542 - Fort Stevenson State Park

Welcome to Fort Stevenson State Park! The fort first served as a military post that was constructed in 1867 on the north bank of the Missouri River between Douglas and Garrison creeks. It was named for Brigadier General Thomas G. Stevenson--a Union officer killed at Spotsylvania Courthouse in 1864. The post was built as a two company infantry post to hold the maximum of 238, though usually an average of 110 soldiers were serving here. Most of the soldiers were immigrants who were unaccustomed to frontier life, poor horsemen and afraid of the Dakota.

This fort, like many around it (Buford, Totten, and Ransom) was built to exert influence over the American Indian tribes and protect trade routes to Montana. Instead, the forts only increased the hostility of the Dakota, especially the Yanktonais and Tetons. It was Sitting Bull’s band of Hunkpapas--a division of the Tetons, who led the resistance.

While it was intended to provide military protection to the Mandan, Arikara, and Hidatsa, three peaceful tribes on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation, against the Dakota, unfortunately it proved to be too far from the garrison at 17 miles, to offer much protection. No major attacks were ever made against the fort itself.

The fort also served as an intermediate point for the mail routes extending from Fort Rice to Fort Buford, and from Fort Benton to Fort Totten. Ultimately it became a supply base for Fort Totten, 126 miles to the east. Supplies were delivered by steamboat and hauled overland.