Fort Beauharnois, Minnesota — History & Visitor Guide

Fort Beauharnois (Florence Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota)

Florence Township, Goodhue County · Minnesota · French and Indian War

Quick BriefFort Beauharnois was a French fort serving as a fur trading post and Catholic mission, built on the shores of Lake Pepin in 1727. The location chosen was on lowlands and the fort was rebuilt in 1730 on higher ground. It was the site of the first Roman Catholic chapel in Minnesota, dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel, and named after Charles de Beauharnois, Governor of New France. The fort was abandoned as the French sent most troops east to fight the British in the French and Indian War.

Coastal defenseOpen to visitors

History & Significance

Established on September 18, 1727, by Rene Boucher, sieur de la Perriere, on the west side of Lake Pepin near present-day Frontenac in Goodhue County, Minnesota, Fort Beauharnois served to protect French trade with the Sioux. A substantial fort was erected, consisting of a 100-foot square stockade with two bastions, and within were three log buildings of varying sizes.

Two Jesuit missionaries—Michel Guignas and Nicolas de Gonnor—established what is thought to be the first Christian church in Minnesota, the Mission of St. Michael the Archangel, erected in 1727 within the stockade. Though the French remained at Fort Beauharnois for over a decade, tensions with the local Meskwaki (Fox) and Dakota peoples eventually forced them to abandon the location.

Fort Beauharnois, built in 1727, is considered to be the last French fort in operation along the Mississippi. The mission was abandoned in 1756. In 1891 Ursuline nuns built a convent and school at the location, which became the Villa Maria Education & Spirituality Center in 1970; it closed in 2016 and is now a boutique hotel and event center.

Key Facts

StateMinnesota

LocationFlorence Township, Goodhue County

Established1727

Decommissioned1756

War / eraFrench and Indian War

Current statusPrivate property

Coordinates44.51166667, -92.31527778

Map

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🧳 Visiting

What you’ll see when you visit:

Historic site of Minnesota's first Catholic chapel (St. Michael the Archangel, 1727)
French fur trading post on Lake Pepin shores
Mississippi River location with scenic water views
Private property now operating as boutique hotel and event venue

Best time to visitSpring (April-May) and fall (September-October) offer mild weather and pleasant conditions for exploring the Lake Pepin area without summer heat or winter snow.

Getting thereRochester International Airport (RST) is the nearest major airport, located approximately 69 km from the site near Florence Township in Goodhue County.

From the nearest major airportMinneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)🚗 64 mi by road⏱️ ≈ 1 hr 27 min drive

Fort Beauharnois (Florence Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota)

History & Significance

Key Facts

Map

🧳 Visiting

Sources

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