Fort Ridgely
National Register of Historic Places

Fort Ridgely

Fairfax, Nicollet County, Minnesota
Listed
December 1, 1970
Type
District
Period
Early Republic
Ref No.
70000304

About this property

Fort Ridgely was a frontier United States Army outpost from 1851 to 1867, built 1853–1854 in Minnesota Territory. The Sioux called it Esa Tonka. It was located overlooking the Minnesota River southwest of Fairfax, Minnesota. Half of the fort's land was part of the south reservation in the Minnesota River valley for the Mdewakanton and Wahpekute tribes. Fort Ridgely had no defensive wall, palisade, or guard towers. The Army referred to the fort as the "New Post on the Upper Minnesota" until it was named for two Maryland Army Officers named Ridgely (Randolph and Lott Henderson), who died during the Mexican–American War. (Many sources also cite Captain Thomas P. Ridgely as a namesake, but he died at a residence in Baltimore.)

Location

Fairfax, Nicollet County, Minnesota
44.45180, -94.73463

Categories

HISTORIC - NON-ABORIGINALMILITARY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Fort Ridgely

This page lists Fort Ridgely. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Fort Ridgely State Park CCC/Rustic Style Historic Resources
Early Republic
0.3 mi
Minneapolis and St. Louis Depot
Industrial
5.2 mi
Harkin, Alexander, Store
Civil War
8.1 mi
Berg's, C., Hotel
Industrial
10.6 mi
Winona and St. Peter Freight Depot
Industrial
10.6 mi

Nearby Battles

Dakota War – Siege of Fort Ridgely Second Attack
1862Civil War
0.1 mi
Fort Ridgely First Attack — Dakota War (August 20, 1862)
1862Indian Wars
0.3 mi
Fort Ridgely Second Attack — Dakota War (August 22, 1862)
1862Indian Wars
0.3 mi
Battle of Fort Ridgely (Second Attack)
1862Indian Wars
0.3 mi
First Attack on Fort Ridgely
1862Civil War
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Fort Ridgely listed on the National Register?

Fort Ridgely was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 1, 1970.

What type of historic resource is Fort Ridgely?

Fort Ridgely is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Fort Ridgely?

The period of significance for Fort Ridgely is recorded as the early_republic era, specifically around 1851.

Can I research the history near Fort Ridgely?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Fort Ridgely will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Nicollet County

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