By John Croman @ Kare 11
Friends of Fort Snelling 2019 Annual Meeting – Tuesday, September 10, 2019
Northern Star Scouting at Base Camp
6202 Bloomington Road | Fort Snelling MN 55111
$25.00/person 5:00 p.m. – Reception 6:00 p.m. – Dinner 7:00 p.m. – Program
Program:
Two hundred years ago the largest expedition to enter present-day Minnesota launched the development of an American military establishment near the meeting of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers that proved to be a great turning point in Minnesota history.
Never before in history had so many non-natives in one group traveled so far up the Mississippi. Included among the 128 members of this historic expedition were the first non-Indigenous women and children to enter present-day Minnesota, and the former New York lawyer and politician and war hero who led them, – the “polished gentleman” destined for fame but also misery – Commander Lieutenant Colonel Henry Leavenworth.
The group’s adventurous story, which included the tragic deaths of dozens of soldiers and extraordinary hardships for everyone, is a significant chapter in Minnesota history; yet it is one of the lesser-known ones remembered today – and when it is remembered its legacy is largely under-appreciated and the details of the story greatly condensed.
Speaker: Gary Brueggemann
Minnesota historian and author Gary Brueggemann has been extensively researching this interesting and important story and will share what he has uncovered in a special pictorial presentation.
