A pencil sketch depicts an old log house with a thatched roof and some missing planks. A wooden cart leans against the house. The image includes a signature reading "J.B. Mayer" and text that says "Trading house - interior lod burner.

Sketches of Frank Blackwell Mayer

In 1851, 23-year-old Baltimore native Frank Blackwell Mayer embarked on a 5,903-mile journey to document the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux, recording the lives of Indigenous Minnesotans through detailed sketches.…

Nicollet County Room

Explore the Nicollet County Room, featuring displays and history from each of the 13 townships.

Ridgely Panoramic

Fort Ridgely

Although only open for fourteen years, Fort Ridgely drastically impacted the State of Minnesota and the American frontier. Through its short tenure as a military post, Fort Ridgely's soldiers, their…

A sign reads: “Commemorating Controversy: The Dakota-U.S. War of 1862” in large, bold text on a brown and cream background with a curved border at the bottom.

Commemorating Controversy: the Dakota-U.S. War of 1862

In the late summer of 1862, a war raged across southern Minnesota between Dakota akicitas (warriors) and the U.S. military and immigrant settlers. In the end, hundreds were dead, and thousands…

Book Online
A museum exhibit room featuring various informational displays, text panels, and artifacts. There are silhouette cutouts of people, a wooden canoe, and mounted items such as rifles. The room is lit with subdued lighting, creating an educational and immersive atmosphere.

1851 Treaty of Traverse des Sioux

The Treaty Site History Center’s permanent exhibit interprets the 1851 Treaty of Traverse des Sioux as a watershed moment in Minnesota history. The consequences for both Dakota people and Euro-Americans…

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