Fort Snelling, Minnesota — History & Visitor Guide

Fort Snelling (Fort Snelling Unorganized Territory, bordering Minneapolis, St. Paul, Mendota, and Mendota Heights, Minnesota)

Fort Snelling Unorganized Territory, bordering Minneapolis, St. Paul, Mendota, and Mendota Heights · Minnesota · Indian Wars, Civil War, Dakota War of 1862

Quick BriefFort Snelling, a National Historic Landmark overlooking the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers, was initially named Fort Saint Anthony but renamed when construction was completed in 1825. Built between 1820 and 1825 to protect American interests in the fur trade, the fort's troops enforced boundaries among Native American nations and deterred British advances from Canada. The fort served as the primary center for U.S. government forces during the Dakota War of 1862, when Dakota non-combatants arrived at Fort Snelling on November 13, 1862, and encamped on the bluff of the Minnesota River about a mile west of the fort.

Civil WarOpen to visitors

History & Significance

In 1805, the U.S. Army ordered Lieutenant Zebulon Pike to find the source of the Mississippi River and select sites for military posts; Pike made an unauthorized agreement with Dakota leaders to acquire land for a U.S. fort. Lieutenant Colonel Henry Leavenworth commanded the expedition of the 5th Infantry that built the initial outpost in 1819.

The U.S. Army built Fort Snelling to protect American interests in the fur trade, tasking troops with deterring British advances, enforcing boundaries between Native American nations, and preventing settler incursion on Native lands. The fort became a vital hub for western expansion and settlement.

Before the Civil War, the U.S. Army allowed soldiers and fur traders to bring enslaved people to the fort, including Dred Scott and Harriet Robinson Scott, who lived there in the 1830s and later sued for freedom in the landmark case Dred Scott v. Sandford.

During the Civil War, Fort Snelling served as an induction and training center for nearly twenty-five thousand soldiers; around fourteen hundred of the troops raised at the fort served in the US–Dakota War of 1862. Fort Snelling played a central role in the Dakota War aftermath, with Dakota non-combatants arriving November 13, 1862.

In December, soldiers built a wooden stockade more than 12 feet high enclosing two to three acres on the river bottom, into which over 1,600 Dakota people were moved; between 130 and 300 died over the winter of 1862–63. In 1963, Fort Snelling became Minnesota's first National Historic Landmark.

Key Facts

StateMinnesota

LocationFort Snelling Unorganized Territory, bordering Minneapolis, St. Paul, Mendota, and Mendota Heights

Established1819

Decommissioned1946

War / eraIndian Wars, Civil War, Dakota War of 1862

Current statusMuseum / Historic Site

Coordinates44.89277778, -93.18055556

NRHP reference66000401

Map

Loading map…

🧳 Visiting

What you’ll see when you visit:

Stone fortification at the confluence of Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers
Restored 1825-era buildings including barracks, officers' quarters, and powder magazine
Exhibits on Civil War recruitment, the Dakota War of 1862, and military life
Historic site where displaced Dakota and Ho-Chunk peoples were held during 1862
Museum galleries documenting 150+ years of U.S. Army garrison operations

Best time to visitLate spring through early fall (May-September) offers pleasant weather; winters are cold and snowy but accessible for visitors prepared for Minnesota conditions.

Getting thereMinneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) is 3.5 km away; the fort is easily accessible from downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul.

From the nearest major airportMinneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)🚗 3 mi by road⏱️ ≈ 7 min drive

Fort Snelling (Fort Snelling Unorganized Territory, bordering Minneapolis, St. Paul, Mendota, and Mendota Heights, Minnesota)

History & Significance

Key Facts

Map

🧳 Visiting

Sources

Other Forts in Minnesota

Explore Other States