The heart of the U.S. Army is its regular infantry, with lineage going back to 1808. The First Infantry Division is America’s oldest division. In 1918 the soldiers of the 1st won America’s first major battle of WWI at Cantigy. In WWII the 1st . . . — — Map (db m227827) WM
Near Snelling Lake Road, on the left when traveling north.
When the Wisconsin Glacier began to melt 12,000 years ago, it created an enormous body of water known as Glacial Lake Agassiz. As this lake drained in numerous directions 10,000 years ago, the surging waters of Glacial River Warren eroded the . . . — — Map (db m246952) HM
Near State Highway 55 north of State Highway 5, on the right when traveling north.
He served with distinction in the Indian wars of the old northwest border and in the War of 1812. In August, 1820, he assumed command of the Fifth United States Infantry at Camp Coldwater on the site of Fort Snelling. Selecting the bluffs at the . . . — — Map (db m227949) HM
Near South Minnehaha Park Drive 0.5 miles south of East 54th Street. Reported missing.
The U.S. Army constructed the Coldwater Springhouse and Reservoir between the late 1870s and early 1880s to supply water to an expanding Fort Snelling. Coldwater Spring provided water from 1820 to the 1920s. The spring holds cultural significance . . . — — Map (db m204889) HM
For most of the 1820s through the 1940s, the fort's commanding officers lived here with their families.
Commanding officers' servants lived here, too. Before the Civil War, more than half were enslaved.
In 1903, the house was updated in . . . — — Map (db m255759) HM
The Daughters of the American Revolution installed these plaques in recognition of military service.
Lt. Col. Henry Leavenworth arrived with the 5th Infantry in August 1819. The regiment included families, as well as both enslaved and free . . . — — Map (db m258660) HM
These barracks were built to house more than 250 soldiers.
By the late 1800s, half that number of soldiers lived here. Because few stone masons were available, the original long barracks was built from wood.
In the 1880s, the 25th . . . — — Map (db m255756) HM
A critical moment of the US–Dakota War took place a few steps away from here on November 11, 1865, with the execution of Dakota leaders Sakpedan and Wakan Ozanzan. Drugged and kidnapped from their refuge in Canada, the two leaders faced trial by a . . . — — Map (db m229040) HM
The garrison's first flagpole was right in front of the Round
Tower.
The flagpole was moved around the fort quite a bit, eventually to Taylor Avenue on the upper post. The first flagpole, made of green wood, soon rotted and was replaced. The . . . — — Map (db m256083) HM
This historical ground was a pivotal place in the development of the Northwest. With the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, Fort Snelling expanded its limestone walls into this area, formerly a part of the U.S. Indian Agency and the location of the . . . — — Map (db m211174) HM
On Taylor Avenue south of Leavenworth Avenue, on the right when traveling south.
After more than a century as a military outpost, the U.S. Army decommissioned Fort Snelling following World War II. The site was transferred to the Veteran's Administration (VA) in 1946. Some of the Upper Post's building were used for medical . . . — — Map (db m275250) HM
February 16th 1942 Midway, Tulagi, Makin; February 1st 1944 Russell Islands, New Georgia, Bouganville. Guadacanal-In Memory and Honor of the 8,078 men of the four Marine Raider battalions who fought in World War II, 892 of whom died in battle, 2420 . . . — — Map (db m227826) WM
In memoriam to the 3298 men of the Fourth Marine Division of WW II who fell in battle, the 14424 wounded in action and those of us who have joined them. Semper Fidels
Roi Namur Marshall Is. 2-1-1944; Saipan Marianas Is. 6-15-1944; Iwo Jima . . . — — Map (db m227825) WM
On Leavenworth Avenue at Taylor Avenue, on the left when traveling west on Leavenworth Avenue.
Life at Fort Snelling wasn't all hard work—there was also a lot of play. The Army knew that recreation was important for troops' health and happiness, and built many athletic fields and facilities here. This won Fort Snelling the nickname "the . . . — — Map (db m274423) HM
Access to the fort was controlled in these buildings. They also functioned as a police station and fire department. Guards were divided into three shifts each day. They protected the post and formed bucket brigades when fires broke . . . — — Map (db m258654) HM
Near Sibley Avenue at Colville Avenue, on the left when traveling south.
At its peak, Fort Snelling covered more than 2,300 acres. That meant that getting from one side of the fort to another was a long walk. Traveling between the fort and Minneapolis and Saint Paul was an even bigger challenge.
This made it . . . — — Map (db m271962) HM
Near State Highway 55 north of State Highway 5, on the right when traveling north.
From this point, Beltrami, Italian jurist, scholar and explorer, on July 7, 1823, started his journey into the wilderness of northern Minnesota resulting in his discovery of the source of the Mississippi River August 19, 1823. Through persistence, . . . — — Map (db m227950) HM
On Taylor Avenue south of Leavenworth Avenue, on the left when traveling south.
