Historic Fort Snelling

Good park, not a whole lot to do but it abuts state parks and trail systems. Their exhibits and display signs are interesting, and the clock on display is really neat. The inside of the visitor center smells horrible, like fermented sunscreen and sweat.

Old fort staffed by volunteers. Largest Massacre of people in American history occurred on this property when by court action they killed many Native Americans during President Lincoln’s tenure. Monuments and staff seem to be too proud about killing native american’s. I was offended and would not recommend a visit

Yes, yes, yes! I hopped off the airplane and came straight to Historic Fort Snelling … and recommend you do the same! A must-​see during your time in the Twin Cities.
The fort was the first white settlement in the area, a military base that pretended to be a trading post. (It’s actually a little disturbing to hear about how the Snellings tricked the Native Americans in the area and basically killed them off.)
However, the Fort itself is at the convergence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers, and is surrounded by vast foliage. The fort is in a typical pentagon shape, and you can easily tour by starting at one spot and walking around the perimeter. About every half hour, there’s something going on – canon firings, school sessions for children, reenactments, etc. The staff is so friendly… almost too friendly! I would have finished my tour 30 minutes sooner but everyone wanted to talk to me about what was going on in their areas. :)
Also, Fort Snelling is where Dred Scott and his wife Harriet lived when they started their lawsuit to sue for their freedom. Since that «catalyzed sentiment against slave ownership» (thanks Wiki), he *basically* set off the Civil War. #NBD.
Anyway, the Fort is historic, educational, and beautiful. Carve out 2 – 3 hours during your trip to come take a visit. And if you live in MSP and haven’t been here since first grade, bring a date to enjoy the scenery! You’ve got so much American history right under your nose.

A state and national treasure. The place where Dredd Scott lived for a time, where fur trading was monitored, where many soldiers geared up for various conflicts up until World War 2. This is a fabulous place to learn about the roleMinnesota played in national and world history. The kids always love it and you discover new things every time. Highly recommended.

This is a wonderful way to spend a day! The living history staff are so knowledgable and interesting! The admission fee is very reasonable. We intended to only be there a couple of hours and ended up staying all day!

I, Julie D. am in no way a history buff. However, I always enjoy the opportunity to get a flash from a near or distant pass. We stopped here as soon as we hit town.
Apparently, for hundreds of years, many generations of Native American Dakota tribes lived in tiny villages along the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers. In the 1820s, (think Civil Wars times) Fort Snelling was built on the bluff above these rivers to control the exploration, trade, and settlement on these waterways. The area was established as a state park in 1961. The swimming beach, added in 1970, remains a popular recreation attraction in the park. In 1997, a new visitor center opened to the public.
Inside the fort, you are able to catch a glimpse as to what military life was like. You are greeted by men in military garb answering questions about the Fort. There are narrators in some of the buildings sharing the history of the fort and the Dakota people and townspeople and children showing some of the «toys» that were used in those days. While we were there, there was a military drill, fascinating, which including the firing of canons. At at the end, the audience was encouraged to participate in the drills.
On a side note, this park has some nice walking/​biking trails that are also used for Winter sports such as cross country skiing and snow shoeing. Worth checking out.

Landmark Review:
A great educational experience for familes! There is nothing like this in Chicago. You pay only 10 dollars and you can go on a self guided tour of the fort with many workers dressed in costume answering any historical questions and performing many of the task such as make a nail with the black smith and daily drills for firing the cannon at the end of the day. Great for pictures and history buffs!
Hidden deals: Great way to spend the afternoon, inexpensive.

Went here to take some pictures one day, it was pretty nice. There’s lots of paths to walk around on with lots of history lessons on plaques, I even stumbled on a path that leads down into Fort Snelling State Park, which is another place everyone should check out. Either way, historic Fort Snelling is a nice place to visit, takes some pictures, bring the kids for a little history, and just enjoy yourself

Went to Fort Snelling with John K. and Frank R. The buildings at the fort are in good shape and contain many interesting items. The entrance fee is ten dollars for a self guided tour that has people in costume along the way who will answer any questions that you might have. Throughout the day they have military drills, laundry, cooking and blacksmith demonstrations. Twice a day they fire a cannon on the parade grounds. A very nice place with great views of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers. They have picnic grounds by the visitor center.

We had a great time! I like how they have people dressed up. The canon demonstration was awesome. We plan to return. The hour that we were there wasn’t long enough.