Fort Sisseton

1864 1889 6 Miles South This fort, built at the Re Ipehan (Head of the Coteaus), was started August 1, 1864 by Major Clowney, 30th Wisconsin Infantry, an outpost against the hostile Sioux Indians of the Indian War of the Outbreak of 1862. It was regarded as impregnable. It was located among several beautiful lakes and its first railhead was Sauk Center, Minnesota.

Its garrisons changed frequently. Second Minnesota Cavalry in 1866; 20th U.S. Infantry 1870; 17th U.S. Infantry 1873; 25 U.S. Infantry (Colored) in 1885 and its Final Return, of June 1, 1889, was signed by Capt. Joe Hale, 3rd U.S. Infantry. In 1876 its name was changed from Ft. Wadsworth, named for General James M. Wadsworth, killed at the Battle of the Wilderness in the Civil War on April 2, 1864, to Fort Sisseton for the Dacotah Indians of that band.

It was the eastern terminus of that famous ride of Chief Scout Sam Brown, on April 19, 1866, when he rode to the James River and back in a blizzard in performance of duty. The Sisseton and Wahpeton Indians, whose reservation was adjacent, were friendly and it never was the scene of a hostile incident but for 25 years was the Social and Economic center of a vast area.

After abandonment by the Government, the Military Reservation was given to the State; but the buildings fell into disuse and disrepair and in 1936 it became a WPA project, was restored and is a fine example of an early western fort in fair condition and well worth viewing.