A Fort in Paradise: Part III

Article by Michael Rainville, Jr.

Part II of this three-part series looked into how Fort Snelling came to be and its role in the U.S. Civil War and the U.S. – Dakota War of 1862. Established to protect the fur trading in the area, the Fort provided a sense of safety for immigrants who were moving West. As European-American communities started popping up in close proximity to the Fort and throughout the Upper Midwest, the need for Fort Snelling diminished. Once the Civil War started, Governor Ramsey was the first to volunteer troops to President Lincoln in support of the Union. Thousands of troops were trained at the Fort during this time and many played important roles in the battles of First Bull Run, Antietam, and Gettysburg.

The Fort also played a role in the U.S. – Dakota War as over 1,600 Dakota women, children, and elders were forcefully marched along the Minnesota River and put into concentration camps just below the Fort during the winter of 1862-63. Fort Snelling became the headquarters of the U.S. military’s Department of the Dakota in the 1870s, and served during the Spanish-American War in 1898 and the Philippine-American War from 1899 – 1902. From 1882 – 1888, the Fort was home to the famed Twenty-Fifth United States Infantry Regiment, a segregated African American unit, also known as the Buffalo Soldiers.

1919 photo of nurses teaching wounded soldiers crafts.

During WWI, the Fort became a processing and officer training center for thousands of troops. In September of 1918, the Medical Department of the US Army took over the Fort and it acted as a General Hospital. With 1,200 beds available, an all-woman Army Nurse Corps helped many people during the Spanish Flu outbreak, and when that subsided, they helped veterans who returned home after WWI. The nurses also acted as occupational therapists for many of the veterans by playing games with them and teaching them crafts. Once the war was over, Fort Snelling became known as the “country club of the army.” There were swimming pools, a polo team, and many other activities during this time. Thanks to the Civilian Conservation Corps, many of the Fort’s buildings were restored and a reception center was built to aid with the processing of new recruits.

Over 300,000 men and women went through Fort Snelling during WWII. While many of them were sent to different bases for basic training, some training did occur at the Fort, such as training for Military Police and Military Railway Service soldiers. The Fort played a very important role during this war as it was home to the Military Intelligence Service Language School. Here, over 6,000 Japanese Americans were taught the Chinese, Korean, and Japanese languages and cultures in order to aid in interpretation and interrogation, and help intelligence workers.

1944 photo of Japanese translators at the Fort.

Once WWII came to an end, so did the need for Fort Snelling as a military site. It was decommissioned by the War Department on October 14th, 1946. Most of the Fort’s land was taken by various federal agencies, and in 1960, the existing structures of the Fort were listed as National Historic Landmarks. This marked the beginning of its transition into a historic and educational site.

Picture of the inside of Fort Snelling taken in 1972.

For eighteen years, archaeologists meticulously excavated the area of the original fort. At the time, the only original structures that were left were the Round Tower, Commanding Officer’s House, South Battery, and Officers' Quarters. In 1970, the Minnesota Historical Society opened the Fort to the public as a historic site with interpretation of what life was like back when the Fort was active. By the early 1980s, over 500,000 artifacts were uncovered, and two dozen structures, buildings, walls, were reconstructed to make Fort Snelling appear as it did when it was first made in the 1820s. Since then, Historic Fort Snelling has welcomed school groups, tourists, and locals alike and introduced them to the history of one of the most important sites in this land we call Minnesota.

Now is also an important transition time for Historic Fort Snelling. Beginning this spring, a two-year process will begin to transform existing buildings, that are located outside of the Fort’s walls, into a new visitor center with exhibition and event space. Additionally, new landscaping that brings the entire site together will be added, and there will be no story left untold from the many different peoples who have called this land home.

1942 photo of soldier maneuvers on skis at the Fort.

This three-part series is just the tip of the iceberg of the history of Bdote and Fort Snelling, and that’s even an understatement. Dred and Harriet Scott once resided within these walls as enslaved persons, Dakota leaders Little Six and Medicine Bottle were hanged here, and the 99th Infantry Battalion, a group of Norwegian-speaking soldiers, were trained here to fight on skis and snowshoes during WWII. These stories and many more are waiting to be explored. Once the weather warms up and the earth is healthy again, plan a trip to Historic Fort Snelling at Bdote. If you’re lucky, I just might be your guide. 

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About Michael Rainville, Jr.

A 6th generation Minneapolitan, Michael Rainville Jr. received his B.A. in History from the University of St. Thomas, and is currently enrolled in their M.A. in Art History and Certificate in Museum Studies programs. Michael is also a historic interpreter and guide at Historic Fort Snelling at Bdote and a lead guide at Mobile Entertainment LLC, giving Segway tours of the Minneapolis riverfront for 7+ years. Contact: mrainvillejr@comcast.net. Click here for an interactive map of Michael's past articles.