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Military Forts in the Dakotas
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By the mid-1840s, thousands of pioneers were heading west in
search of new opportunities in California and Oregon. These migrants were
traveling through, not stopping to settle, so they posed little immediate
threat to the Plains Indian tribes. Later, as pioneers chose to stake claims
in this area, American Indian tribes took action to protect their lands. A
breaking point came in 1862, when fighting broke out between American Indian
people and white settlers in the Minnesota River Valley. Soon after,
military forts were established westward across the Northern Plains to
protect pioneers, miners and others who came to stay.
This webpage will introduce you to a few of these forts, but the best way to
learn their history is to visit the sites. Each of these six forts has
interpretive information to help you gain a better understanding of the role
they played in Great Plains history.
Click on the map below or scroll down the page to learn more
about each fort. Or, download the
printable brochure. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.)
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 Fort
Randall
Located near Pickstown, SD, below Fort Randall Dam on the west side
The Fort Randall Military Post, named for Colonel Daniel Randall,
served many functions from the time it was built in 1856 until the
fort was abandoned in 1892. During that time, the post provided
military protection to settlements along the Missouri River, escorted
many wagon trains and survey parties, and served as the central
military supply depot for the area.
Today, all that remains of the fort buildings that housed
approximately 500 men are several foundations which have been
excavated, the Fort Randall Post Cemetery and the Fort Randall Chapel.
A self-interpretive trail leads visitors around the site. The Fort
Randall Visitor Center tells the history of the fort and its
occupants.
Other Facilities Fort site is open year-round. No fee. ADA
accessible. Fort Randall Dam and Powerplant, Fort Randall Visitor
Center nearby. Camping available at nearby
Randall Creek Recreation
Area with 132 electrical sites, four camping cabins, showers and boat
ramp; and at
North Point Recreation Area with 111 electrical sites,
six camping cabins, showers, swimming beach, trails and boat ramp.
Fort Randall
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
P.O. Box 199
Pickstown, SD 57367
(605) 487-7845
www.usace.army.mil
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 Fort
Abercrombie
A designated North Dakota State Historic Site, located on the east
edge of Abercrombie, ND
Lt. Colonel John J. Abercrombie established Fort Abercrombie on August
28, 1858, on the Red River in Dakota Territory. Because of the threat
of flooding, the fort was moved to its present location in 1860. It
was the first permanent U.S. military fort established in what was to
become North Dakota and was also the only post in the area besieged by
Dakota warriors for more than six weeks during the Dakota Conflict of
1862.
The fort served to guard wagon trains and steamboat traffic on the Red
River and was also a supply base for wagon trains headed to the
Montana border. The fort was at the crossroads of several major
transportation routes in the Northern Plains until its abandonment in
1877.
County Road #4 divides the site into two parts. The first includes
recreational facilities and a local museum. The second is the actual
historic site that has a reconstructed stockade, two reconstructed
blockhouses and one original fort guardhouse. A fieldstone monument is
located near the center of the grounds. West of the site is a parking
lot accessible from the county road.
Other Facilities Open year-round. No fee. Museum (admission
fee required) open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday through Monday, May
16 to September 15. Audiotape available for rent, self-guided walking
tour. Limited ADA accessibility.
Fort Ambercrombie State Historic Site
P.O. Box 148, Abercrombie, ND 58001
(701) 553-8513, (701) 328-2666
www.DiscoverND.com/hist
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 Fort
Sully
Located at
Farm Island Recreation Area, 4 miles east of Pierre, SD,
off Hwy. 34
General Alfred Sully and his men were sent to the Missouri River to
make the area safe for homesteading pioneers. They established a fort
built with cottonwood logs near Pierre in 1863. The fort was the first
in a series of posts along the Missouri River which, over the next
fifteen years, extended the power of the Army to the Rocky Mountains.
Fort Sully was abandoned in late summer, 1866, because of the
deplorable conditions. There was no grass or wood within two miles,
muddy river water had to be hauled to the fort, and rats, mice and
fleas were everywhere. A new Fort Sully was constructed about 30 miles
upriver. The old fort was dismantled to use as fuel for steamboats.
No buildings remain, but markers indicate the corners of the fort. The
Farm Island Visitor Center stands in the center of old Fort Sully and
provides exhibits that help visitors learn more about the fort.
Other Facilities Park is open year-round. Visitor Center with
interpretive displays open by appointment. Park entrance license
required. ADA accessible. Campground features 90 campsites (60 w/
elec.), two camping cabins, showers, RV dump station, hiking trails,
swimming beach, wheelchair accessible fishing dock, boat ramp. Canoe,
paddleboat and bicycle rentals.
