Fort Snelling, Minnesota

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Fort Snelling's round tower

A view of the grounds of Fort Snelling taken from the round tower

Fort Snelling is a former military fortification located at the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers in Hennepin County, Minnesota. It is part of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. Lt. Zebulon Pike purchased 100,000 acres (400 km²) of land in the area in 1805, though it was more than a decade before significant settlement took place. The original installation was constructed between 1820 and 1825 as Fort St. Anthony. It received its current name upon its completion in honor of Colonel Josiah Snelling, who commanded the regiment that built it, and oversaw its construction. Snelling was considered to be a reasonable commander—when he was sober. He was susceptible to becoming angry when ill from chronic dysentery, and he left the installation in September 1827 when recalled to Washington. He died a year later from complications due to dysentry and a "brain fever".

The fort's doctor began taking weather observations in January 1820. Observations have been recorded continuously in the region ever since, giving the Twin Cities one of the most complete weather records in the country. Current observations are made at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, which is adjacent to the fort.

The federal government still owns some land near the airport. This is the home to Army Reserve, Marine Corps, Naval and Coast Guard regional Reserve campuses and a V.A. hospital. An Air Force Reserve, a Minnesota Air National Guard station, and a federal building are situated on this land. This area is now served by the Hiawatha light-rail line.

The fort saw service through World War II, being de-commissioned on October 12, 1946, and parcelled out to various federal departments. In 1960, it was listed as a National Historic Landmark. In the decades since, the area of the original walled fort has been converted to an educational establishment operated by the Minnesota Historical Society, rebuilt to resemble its original appearance, and staffed during the spring, summer and early fall with costumed personnel interpreting life at the early post.

While restoring and re-creating the original fort has assured its survival as a historical artifact for the foreseeable future, many of the more recently-constructed and since-abandoned buildings of the fort have fallen into serious disrepair and neglect. In May of 2006, Fort Snelling's Upper Post was added to the list of "America's Most Endangered Places" by the National Trust for Historic Preservation (see external links). Some restoration on Historic Fort Snelling, however, is currently underway--the flagpole has been removed from the iconic round tower and will be placed in the ground, a change since its opening as a historic fort.

Fort Snelling National Cemetery is located at Fort Snelling; many notable Minnesotans as well as deceased Minnesotan members of the United States Armed Forces are interred there. The United States Navy honored the fort by naming an amphibious warfare ship the USS Fort Snelling.

The 2000 census listed Fort Snelling as an unorganized territory (a designation it has carried since it was founded) with a total population of 442.

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 See also
4 References

[edit] Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, this unorganized territory has a total area of 17.2 km² (6.7 mi²). 16.5 km² (6.4 mi²) of it is land and 0.8 km² (0.3 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 4.65% water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census ² of 2000, there are 442 people residing in the unorganized territory. The population density is 26.8/km² (69.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the unorganized territory is 94.57% White, 3.62% Black or African American, 1.36% Native American, 0.00% Asian, 0.23% Pacific Islander, 0.23% from other races, and none from two or more races. 0.45% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

In the unorganized territory the population is spread out with none under the age of 24, 4.5% from 25 to 44, 33.0% from 45 to 64, and 62.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 69 years.

Males have a median income of $43,558 versus $0 for females. The per capita income for the unorganized territory is $24,328. None of the population are below the poverty line.