The Underrated Driving Tour Every Minnesota History Buff Needs To Add To Their Bucket List
By Trent Jonas|Published May 06, 2024
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Trent Jonas
Author
Trent Jonas came to Minnesota to attend college - and never left. He's a Twin Cities-based writer with a BA in English and a MFA in creative writing, a Minnesota Master Naturalist, and the proud father of two adult children. With more than a decade of freelance writing experience under his belt, Trent is often out exploring his favorite topics: Minnesota's woods, lakes, and trails. Rhubarb pie is his weakness, so discovering new diners is also a passion.
Minnesota is a state with a fascinating history that culminated in clashes between our regions Native inhabitants and settlers of European ancestry moving into the territory just before and shortly after the Land of 10,000 Lakes became a state. This road trip is a Minnesota history tour that will explore the half-century or so of human history in that led up to statehood and one of the darkest moments in the history of our state and nation.
The total driving time for this road trip is just over three hours, but you should allow enough time - a weekend perhaps - to stop and explore each site.
You'll begin your tour in the charming town Wabasha of Wabasha, on the Mississippi River. It's the oldest town in Minnesota. When settlers of European descent came to the area around 1830, it had long been occupied by the Dakota people and their ancestors.
The European settlement here was originally called Rocque's Landing, but its name was changed to Wabasha in 1843 to honor the great Dakota chief Wapahasha II who had died of smallpox in 1836.
It was the site of the 1848 convention that established Minnesota as a territory, giving the city its nickname, "The Birthplace of Minnesota." There are many historic sites in the town, but I recommend a visit to the St. Croix Boomsite, as well as the historic courthous.
Your next stop is Historic Fort Snelling. Fort Snelling was the first U.S. government outpost constructed in what would become Minnesota territory. It was sited in 1805 and built the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers, at a culturally significant site known to the Dakota people as Bdote.
Historic Fort Snelling, 200 Tower Ave, St Paul, MN 55111, USA
The Round Tower at Fort Snelling is the oldest building in Minnesota that's still standing. As a monument, it's a controversial symbol. It is built on sacred Dakota land, and it was from here that many military campaigns against the Dakota and other tribes were waged. But it's also an enduring symbol of Minnesota and its eventual statehood.
Fort Snelling State Park, 101 Snelling Lake Rd, St Paul, MN 55111, USA
The site of the confluence, Bdote, is now part of Fort Snelling State Park. After your visit to the fort, be sure to take some time to visit the park, and experience this incredibly significant part of Minnesota for yourself.
Your last stop is the Treaty History Center in St. Peter. The Treaty of the Traverse des Sioux was signed on this site in 1851. It was an agreement between the U.S. government and several bands of Dakota that divided southern and western Minnesota, particularly along the Minnesota River, between settlers and the Dakota people.
Nicollet County Historical Society - Treaty Site History Center, 1851 N Minnesota Ave, St Peter, MN 56082, USA
It was the government's failure to honor the terms of this treaty that led to the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862. The war, in turn, resulted in the hanging of 38 Dakota men at Mankato in December of 1862. It remains the largest mass execution in our nation's history. The Nicollet County Historical Society's Treaty History Center does a wonderful job interpreting the long history of the site, the treaty, and the events before and afterward.
Any history buff should pay a visit to these key sites in the history of the Land of 10,000 Lakes. While each of these sites stands on its own, a great way to tie them all together is with a visit to the Minnesota History Center in downtown St. Paul. The center’s interpretive exhibits, written and oral history, and extensive research offer an in-depth experience that’s hard to replicate. While you’re in the Twin Cities, another great way to experience Minnesota history is with one of the guided tours our friends at Viator offer. You should definitely check out the offerings.
Have you visited any of the places on this Minnesota history tour? Be sure to let us know in the comments and share any suggestions for other sites that should be included.
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