Fort Snelling was constructed in 1821 at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers in what is now Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was built more for political than defensive purposes. It was constructed out of stone from the surrounding cliffs to let the French and English know that the Americans were here to stay.

Today the fort looks much like it did then. Four of the original buildings were restored and the walls and other buildings were carefully rebuilt to original specifications. The fort is roughly the size of three football fields side-by-side. There is a ten foot high wall that surrounds it. To enter through the gate, you walk past the stone tower, with gun slots on both of the levels. Other buildings in the fort include barracks, hospital, school, stables, and even commander’s quarters.

On the day we arrived the fort it was “Civil War Days” The fort was alive with folks dressed in period clothing of 1862. Soldiers marched in the parade ground. Men in tall hats, women in hoop skirts strolled about the grounds. There were demonstrations of some of the weapons that were used during the time, mussle-loading rifles, and breech loading rifles, and even a cannon. They all produced noise and lots of smoke