Fort Snelling's size has fluctuated over the years. Most of the buildings around you were constructed during war campaigns, which brought many new people to the fort. Some of these buildings were temporary, built to last between five and twenty . . . — — Map (db m274991) HM
Near Tower Avenue, on the left when traveling east.
Bring races together and begin the healing.
—Peter Lengkeek, Tribal Chair, Crow Creek Sioux Tribe; US Marine Corps, 1991-98
Peter Lengkeek, citizen of the Hunkpati Dakota Oyate, has long been an advocate for this people, including . . . — — Map (db m229090) HM
This is the Army's first hospital at the post.
Doctors treated the local community here. The post surgeon also kept daily weather records-some of the first in the region.
After 1839, other buildings served as hospitals. A new hospital was . . . — — Map (db m255681) HM
I was born in the states, in Nebraska, and I'm an American just like you.
—Tech. 5th Grade Sue Ogata Kato,
Women's Army Auxiliary Corps, US Army, 1943–46
Pvts. Iris Watanabe, Sue Kato, and Bette Nishimura at Building 57, . . . — — Map (db m229209) HM
Near Tower Avenue north of Olson Memorial Highway (Minnesota Route 55/62), on the right when traveling west.
Following the Battle of Wood Lake, 1,600 Dakota, mostly women and children, were forced to march from Camp Release to Fort Snelling. Rather than take up arms, many Dakota had protected white settlers and captives during the war. Arriving on . . . — — Map (db m229258) HM
On Taylor Avenue south of Leavenworth Avenue, on the right when traveling south.
Household Archaeology at Fort Snelling
Fort Snelling was a military base but it was also a home to soldiers, administrators, workers, and their families.
One of the ways to learn about the domestic lives of people at the . . . — — Map (db m274893) HM
On Taylor Avenue east of Minnehaha Avenue, on the right.
Surgical Pavilion, U.S. General Hospital No. 29, Fort Snelling, Ca. 1918, Minnesota Historical Society
Doctor and nurse with patient, Fort Snelling Hospital, 1919, Minnesota Historical Society
Aides in occupational and physio . . . — — Map (db m270629) HM
On Taylor Avenue east of Minnehaha Avenue, on the right.
Students at the language school studied sosho (cursive Japanese characters) and beigo (Japanese military terms). On average, students learned between 50 and 200 new characters every day. Japanese translators at Fort Snelling, 1945, St. . . . — — Map (db m270950) HM
On Leavenworth Avenue at Officer's Lane, on the left when traveling west on Leavenworth Avenue.
As an active military base for more than 120 years, Fort Snelling has offered many kinds of military training. From mock battles and trench warfare to instruction in ceremonies and parades, the fort is where many soldiers mastered skills they . . . — — Map (db m274399) HM
On Taylor Avenue south of Leavenworth Avenue, on the left when traveling south.
Fort Snelling has been home to several notable military units. Some units were based at the fort for a long time. Others were here briefly. Still, all of them left their mark on the history of the fort.
Fragment of the 1st . . . — — Map (db m274739) HM
Near Tower Avenue east of Bloomington Road, on the left when traveling east.
Mitakuye Oyasin: We Are All Related
Environmental impacts have greatly shaped the land you see around you.
As you walk the paths around Fort Snelling, look for changes in each season. See how interconnected animals, birds, . . . — — Map (db m307844) HM
Each apartment in this building housed families, or several single officers.
Officers' servants lived here, too. Before the Civil War, more than half were enslaved. Like the Commanding Officer's building, in 1903 the quarters were updated in . . . — — Map (db m256086) HM
Near Tower Avenue east of Bloomington Road, on the left when traveling east.
I will bear true faith and allegiance to the United States of America.
—from the volunteer enlistment form of Felix Battles, August 8, 1864
Felix Battles was 20 years old when he enlisted. He was born into slavery near Memphis, . . . — — Map (db m231429) HM
Near State Highway 55 north of State Highway 5, on the right when traveling north. Reported permanently removed.
A Sea of Grass
In its early days Fort Snelling was surrounded by a sea of head-high grass. The vast Minnesota prairie was broken only by small groves of trees—willows, cottonwoods, and oaks that grew near creeks, lakes, and marshes. . . . — — Map (db m229951) HM
I walked in his footsteps.
—Sgt. Terri Winter, US Army veteran and volunteer, Fort Snelling Memorial Rifle Squad
Sgt. Terri Winter, commander of the Fort Snelling Memorial Rifle Squad, 2014
Generations . . . — — Map (db m232069) HM
On Sibley Avenue at Colville Avenue, on the right when traveling east on Sibley Avenue.
These ruins are what remains of Building 63, Fort Snelling's Quartermaster Shops.
The Quartermaster Shops were constructed between 1879 and 1880. It was one of dozens of new additions to the fort when the Department of Dakota . . . — — Map (db m271415) HM
Near the Minnehaha Trail north of Snelling Lake Road, on the right when traveling north.
