DescriptionCapt. William Clark led a contingent of the Corps of Discovery down the Yellowstone River in 1806. They passed a stream on July 31 that Clark named Oak Tar pon er River, or Coal River, due to the numerous deposits of coal visible in the bluffs above the creek. It later became known as O’Fallon Creek, after Benjamin O’Fallon, William Clark’s nephew, who served as an Indian agent from 1819 until poor health forced his retirement in 1826. He was a staunch supporter of the fur trade industry; it is assumed that one of his acquaintances named the creek after him. O’Fallon died in Missouri in 1842.Personal NamesClark, WilliamO'Fallon, BenjaminOther Name(s)Oak Tar pon er RiverCoal RiverContributing InstitutionMontana Historical Society Library and ArchivesGeolocation[1]
