Fort Snelling facts for kids
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Fort Snelling
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Fort Snelling's round tower
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 Location in Minnesota
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| Location | Fort Snelling Unorganized Territory, Minnesota |
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| Nearest city | Bordering Minneapolis, St. Paul, Mendota and Mendota Heights. |
| Built | 1819 |
| Architect | Colonel Josiah Snelling |
| Website | Historic Fort Snelling |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000401 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | 15 October 1966 |
| Designated NHL | 19 December 1960 |
Fort Snelling is an old military fort in Minnesota. It sits on high ground where the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers meet. This spot was very important for travel and trade. The fort was first called Fort Saint Anthony. It was renamed Fort Snelling in 1825 when it was finished.
This fort has a long and important history. Before the American Civil War, some soldiers brought enslaved people with them. These included Dred Scott and Harriet Robinson Scott. They lived at the fort in the 1830s. Later, the Scotts sued for their freedom. They argued that living in "free territory" should make them free. This led to a famous court case, Dred Scott v. Sandford. Slavery ended at the fort before Minnesota became a state in 1858.
Fort Snelling was a main base for U.S. forces during the Dakota War of 1862. It also became a camp for Dakota and Ho-Chunk families. They waited there for boats to take them away from Minnesota. The fort was used to train soldiers during the Civil War, the Spanish–American War, and both World Wars. It closed in 1946.
Today, the Minnesota Historical Society manages the Historic Fort Snelling site. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources runs Fort Snelling State Park. The fort is a "National Treasure" and part of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area.
Contents
Fort Snelling's History
Bdóte: A Sacred Place
The area where the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers meet is called Bdóte by the Dakota people. This word means "meeting of waters." It is a very special and spiritual place for them. The Dakota believed this spot was the center of the Earth.
Many important agreements were signed here. Native American tribes and the United States government signed treaties at this river meeting point. These included treaties in 1805, 1837, and 1851.
How the Land Was Acquired
In 1805, Lieutenant Zebulon Pike made a treaty to get land for the fort. This was called Pike's Purchase. Seven Dakota members were there, but only two signed the treaty. It gave the U.S. government about 155,320 acres of land. The treaty offered $2,000 for the land.
Many people have questioned if this treaty was fair. Pike was an army officer, not allowed to sign treaties. Also, only a few Dakota leaders signed it, not the whole nation. The payment amount was left blank in the treaty. The U.S. Senate later approved only $2,000. The Dakota did not receive this payment until 1819. The fairness of this land deal is still debated today. Pike Island is named after Zebulon Pike.
Building a Frontier Post
After the War of 1812, the U.S. government built forts like Snelling. These forts helped the United States control its new western lands. They also aimed to keep peace between different Native American tribes. The forts also stopped British-Canadian traders from working in U.S. territory.
In 1819, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Leavenworth led soldiers to build the first outpost. It was called "New Hope." Many soldiers got sick that winter. So, the camp moved to a healthier spot near a spring. This spring became the fort's main water source.
Colonel Josiah Snelling took over building the fort in 1820. When it was finished in 1824, he named it "Fort St. Anthony." Later, General Winfield Scott changed the name to Fort Snelling. This honored Colonel Snelling for his work.
Fort Snelling was home to several army units over the years. It also had Minnesota's first post office in 1827. The fort's doctor started recording weather in 1820. This makes Fort Snelling one of the places with the longest weather records in the country.
Slavery at Fort Snelling
When Fort Snelling was built, some officers and traders brought enslaved people with them. This was against the law in the territory. Yet, about 15 to 30 African Americans were enslaved at the fort.
Two enslaved women, Rachel and Courtney, sued for their freedom in 1836. They won their cases and became free.
Dred Scott was bought by the fort's doctor, John Emerson. Emerson brought Scott to Fort Snelling in the 1830s. There, Scott met and married Harriet. They had two children while enslaved at the fort. In 1843, Dred Scott sued for his family's freedom. He argued they had lived in free territory.
This case, Dred Scott v. Sandford, went all the way to the United States Supreme Court. In 1857, the Supreme Court ruled that African Americans, whether enslaved or free, could not be U.S. citizens. This meant they could not sue for freedom. This decision was very controversial. It made tensions worse between the North and South, leading up to the Civil War. Slavery was finally made illegal in Minnesota in 1858.
Fort Snelling During the Civil War
When the American Civil War began, Fort Snelling became a training center. Over 24,000 soldiers were trained there. Many Minnesota regiments, like the 1st Minnesota, were formed at the fort.
African American volunteers also came to Fort Snelling. Since Minnesota did not have its own "colored" units, these volunteers went to other states. They joined units like the 1st Iowa Infantry Colored.
The Dakota War of 1862
Fort Snelling played a sad role in the Dakota War of 1862. After fighting ended, many Dakota people were moved to the fort. In November 1862, over 1,600 Dakota, mostly women and children, arrived. They were innocent people who had not fought in the war.
An encampment was set up below the fort on Pike Island. The Dakota lived there through the winter of 1862–63. Conditions were very harsh. Many people died from cold, hunger, and sickness. Estimates say between 102 and 300 Dakota died there.
In May 1863, the surviving Dakota were forced onto steamboats. They were taken down the Mississippi and up the Missouri River to the Crow Creek Indian Reservation. Many more died during this journey and after arriving. A memorial at Fort Snelling State Park remembers the Native Americans who died during this difficult time.
Later Military Use
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After the Civil War, Fort Snelling continued to be an important military base. It was a headquarters for the Department of Dakota. New buildings were constructed, and some of the old fort walls were taken down.
Different army units, including the 25th Infantry (a unit of African American soldiers), were stationed at the fort. Soldiers from Fort Snelling also fought in the Spanish–American War in 1898.
World War I and II
During World War I, Fort Snelling became a place to process new soldiers. It also had an officer training school and a large hospital. This hospital was very busy during the 1918 flu pandemic.
In World War II, Fort Snelling was a major enlistment center. It processed 300,000 new soldiers. It also became the headquarters for the Army's Military Railroad Service. This group helped run trains to move supplies during the war.
The fort also hosted the Military Intelligence Service Language School. This school taught soldiers Japanese and Chinese languages. It had many classrooms and instructors. This school later moved to California.
Fort Snelling Today
After World War II, Fort Snelling was closed as an active military base in 1946. Many of its buildings fell apart. In 1960, it was named a National Historic Landmark. This recognized its importance in U.S. history.
Starting in 1965, parts of the original fort were rebuilt. Today, the Minnesota Historical Society runs the "Lower Post" as an interactive museum. People dressed in old-fashioned clothes show visitors what life was like at the fort long ago.
Some of the newer buildings, called the "Upper Post," still need repair. In 2006, the National Trust for Historic Preservation listed the Upper Post as one of "America's Most Endangered Places." Work continues to restore and preserve this important historical site.
Gallery
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Neglected barracks in the Upper Post last used during World War II
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The round tower at Fort Snelling with US flag.
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Minnesota Historical Society Historic Interpreters firing a cannon at the fort.
See also
In Spanish: Fort Snelling para niños
- Army on the Frontier
- Fort Snelling and the establishment of Minneapolis and Saint Paul
- Lawrence Taliaferro
- List of National Historic Landmarks in Minnesota
- List of the oldest buildings in Minnesota
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Hennepin County, Minnesota
- Slavery at Fort Snelling
