Brower's Spring facts for kids
Brower's Spring is a small spring located in the Centennial Mountains of Beaverhead County, Montana. In 1888, a surveyor marked this spring as the very beginning of the Missouri River. This makes it an important spot because the Missouri River eventually joins the Mississippi River, forming one of the world's longest river systems, stretching about 3,902 miles (6,280 km).
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Discovering the Source of the Missouri River
Who Found Brower's Spring?
This spring is named after Jacob V. Brower. In 1896, he wrote a book called The Missouri River and Its Utmost Source. In his book, he said that Brower's Spring was the true source of the Missouri River. He visited the spot in 1895 and even buried a copper plate there with the river's name and the date. Even though the copper plate has not been found, people still believe this spot is Brower's Spring.
Where is Brower's Spring Located?
Brower's Spring is found at about 8,800 feet (2,700 m) high. It is on the north fork of a stream called Hell Roaring Creek, close to where the creek begins. You can find a pile of rocks marking the spot.
The spring is also about 100 miles (160 km) further than the spot Meriwether Lewis thought was the source in 1805. Lewis found his spot above Lemhi Pass on Trail Creek. Both of these possible sources are close to the Continental Divide in Montana.
How Does the Water Flow from the Spring?
Water from Brower's Spring flows into Hell Roaring Creek. This creek then flows west into the Red Rock River. The Red Rock River goes through the Upper and Lower Red Rock Lakes. After that, it flows west through Lima Reservoir and then northwest into Clark Canyon Reservoir.
From Clark Canyon Reservoir, the Beaverhead River flows northeast. It then joins the Big Hole River to form the Jefferson River. Finally, the Jefferson River meets the Madison and Gallatin Rivers. These three rivers come together to form the mighty Missouri River at Missouri River Headwaters State Park in Three Forks, Montana.
Brower's Spring on Maps
Brower's Spring is not officially listed as a name by the USGS. This is the government agency that keeps track of geographic names.
