"A Very Good and Substantial Fort" or "More like a Child’s Playhouse": The History and Archaeology of Civilian Fortifications during the U.S. – Dakota War of 1862 in Minnesota

Summary

In August 1862 long-simmering tensions between the Dakota and Euro-American traders, settlers, soldiers, and government officials boiled over into open warfare. For nearly two months militant Dakota warriors, ostensibly under the leadership of renowned chief Little Crow, attacked Euro-American settlements and military installations. In response, settlers across southwest and central Minnesota either fled the region or attempted to fortify their settlements. These so-called "settlers’ forts" of the U.S. – Dakota War of 1862 are today a largely unexplored part of Minnesota’s archaeological record. To date, no comprehensive archaeological survey has been undertaken to locate and document these frontier fortifications. These civilian fortifications, some constructed in a little as twenty-four hours, ranged from imposing fortresses to little more than makeshift barricades. The U.S. – Dakota War of 1862 was a seminal event in the history of Minnesota. Although relatively unknown outside of the state, the impacts of the U.S. – Dakota War of 1862 are far-reaching and ongoing in many Minnesota communities, both Native American and Euro-American. This paper details historical and archaeological research on civilian fortifications at Fair Haven, St. Cloud, Sauk Centre, Paynesville, and Forrest City by graduate students and faculty at St. Cloud State University.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 22341