List of 19th-Century U. S. Western Frontier Forts, Part I: Minnesota and Iowa

Note: This is the first of a series of lists of the U. S. forts of the Wild West. It is intended for use in research by writers, readers, movie fans, and others, so not much information is provided in this list itself; instead, it refers readers, by way of embedded links, to websites that provide brief historical accounts of the forts and, in many cases, one or more photographs or illustrations associated with each of the forts. All photographs and illustrations are in the public domain.

Minnesota (admitted May 11, 1858; previously Minnesota Territory)

 

Fort Ridgely (Minnesota)

Fort Ridgely (1853-1857)

A Wikipedia article provides the history of this fort and and related illustrations. 

 

Fort Snelling (Minnesota)

Fort Snelling (Fort St. Anthony) (1819-1946; 1963-1994)

A Wikipedia article provides the history of this fort and related illustrations.

Fort Abercrombie is mentioned on the Historic Forts website

Fort Wadsworth is mentioned on the Historic Forts website

Sources: https://historicforts.com/historic-forts-in-minnesota/ and Wikipedia

 

Iowa (admitted December 28, 1846; previously Iowa Territory)

 

Fort Dodge (Iowa)

Fort Dodge (originally Fort Clarke) (1850-1853)

A Wikipedia article provides the history of this fort and a related illustration.

 Old Fort Madison (Iowa)

Old Fort Madison (1801-1831)

A Wikipedia article provides the history of this fort and related illustrations.

Fort Atkinson (1842-1849)

A Wikipedia article provides the history of this fort and related illustrations.

Fort Des Moines (Iowa)

Fort Des Moines No. 1 (1834-1830s)

A Wikipedia article provides a brief illustration of this fort’s history and a related illustration; also see the history and related illustration in the Historic Forts website article.

Fort Des Moines No. 2 (1834-1840s)

A Historic Forts website article provides a brief account of this fort’s history and a photograph of one of its buildings.

Fort Des Moines No. 3 (early 20^th century-post-World War II)

A Historic Forts website article provides a brief account of this fort’s history and a photograph of one of its buildings.

Fort Defiance (1850s-?)

A Historic Forts website article provides a brief account of this fort’s history.

Fort Severson

The Historic Forts website article provides a brief account of this fort’s history.

Fort Sanford (1840s-?)

The Historic Forts website article provides a brief account of this fort’s history.

Fort Dodge 2 (Iowa)

Fort Dodge 2 (Fort Clark)

A Wikipedia article provides the history of this fort and a related illustration; also see the history and related illustration in the Historic Forts website article.

Sources: https://historicforts.com/historic-forts-in-iowa/ and Wikipedia