Near Little Falls in Morrison County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

The French Fort

Charles A. Lindbergh State Park

— Little Elk/Schoessling Unit —

The French Fort marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By McGhiever, September 26, 2013

1. The French Fort marker

Inscription. Archaeologists have determined French traders built a fort here in the mid-1700s shortly before the Dakota-Ojibwe conflict made the area unsafe for occupation.

Archaeologists located the remains of three dwellings, containing fireplaces and storage pits. Excavation provided clues about French fur-trader lifestyles, diets, architecture and defense. It also furthers our understanding of why they interacted with their Native trading partners.

The fort, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is the oldest European outpost located to date in the Mississippi Headwaters Region.

The site is also referred to as MO20 (MO signifying it's in Morrison County and 20 signifying it's the 20th recorded archaeological site in the county.

Between 1982 and 2003 archaeologist Doug Birk spent countless hours here during the Institute for Minnesota Archaeology's ownership of the property digging, researching and documenting the area's history.

Erected 2010 by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Anthropology & Archaeology • Exploration • Forts and Castles • Native Americans. A significant historical year for this entry is 1752.

Location.

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46° 0.761′ N, 94° 21.512′ W. Marker is near Little Falls, Minnesota, in Morrison County. Marker can be reached from Grouse Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 17443 Grouse Rd, Little Falls MN 56345, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Log Jams (approx. 0.2 miles away); Interesting Names (approx. 0.2 miles away); Major Morrill's Road (approx. 0.2 miles away); Pike and Nicollet's Visits (approx. ¼ mile away); Ojibwe Presence (approx. ¼ mile away); Milling District (approx. 0.3 miles away); Area Settlement (approx. 0.3 miles away); Institute for MN Archeology Site MO20 (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Little Falls.

More about this marker. Located in the Little Elk unit of Charles A. Lindbergh State Park along the loop interpretive trail. A chain link fence protects the archaeological site adjacent to the marker.

Marker next to fence surrounding archaeological site image. Click for full size.

Photographed By McGhiever, September 26, 2013

2. Marker next to fence surrounding archaeological site

Site of the fort beyond the fence image. Click for full size.

Photographed By McGhiever, September 26, 2013

3. Site of the fort beyond the fence

Adjacent National Register of Historic Places marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By McGhiever, September 26, 2013

4. Adjacent National Register of Historic Places marker

Credits. This page was last revised on December 28, 2022. It was originally submitted on September 7, 2021, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota. This page has been viewed 402 times since then and 58 times this year. Last updated on December 28, 2022, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 7, 2021, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.