15550 Hwy 1804, Williston, ND 58801
Phone: 701-572-9083
Fax: 701-572-7321
Open All Year
Overview. At the junction of the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers, long home to Native American tribes, the American Fur Company established an outpost in 1828. Fort Union quickly became a principal trading post, hosting several Plains Indian tribes and a good mix of Scots, Spaniards, Frenchman, and Americans as they gathered to exchange furs for manufactured goods brought by boat. In 1867 the U.S. Infantry dismantled the fort, using the materials to construct Fort Buford nearby. The 442-acre historic site now presents major fort structures as they were in 1851, the fort's heyday.What to see and do. Inside the reconstructed Bourgeois House you'll find the visitor center. From 8 AM to 8 PM summers (9 AM to 5:30 PM winters), take a few minutes to look at exhibits of artifacts relating the fort's history. In the bookstore, you can browse among many titles. Your time is best spent outside on the fort grounds. Inside the reconstructed 18-foot high palisades, summertime Fort Union bustles with activity. Rangers lead guided tours around the grounds, while living history exhibits lend a nineteenth-century flavor to the air. When you step inside the Indian Trade House, you'll find a large display of goods representative of a typical 1851 frontier store. Overlooking the entire site are reconstructions of the two-story stone bastions, at one time a welcome sight to weary travelers' eyes. Finish up your visit at the picnic grounds. On the third weekend in June, a four-day "Rendezvous" reenacts a special trader/trapper celebration. Call ahead for details on activities and programs. The entire site is handicapped-accessible, and a handicapped shuttle runs between the parking area and the fort. Leashed pets are permitted.
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