre performs plays during the summer and draws large crowds. The Fort Peck Interpretive Center shows the history of the area, from the dinosaurs to the dam.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all land.