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Building the Railroad of the Minnesota Valley

Allen , Gale
This document examines the emergence of railroads in the Minnesota River Valley during the 1850s and 1860s by focusing on the role of the Southern Minnesota Railroad Company (first known as the Root River and Southern Minnesota Land Company), which was later absorbed by the Minnesota Valley Railroad Company. Issues discussed include delays caused by the Panic of 1857 and by the Civil War, the progression of railroad construction, and the early use of the trains.
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Keywords: 
Railroad
Southern Minnesota Railroad Company
Minnesota Valley Railroad Company
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Navigation Study of the Redwood River Minnesota

Maddox, Gregory
This study of the historical navigability of the Redwood River, a major tributary of the Minnesota, concludes that the Redwood was never used extensively in commerce because of its geography (e.g., falls and rapids) and the presence of several dams. The report includes sections on early explorations, fur trading, and settlement of the Minnesota River Valley. The authors highlight the lack of reference in historical reports to any use of the Redwood River to transport goods.
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Watershed(s): 
Redwood
Keywords: 
Redwood River
DMA
Transport
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History of Steamboating on the Minnesota River

Hughes, Thomas
Following a brief discussion of early navigation on the Minnesota River by voyageurs and explorers, this article focuses on the use of steamboats fro pleasure and commerce along the river during the nineteenth century. The earliest trips are described, and the role of steamboats in supporting early settlement of the valley is highlighted. Steamboat traffic from 1852 through 1871 is detailed, including boat names, destinations and purposes, while factors contributing to its demise by the end of the century are asserted.
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Keywords: 
Steamboats
Voyageurs
Explorers
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Capability of the Lower Minnesota River to Support Additional Commercial Navigation

Edwards and Kelcey, Inc
This study was designed to determine physical factors limiting ht capability of the lower Minnesota River transportation system to support additional commercial navigation, and the extent to which additional development could occur without degrading wetlands or woodlands. The report presents information on existing conditions (the social and natural environments, and navigations), the existing capacity of the transportation system, and factors limiting navigation expansion (e.g., barge and tow operations, terminal operations).
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Keywords: 
Commercial Navigation
Transportation
Navigation
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A Small Bit of Bread and Butter: Letters from the Dakota Territory 1832-1869

Riggs, Maida Leonard
This edited collection of letters, written by pioneer missionary Mary Ann Clark Longely Riggs to her family, presents an account of life in the territory and state of Minnesota from 1837 t o1862. Grouped chronologically, the letters report on her journey west from Massachusetts, her time at the Lac Qui Parle Mission and the Mission at Traverse des Sioux, and her experiences following the 1862 Sioux Uprising.
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Watershed(s): 
Lac qui Parle
Keywords: 
Mary Ann Clark Longley Riggs
Lac qui Parle
Sioux
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Excavating the Site of Old Fort Ridgely

Smith , Hubert G.
This article reports on the results of a 1936 excavation and study of the remains of Fort Ridgely, a fort constructed in 1853 along the Minnesota River near New Ulm. Details are presented concerning the excavation of the barracks and other structures, as well as the restoration of the commissary building. Information discovered relating to Indian occupation of the site is described, including burial mounds, pottery fragments, and flint implements.
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Keywords: 
Fort Ridgely
New Ulm
Excavation
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A Frontier Fort at Peacetime

Smith , Hubert G.
This article discusses Fort Ridgely, concentrating on its lesser known history before and after the Sioux Uprising of 1862. Built in 1853, along the Minnesota River upriver from present-day New Ulm, the fort was intended to provide military protection for the Upper Minnesota River following the Sioux treaties of 1851. The author describes daily life at the fort, relying on primary sources including letters, reports, and journals.
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Keywords: 
Fort Ridgely
Sioux
Sioux Uprising of 1862
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The Lai Qui Parle Indian Mission

Gates, Charles M
This article discusses the Sioux mission station at Lac Qui Parle, along the upper Minnesota River, founded in 1835 and maintained until 1854. Background is given for the mission's founders, Dr. Thomas Smith Williamson and Alexander Huggins, and how they came to establish the station. Details are provided on the station's physical infrastructure, efforts to "educate and civilize" the Indians, and the difficulties encountered in the process.
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Keywords: 
Sioux Mission Station
Lac qui Parle
Sioux
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Perceptions on the Prairie: Cultural Contrasts on the Red River Trails.

Gilman, Carolyn
Based on the book The Red River Trails: Oxcart Routes Between St. Paul and the Selkirk Settlement, 1820-1870, this article focuses on the symbolic role the trails played in linking two distance cultures (the preindustrial hunting-farming communities in Canada and the growing river town of St. Paul) as well a two geographical areas. Utilizing primary sources, the author explores the various perceptions of the prairie, the trails crossed, and how those perceptions were influenced by the traveler's point of origin and destination.
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Keywords: 
Trail
Geographical Areas
Red River Trails
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Old Fort Snelling: 1819-1858

Hansen , Marcus L
Originally published in 1918, this volume explores the history of Fort Snelling as a frontier military post, a role it fulfilled form 1819 to 1858. The author addresses early exploration of the region, Pike's discovery of the site, construction of the fort, and its forty-year role in frontier events. He describes daily life at the fort and identifies significant individuals in its history. Additional issues covered include interaction with American Indians, the fur trade, missionaries, and the impact of the fort on settlement in the valley.
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Keywords: 
Fort Snelling History
Pike
American Indians
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