North Dakota Forts

American Forts: West

NORTH DAKOTA

Last Update: 15/MAY/2010

¤ Posts of the Red River Colony
History of Pembina from City of Pembina, ND
The Lord Selkirk Settlement at Red River from the Manitoba Historical Society

¤ Fort Pambian
(1797 - unknown), Pembina
A North West Co. post, also called Charles Chaboillez' Post after its first trader. The buildings were burned down in 1815. The site is in Selkirk Park on Stutsman Street.

The XY Company supposedly also had a trade post located in the near vicinity (date ?).

¤ Henry House (2)
(1801 - unknown), Pembina
A North West Co. stockaded post also called Fort Henry (1), built by Alexander Henry, located just north of the mouth of the Pembina River.

¤ Pembina House
(Pembina State Museum)
(1803 - 1823, 1845 - 1876), Pembina
A Hudson's Bay Co. trading post, sometimes referred to as Fort Pembina (1). A second operation was later established here in 1845. In 1863-64 the HBC post was briefly occupied by a detachment of Minnesota Volunteers during the Sioux Uprisings. Site located on Rolette Street.

¤ Fort Daer
(1812 - 1823), Pembina
A fortified Hudson's Bay Co. sponsored settlement post on the Red River just above (upstream from) the mouth of the Pembina River, which experienced bitter friction with the nearby North West Co. post. In 1816 the "Nor'Westers" occupied this post for a few months. Named after Thomas Douglas, Lord Selkirk (aka Baron Daer).

The Pembina (or Red River) settlement was formally established in 1812 by British Canadians (primarily Scots settlers) under the sponsorship of the Hudson's Bay Company. It was part of the larger Red River Colony in present-day Manitoba. When the international border was fixed at the 49th Parallel in 1818, the British ceded the upper Red River area and some of the outlying settlers then moved north. The rest of the colony moved north in 1823 when a land survey finally confirmed that the settlement on the Pembina River was actually within the United States. This was the first permanent white settlement in the state. (Pembina is pronounced "PEM-bih-naw".)

¤ Pembina River House
(1800 - 1805 ?), near Maida and Windygates, Manitoba
Also called Pembina Mountain Post and Hair Hills Post. It was established by the North West Company as a fur trade post, but it became known for its vegetable gardens. The post was relocated each season, which fluctuated around the later established U.S. - Canada border.

¤ Park River Post
(1800 - 1801 ?), near Oakwood
A North West Co. trading post, built by Alexander Henry, located on the west side of the Red River, about a quarter-mile from the mouth of the Park River. Also known as Henry House (1).

¤ LeRoy's House
(1800 - unknown), near Warsaw
A short-lived independent British trade post. Located at or near the mouth of the Forest River, or just south of there at the mouth of the Turtle River.

¤ Turtle River Post
(1812 - unknown), near Manvel
A Hudson's Bay Co. post on the Red River at the mouth of the Turtle River, 18 miles north of Grand Forks.

¤ Grand Forks Posts
(1807 - 1818 ?), Grand Forks
Also known as Grand Forks House, or Grandes Fourches, a North West Co. trading post built by John Cameron.

The Hudson's Bay Co. later operated a trade store here in 1875 - 1881.

¤ Upper Red River House
(1788 - 1790's), Grand Forks
A North West Co. trade post. Abandoned long before Grand Forks House was established.

Fort Pembina (2)
(1870 - 1895), Pembina
Originally called Fort George H. Thomas. Located just south of the town, it was built by the U.S. Army to keep watch over the Sioux and the growing civil disturbances of the Red River Settlements in Manitoba, and it also helped to suppress two raids into Canada by the armed Fenian Society. The fort burned down in 1895 and the surviving buildings were auctioned off in 1902. The site is near the Pembina Airport.

Antoine Gingras' Trading Post (State Historical Site)
(1840's), Walhalla
Established by a French-Canadian Métis trader. The restored post is located on 129th Ave. NE. The town was once known as St. Joseph.

Norman Kittson's Trading Post
(1851), Walhalla
A civilian trading post. Marker at site.

Fort Totten (State Historical Site)
(Devils Lake Sioux Indian Reservation)
(1867 - 1890), Fort Totten
Originally a log and adobe fort. Permanent brick buildings were built in 1870 when the Indian Reservation was established. Sixteen restored brick buildings remain and the park is considered to be the best preserved, and most scenic, Army post on the Northern Plains. The Fort Totten Indian Agency and boarding school moved into the former post from 1891 to 1935. Became a tuberculosis hospital from 1935 - 1940, then became an Indian vocational and community school from 1940 - 1959. Became a state park in 1960. Admission fee.

This is also the site of a 1863 Sibley Campaign camp site, which became Post on Devils Lake in 1864, soon renamed Fort Hays before it was abandoned in 1864.

Camp Briggs
(1898), Fargo
A temporary staging and training encampment for state troops for the Spanish-American War, lasting only one month. Site located in the "Huntington Addition", at the end of Eighth Street between 17th and 18th Aves..