River Valleys Take Shape
The two river valleys that meet here were carved thousands of years ago by water flowing from glaciers in the north. Glacial River Warren drained Glacial Lake Agassiz cutting through debris and bedrock to form the . . . — — Map (db m237601) HM
Soldiers could defend the fort from high atop this tower.
Some of the musket slits on this building face inside the fort's walls; others face outside This tower was the last line of defense last ditch to military language A 12 pound field sun . . . — — Map (db m256079) HM
We are willing to pay the price as far as the good need arises.
—Cpl. Maurice Masterson, 151st Field Artillery, 42nd "Rainbow" Division, writing to his father, September 19, 1918
Maurice Masterson at Fort Riley, August 10, . . . — — Map (db m230607) HM
Near John A. Johnson Memorial Highway (Route 5) north of Great River Road (Minnesota Route 62), on the right when traveling north.
In 1820 the US government established an Indian agency near the site of Fort Snelling. Located near where Highways 5 and 55 intersect today, the agency was supervised by a civilian agent. The agent's duties were to manage the region's fur trade . . . — — Map (db m229735) HM
The fort's first students were the children of Col. Josiah Snelling and his officers.
Later, enlisted soldiers and their children took classes at the schoolhouse. Over time other school buildings were erected. Beginning in the 1930s, the . . . — — Map (db m255679) HM
Being in the military is one of the five major educations of my life.
—2nd Lt. Clifford Brunzell, US Army Air Corps, 1943–45
Cliff Brunzell, 1943-45
Courtesy Brunzell family
In 1943, an aspiring musician . . . — — Map (db m229533) HM
Near Tower Road east of Bloomington Road, on the left when traveling east.
Whiskey and Lt. William Hazelrigg at Fort Snelling, 1922
A wild horse who could kick a hole in a battleship arrived in 1921. Whiskey's intelligence dazzled audiences.
The Minneapolis Journal noted the horse's . . . — — Map (db m210335) HM
The Sutler store was like a modern post exchange, or PX.
Sutlers were civilian shopkeepers, the Army contracted with them to sell goods that the military did not supply. Their stores also served as soldiers clubs and mail rooms.
In the . . . — — Map (db m255671) HM
For many Native communities, three seeds produce the most important crops: corn, beans, and squash. Together, these seeds make up the Three Sisters and are a cornerstone of Native American agriculture. Native farming employs the technique of . . . — — Map (db m229950) HM
Near Tower Avenue east of Bloomington Road, on the left when traveling east.
Travel through 10,000 years of human history to explore how this area sacred to the Dakota became Minnesota's first National Historic Landmark—Historic Fort Snelling.
The Shape of Water
The Mississippi River was a small tributary 12,000 . . . — — Map (db m231441) HM
Near Tower Avenue, on the left when traveling east.
This is Dakota homeland. In 1805, Dakota leaders Cetaŋ Wakuwa Mani, Wakiŋyan Taŋka, Taoyateduta, Wakute, Wapahaśa II, Wapahaśa III, and Joseph Renville met with Lt. Zebulon Pike where the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers . . . — — Map (db m232559) HM
On Taylor Avenue at Colville Avenue on Taylor Avenue.
This place, where the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers meet, has been the site of ceremony and gathering for over 10,000 years. The Dakota name for the river confluence is Bdote, which means "where two waters come together." The area . . . — — Map (db m271905) HM
Near Tower Avenue 0.3 miles east of Bloomington Road. Reported permanently removed.
Built in 1904-05 by the U.S. Army, Buildings 17 and 18 were constructed as double barracks to house cavalry troops. By 1911 the cavalry had left Fort Snelling, but the buildings continued to house troops through the early 1940s as the post grew in . . . — — Map (db m229952) HM
The US-Dakota War of 1862 was a violent and divisive period in Minnesota history. Between 1837 and 1858, the Dakota nation signed treaties transferring more than 24 million acres of land to the United States, only to find agreed upon payments . . . — — Map (db m227894) HM
On Minnehaha Park Drive at E. 54th Street, on the left when traveling south on Minnehaha Park Drive.
This area around the confluence, or meeting of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers has been the center of activity in this region for centuries. Generations of people have gathered here to live, work, and recreate.
Native peoples, explorers, . . . — — Map (db m227822) HM
On Snelling Lake Road, on the right when traveling north.
Where Rivers and People Come Together
You are standing on ground that has been a gathering place for rivers, people and legends for thousands of years. Nearby is the confluence, or meeting, of two mighty rivers—the Mississippi and . . . — — Map (db m185834) HM
This memorial honors the sixteen hundred Dakota people, many of them women and children, who were imprisoned here at Fort Snelling in the aftermath of the 1862 U.S.-Dakota Conflict. Frightened, uprooted, and uncertain of the fate of their missing . . . — — Map (db m227845) HM
Women have been essential to the fort's work throughout its history.
In the early days, many of the working women at the fort were married to soldiers, and some were enslaved by the officers. They worked as laundresses and servants. . . . — — Map (db m256082) HM
