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Dates:
Friday, May 25 through Wednesday, September 5
Categories: Sports & Recreation; Outdoor Adventures; History & Heritage
This fort was reconstructed in 1934 as a memorial to American military life. Originally called Fort McKeen, it served as an infantry post in 1872. In 1873, it was expanded to include a cavalry post and was renamed Fort Abraham Lincoln. Lt. Col. George Custer commanded this post until his death during the Battle of Little Bighorn. No longer of use to the military, the fort was abandoned in 1891.
A reconstructed Native American village, "Slant Village," is also part of the site. It was once occupied by the Mandan tribe, whose members were almost completely wiped out by the smallpox virus in 1781. A Mandan descendant, the last Corn Priestess, directed the reconstruction of the village in the 1930s.
The site is located on 1,000 acres of hilly woodland at the junction of the Missouri and Heart rivers. The blockhouses offer panoramic views of surrounding grasslands and distant hills. You can also go hiking along a 1-mile nature trail.
Cornerstones mark the place where some of the fort's buildings once stood, including a billiard parlor. You can take a self-guided tour of the restored granary, commissary storehouse, and barracks. Guided tours are available at the Custer house, which is furnished with period reproductions.
The structures in Slant Village are earthen lodges; indentations show where some former lodges once stood. You can see the Great Medicine Lodge or the Ark of the First Man, where spiritual rituals were conducted. Part of the tribal creation story includes an escape from a great flood, which was reenacted in ceremonies at the shrine. Interpretive sites have limited services from October 31 through April 1. Handicapped-accessible campsites are available.
Pets: 0 Leashed pets are permitted in park and campgrounds but not in any beach areas.
Reservations and fees:0 North Dakota has a central reservation phone number for all state campgrounds: 800-807-4723. There is a nonrefundable fee for each reservation made. North Dakota state parks charge a nominal daily entrance fee per vehicle.
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Please call ahead to confirm details. We do our best to give you current information, but facts can change. Please let us know if you find something's changed.
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