Fort Abercrombie (State Historical Site)
(1857 - 1878), Abercrombie
Reconstructed partial stockade and two blockhouses, plus the original restored guardhouse. This was the first Federal fort in the state, later becoming the terminus of the military mail routes from Forts Stevenson and Wadsworth (in SD). This was also the head of navigation on the Red River for trade to Fort Garry, Manitoba. Abandoned in 1859 due to river flooding, rebuilt in 1860 at its present location, without a stockade. The Sioux besieged the fort in September 1862 while most of the troops were sent away to the south. The stockade and blockhouses were built afterwards. The post buildings were sold to area settlers after 1880. Became a state park in 1903. Admission fee.

Sheyenne River Post
(1825 - unknown), Ransom County
An American Fur Company trading post. Located on the Sheyenne River about 50 miles from its juction with the Red River.

Fort Ransom (State Historical Site)
(1867 - 1872), Fort Ransom
Built on Grizzly Bear Hill to protect the emmigrant trail across the plains. It was a log stockade with two blockhouses, within a dry moat. Replaced by Fort Seward when the Northern Pacific Railroad reached Jamestown. No remains.

Camp Johnson
(Birch Creek State Historic Site)
(1863 - 1864), near Hastings
One of General Alfred Sully's expedition encampments to put down the Sioux Uprising.

This was also the site of John Frémont's 1839 Camp Frémont.

Fort Seward (Historic Site)
(1872 - 1877), Jamestown
Built from materials from Fort Ransom after that fort was abandoned. Originally named Camp Sykes for one month, and then Fort Cross until early 1873. Everything was dismantled by the Army when the post was abandoned. In 1925 the site was donated for a state park by the Northern Pacific Railroad. The D.A.R. erected a monument here in 1929. The park is now maintained by the city, with a small interpretive center, at 605 10th Ave. NW. The site is located on a bluff where the railroad crosses the James River. Another marker is located nearby on Fourth Street NW. See also NDSU Archaeological Field School at Fort Seward

Camp Hancock (State Historical Site)
(1872 - 1877/1894), Bismarck
Originally named Camp Greeley until 1873 and served to protect the railroad. One of the original log barracks still exists, and has been used as an exhibit area by the city. Camp Hancock (also known as Fort Hancock) later became a supply depot for Fort Abraham Lincoln (1), and was also a Signal Corps station.

Fort Abraham Lincoln (2)
(United Tribes Technical College)
(1899 - 1966), Bismark
Established on the east side of the Missouri River just south of the city as a replacement for Fort Yates. It was garrisoned intermittently until World War II when it was used as a German POW camp until 1946. Became the division headquarters of the Army Corps of Engineers in 1948 during the Garrison Dam Project. It was used as a Job Corps Training Center from 1966 to 1968. Became the United Tribes Technical College in 1969, which acquired full ownership of the site in 1974. Most of the original buildings still exist.
(thanks to Doug Quinn of U.T.T.C. for providing additional info)

Double Ditch Indian Village (State Historical Site)
(1675 - 1780), near Bismarck
Ruins of a fortified Mandan village 12 miles north of the city.

Menoken Indian Village (State Historical Site)
(1100 - unknown), Menoken
An early fortified Indian village.

Camps of General H.H. Sibley's Sioux Campaign (State Historical Sites)
(1863 - 1864)
The main Federal expedition to put down the 1862-63 Sioux Uprising.
Camp Buell SHS near DeLamere,
Camp Weiser SHS near Kathryn,
Camp Sheardown SHS near Valley City,
Camp Arnold SHS at Oriska,
Camp Corning SHS at "Sibley Crossing" near Sibley,
Camp Atcheson SHS, northeast shore of Lake Sibley south of Binford, fortified and occupied for a month.
Camp Kimball SHS west of Pingree,
Camp Grant SHS south of Woodworth,
Camp Whitney SHS north of Tappen,
Camp Banks north of Driscoll (Chaska SHS).

Other sites on private property (in order of the route taken):
Camp Parker near Cayuga,
Camp Hayes near Lisbon,
Camp Wharton east of Fort Ransom,
Camp Smith north of Valley City, 10 miles from Camp Sheardown, 17 miles from Camp Corning,
Camp Pope near Luverne,
Camp Forbes near Kensal,
Camp Olin east of Edmonds near Mud Lake,
Camp Sibley south of Pettibone near Big Mound (on Chase Lake ?). The Battle of Big Mound occurred here in July 1863.
Camp Pfaender north of Steele at Dead Buffalo Lake. The Battle of Dead Buffalo Lake occurred here in July 1863.
Camp Shoeneman north of Driscoll,
Camp Stees north of Sterling on Apple Creek,
Camp Slaughter near Lincoln.

Undetermined locations:
Camp Ambler
Camp Burt somewhere between Camp Arnold and Fort Abercrombie.
Camp Hackett
Camp near James River
Camp Libby somewhere between Camp Atcheson and Camp Arnold, west of the Sheyenne River.
Camp Stevens

(see also SOUTH DAKOTA and MINNESOTA pages for additional sites)

NEED MORE INFO: Undetermined locations and dates: Camp Austin, Camp Barton, Camp Braden, Camp Carter, Camp Cox, Camp Defender, Camp Edgerton, Camp Gilfallen, Camp Hall, Camp Kennedy, Camp Monroe, Camp Williston.

Western North Dakota - page 2

QUESTIONS ? Please send any corrections and/or additions to this list to:
Updates @ NorthAmericanForts.com