Fort Snelling
Fort Snelling is a former military fortification and National Historic Landmark in the U.S.
A landmark, 1 mi west of Mendota
Winters are cold
January nights drop to 7°, with about 51" of snow a year. When to go ↓
Mendota Heights is the nearest base
Mendota Heights is 3 miles southeast, with 467 hotel and restaurant jobs. Where to stay ↓
Established in 1819
Fort Snelling dates from 1819 and is run by National Park Service. About ↓
Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug and Sep
May, June, July, August and September are the mild months, with highs of 69–83°. When to go ↓
An airport 2 miles away
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP) has airline service, about 2 miles from Fort Snelling.
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Census job and town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Weather, month by month
Typical highs and lows in Mendota. Green months are the mild ones.
Fort Snelling
Fort Snelling is a former military fortification and National Historic Landmark in the U.S. state of Minnesota on the bluffs overlooking the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers. The site was initially named Fort Saint Anthony but was renamed Fort Snelling when its construction ended in 1825.
Before the American Civil War, the U.S. Army allowed its soldiers and fur traders to bring their personal enslaved people to the fort. These included African Americans Dred Scott and Harriet Robinson Scott, who lived at the fort in the 1830s. In the 1840s, the Scotts sued for their freedom, arguing that having lived in "free territory" made them free, leading to the landmark United States Supreme Court case Dred Scott v. Sandford. Slavery ended at the fort just before Minnesota became a state in 1858.
- Type
- Landmark
- Established
- 1819
- Run by
- National Park Service
- Listed
- National Historic Landmark (1960) · National Register of Historic Places (1966) · America's Most Endangered Historic Places · National Treasure
- Wikipedia readers
- 37K a year
Towns near Fort Snelling
Towns within 30 miles, closest first. Hotel and restaurant jobs show how many places there are to stay and eat.
| Town | From Fort Snelling | Hotel & restaurant jobs | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mendota | 1 mi east | 112 | 207 | $320K | — |
| Mendota Heights | 3 mi southeast | 467 | 11,612 | $520K | B |
| Lilydale | 3 mi northeast | 114 | 772 | $405K | — |
| West St. Paul | 5 mi east | 1,249 | 21,382 | $301K | D |
| Sunfish Lake | 5 mi east | 0 | 533 | $1,116K | — |
| Richfield | 5 mi west | 1,243 | 36,642 | $344K | C |
| Eagan | 5 mi south | 3,762 | 68,000 | $397K | B− |
| St. Paul | 5 mi northeast | 15,802 | 307,284 | $295K | D |
| Minneapolis | 7 mi northwest | 34,888 | 427,246 | $362K | D− |
| Falcon Heights | 7 mi north | 138 | 5,085 | $385K | — |
| South St. Paul | 7 mi east | 462 | 20,611 | $282K | C+ |
| Lauderdale | 7 mi north | 0 | 2,388 | $283K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Also near Fort Snelling
Other well-known places within 62 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.
Big draw62 mi📍 Attractionbiggest ball of twine
17 mi🛶 LakeBde Maka Ska
27 mi💧 WaterfallSaint Anthony Falls
36 mi🏛 MuseumMinneapolis Institute of Art
42 mi🌸 GardenMinnehaha Park🛶45 mi🛶 LakeBig Pine Lake
56 mi🐾 Zoo & aquariumComo Park Zoo and Conservatory🛶59 mi🛶 LakeLake AddiePhoto credits
biggest ball of twine: Matthew Sachs, Public domain · Bde Maka Ska: Tyler Vigen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Saint Anthony Falls: The original uploader was Mulad at English Wikipedia., Public domain · Minneapolis Institute of Art: Alvintrusty, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Minnehaha Park: Original uploader was The Statue With The Dictionary at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Como Park Zoo and Conservatory: RxS at English Wikipedia, Public domain
Visiting Fort Snelling
What town is Fort Snelling near?
Mendota, MN, about 1 miles east.
When is the best time to visit Fort Snelling?
May, June, July, August and September, with highs of 69–83°.
What is the closest airport to Fort Snelling?
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP), about 2 miles away.
Where should I stay near Fort Snelling?
Mendota (1 mi, 112 hotel and restaurant jobs), Mendota Heights (3 mi, 467 hotel and restaurant jobs) and Lilydale (3 mi, 114 hotel and restaurant jobs).
Tips from people in Mendota
No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in Mendota’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.