Historic Fort Snelling at Bdote Revitalization

Dakota elders tell of the creation of humans occurring in their homeland of Mni Sota Makoce (Land Where the Waters Reflect the Clouds). This sacred place is at Bdote, meaning the juncture of two bodies of water and refers to the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers. Historic Fort Snelling’s newly restored prairies, paths, gathering spaces, overlooks, and messaging features are perched on the bluffs above Bdote, creating a landscape experience that describes the site’s layered history as Dakota Homeland and a former military fort, where stories of Indigenous people, trade, soldiers, veterans, enslaved people, and immigrants now co-exist.