Historic Fort Snelling

With a human history more than 10,000 years in the making, the area today known as Fort Snelling means different things to different people.

Explore the past through tours, demonstrations, and conversations that expand the diverse stories of the women, men, and children who crossed paths here—from the Dakota, who call the land Bdote, to other Native American groups who lived and worked here,...

The Fourth of July gets done right at Snelling. The fort breaks out its finery, roasts a whole pig (free samples if your timing's right) and stages entertaining plays throughout the day.

Fort Snelling is closed to the public November through April.

This living history museum commemorates the establishment of a fort here in the wilderness in 1819 by Col. Josiah Snelling and his troops, who opened the area for homesteaders. Costumed guides are the focus of a living history reenactment during the summer months, re-creating the activities of everyday army life during the 1820s. Allow 1 to 2 hours.

Overview
Fort Snelling was built in 1825 as an outpost at the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers. It was a means for controlling river traffic throughout the Minnesota...

The history of this place is more than just the story of the fort itself. The junction of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers is a place of major social, cultural, and historical significance to all people inhabiting the region, a place whose history evokes both pride and pain. It is a place of cultural importance to many Dakota people as a historical gathering place, the site of the B'dote...

Formerly known as Fort St. Anthony, Historic Fort Snelling is a strong and formidable military fortification located within the Fort Snelling State Park . This structure not only marked the confluence of two rivers Minnesota and Mississippi, but it represents the melange of different cultures on either sides. The costumed guides will direct you through the history of the fort, right from the...