There is a very nice visitors center at the site, with an outdoor deck overlooking the site of the fort. The folks at the visitor center were very friendly and knowledgeable about the history of the fort and its importance. It is a good place to get out, stretch your legs, and learn about the history of North Dakota and fort life.

We were driving south on US 75 through Minnesota from Moorhead when we stopped at the Fort Abercrombie Historic State Park. There are only remnants of the fort remaining and a paved road goes right through the middle of it. We stopped at the visitor center to use the restrooms and take a look at what they had. The site is run by the State Historical Society of North Dakota and we learned that they offered golf cart tours for eight dollars. We decided to take a tour and we were driven around the fort where we stopped at various locations to explore buildings and various viewpoints while learning the history of the fort. When the Red River Valley was the western frontier, Fort Abercrombie was built to be the spearpoint of the army’s advance into the northern plains. It was established in 1857 before the Dakota Territory was incorporated in 1861 and years before North Dakota became a state. The current location of the fort we learned was its second location because it had to be moved to higher ground because of flooding. The fort guarded the oxcart trails of the later fur trade era, military supply wagon trains, stagecoach routes, and steamboat traffic on the Red River. It also was a supply base for two major gold-seeking expeditions across Dakota into Montana. Fort Abercrombie served as a hub for several major transportation routes through the northern plains.It was also the only post in the area to be besieged by Dakota (Sioux) warriors for more than six weeks during the Dakota conflict of 1862. During the Dakota Conflict, Minnesota Volunteer soldiers manned the fort when area settlers sought shelter there. The regular U.S. Army soldiers had been withdrawn during the Civil War and had been replaced by the Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. The fort was not protected by blockhouses or a palisade during the siege, but these defensive structures were constructed soon afterward. After the fort was abandoned in 1877, fort buildings were sold and removed from the site. A Works Progress Administration (WPA) project in 1939-1940 reconstructed three blockhouses and the palisade and returned the original military guardhouse to the site. Today the Historical Society preserves these structures and has staked out the locations of the original buildings. Inside the visitor center there is a small museum that has an oxcart, replica cannon, and other artifacts from the fort as well as information on its restoration. Just down the road is the free Ambercrombie Historical Museum which has a lot of artifacts from the fort era and later years which really added to the history of the place. We really enjoyed our visit.

This was interesting but not much there. There were a few corner buildings and a couple others but largely this was a field with the outline of the the old fort and buildings. There were informative signage. The visitor's center was closed when I went, it would maybe have been a better visit if I could have seen that. If you are interested in the history of the Dakota Conflict of 1862, this is a must see place just to see where the siege of the fort happened. Really pretty spot on the river.

A couple hours here is a great way to spend a summer day. Located right along the Red River and surrounded by farmland, this is a picturesque setting. You can picnic right along the River - I recommend it. The fort itself is partially reconstructed, partially outlined with tall grass and archaeological markers, and includes the original guard house. A small museum tells the story of Fort Abercrombie and its role in the Lakota uprising of 1862. The dedicated staff will lead you on an informative walking tour. Seriously, the staff is great! Costs $8 adult and $3 kids. The whole site is kept up very nice - a lot of pride taken here.

We visited Fort Abercrombie during Aber Days. They had a blacksmith, tin smith, soldier reenactments, great gift shop, lots of historical books for sale. Museum and guided tour could be purchased for $8, but we were limited on time so just walked the grounds by ourselves and read the signs. Very interesting, learned a lot about history of the fort and history of North Dakota settlement.