Fort Sully
Farm Island Recreation Area
1301 Farm Island Rd.
Pierre, SD 57501
(605) 773-2885
www.sdgfp.info/Parks
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 Fort
Sisseton
Located at
Fort Sisseton Historic State Park, 10 miles southwest of
Lake City, SD, off SD Hwy. 10
Fort Sisseton was established in 1864 to provide military protection
to new settlers in the region. Originally named Fort Wadsworth, the
site was chosen because it offered a strong natural defense, as well
as an ample supply of timber and stone for building material and clay
for making bricks. The perimeter wall surrounding the fort consisted
of earthen breastworks and a ditch. At its prime, approximately 120 to
200 enlisted infantrymen were stationed at Fort Sisseton.
The fort was abandoned as a military outpost in 1889, after 25 years
of operation. In 1959, the South Dakota legislature designated Fort
Sisseton a state park. Fourteen of the original fort buildings have
been restored both inside and outside. Special events are held at the
fort throughout the year, including the Fort Sisseton Festival in the
first weekend in June and the Frontier Christmas the second weekend in
December.
Other Facilities Park open year-round. Visitor center and
fort buildings open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week, Memorial Day
through Labor Day. Open remainder of the year by appointment. Park
entrance license required. Visitor Center with a museum and gift shop,
first-person guided tours. Buildings and equipment available to rent
for special events. Campground features 14 campsites (10 with
electricity), three sleeping cabins plus a cooking cabin, rental tipi
and Sibley tent, tent camping area, showers, hiking and horseback
riding trail, and adjacent lakes for canoeing, boating and fishing.
Fort Sisseton Historic State Park
11907 434th Avenue
Lake City, SD 57247
www.sdgfp.info/Parks
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 Fort
Ransom
A designated North Dakota State Historic Site, located approximately
one-half mile SW of Fort Ransom, ND
Fort Ransom, established in 1867 to protect overland travel from
Minnesota to Montana, was named in honor of Brevet Major General
Thomas E. G. Ransom
of the US Volunteers. On June 17, 1867, a battalion of the 10th US
Infantry, commanded by Brevet Major George H. Crosman, arrived and
began work on enclosing a breastwork, completing it by August. Oak
logs from the nearby Sheyenne River Valley were used to construct the
post. Outside the breastwork were quarters for Indian scouts.
Survival at this military post was a constant struggle. Water for
drinking and cooking had to be hauled from a spring 600 yards away.
The nearby river was used for bathing during the summer. A vegetable
garden was near the post, but hay for livestock came from three miles
south.
Fort Ransom was dismantled in 1872, and the materials were used to
build Fort Seward at Jamestown. Today, although the building locations
and dry moat are still clearly visible, nothing else remains of the
original fort.
Other Facilities Open year-round. No fee. No facilities on
site. Limited ADA accessibility. Camping available at Fort Ransom
State Park two miles north of
the town of Fort Ransom.
Fort Ransom State Historic Site
State Historical Society of North Dakota
612 E. Blvd. Ave., Bismark, ND 58505
(701) 328-2666
www.DiscoverND.com/hist
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 Fort Abraham Lincoln
Located at Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park, 7 miles S of Mandan, ND on
Highway 1806
The military was dispatched to this area in preparation for the coming
of the Northern Pacific Railroad. An infantry post was built
overlooking the Missouri River in June 1872. A year later, Congress
authorized the addition of a cavalry
post. By 1874, the fort housed a total of 650 men, making it one of
the largest
and most important forts on the Northern Plains.
Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer was the first commander of the
enlarged
fort and served there from 1873 until he and the 7th Cavalry departed
for the Little Big Horn River on May 17, 1876. The fort continued to
be the headquarters of the 7th Cavalry until June 1882. The fort
gradually declined in importance and was abandoned in 1891.
Many important post structures have been rebuilt and are open to
visitors. They include the home of George and Libbie Custer, an
enlisted mens barracks, 7th Cavalry stable, granary, commissary
storehouse and infantry post blockhouses.
Other Facilities Open year-round. Entrance fee required.
Additional fee for guided tours. Visitor center, On-A-Slant Mandan
Indian Village earthlodges. Campground features electrical sites,
showers, RV dump station, camping cabins, hiking/biking trails,
riverboat, trolley and guided trail rides.
Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park
4480 Ft. Lincoln Road
Mandan, ND 58554
(701) 667-6340
www.NDparks.com
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This information is a cooperative effort by the
South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks, the North Dakota
Parks and Recreation Department, and the State Historical Society of
North Dakota. Photos courtesy of these three entities. |
Copyright Σ 2006 State of
South Dakota |
