Fort Snelling Minnesota

Fort Snelling, Minnesota

Minnesota / 5 minutes of reading

Established in 1819, Fort Snelling is located at the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers, near St. Paul, Minnesota. Originally a remote U.S. western outpost, the fort lies in a naturally beautiful area close to the Falls of Minnehaha and Bridal Veil Falls, attracting many visitors annually. It occupies a strategic position at the rivers’ junction, atop a 300-feet high bluff. The site, chosen initially by Lieutenant Z.M. Pike in 1805 following negotiations with the Sioux, didn’t commence construction until 1820 under Colonel Snelling’s oversight, completing in 1822. Initially named Fort St. Anthony, it was renamed Fort Snelling in 1824. Evolving from log huts to modern barracks, the fort served as a military and cultural hub, notably during the Civil War and the 1862 Sioux outbreak, helping shape the surrounding regions, including what later became St. Paul.

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Fort Snelling, Minnesota History, 1825-85

Leave a Comment / Minnesota / 1 minute of reading

Situated at the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers just outside of St. Paul, Minnesota, Fort Snelling was one of the first white settlements in the region. This manuscript is a collection of reminiscences of life at the fort, written by a daughter of an army officer. Coming to the area with the first group of soldiers, Charlotte Van Cleve describes the early years of the fort, including her own rudimentary schooling, encounters with local Indians, and the rigors of frontier life. Additionally, she recounts her courtship and marriage to a prominent army officer and their trips to St. Louis, Cincinnati, Kentucky, and Nashville. For those wishing to better understand life in a frontier fortification, this narrative can provide detailed information.

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