For decades, it was a lonely military outpost situated in frontier wilderness near the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers. Today the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul surround it.
As the frontier moved farther west, Fort Snelling's role as a frontier post was reduced. However, during the Civil War the fort regained an important role as an Army training and administrative center.
Fort Snelling served as the location of the Military Intelligence Service Language School during World War II. Here, military personnel were given instruction in the Japanese language and culture.
In 1960, Fort Snelling became the first National Historic Landmark in Minnesota. Costumed guides and reenactments provide visitors with an authentic taste for the fort's early history.
The U.S. Navy honored Fort Snelling by naming a dock-landing ship for it. The USS Fort Snelling saw service between 1954 and 1984 and participated in the invasion of Grenada in 1984.
