LibGuides: Fort Snelling: Overview

Overview

Following the war of 1812, the U. S. government sought to strengthen its control over the Northwestern territories by establishing a series of forts at strategic points in the region. One of these sites was the junction of the Minnesota or St. Peter's River and the Mississippi River. In 1819, U.S. troops began building the post on the high bluff above the area where the rivers meet. The new post was named Fort Snelling for Col. Josiah Snelling, the officer who oversaw most of its construction. Besides being the crossroads of two important river "highways", the region around the fort had cultural and economic importance for the Dakota and Ojibwe people, thus Fort Snelling formed the economic and cultural hub of early Minnesota.

Related Research Guides & Webpages

Historic Fort Snelling
Web page for the historic site.
Josiah Snelling
A guide listing the resources available at the MNHS library.
Military Intelligence Service Language School at Fort Snelling
A guide listing the resources available at the MNHS library.

Research Options

Visit the MNHS Library
Original materials, records, and newspapers on microfilm are available on site and reference staff can help with research.
MNHS Research Services
Order copies of records, articles, or other specific materials from the MNHS collections.
Interlibrary Loan
MNHS loans out most microfilm materials. Contact your local library for more information and assistance with this service.
Online Research
Some items such as newspapers, articles, photos and objects are available online. Look for links within this guide.
Other Libraries
Many books listed in the Secondary Sources page can be borrowed from other libraries.