Bus Tour of Historic Fort Snelling
Those in attendance will have a better understanding of the historic value and the history behind Fort Snelling and what it means to Minnesota.
1) Several participants expressed surprise at the fort's involvement in the lives of Native American prisoners and African-American slaves, as well as the expected role of soldiers in a military outpost on the frontier. They gained new appreciation for the hard lives of all the various population groups. 2) Many participants commented on the unfair treatment of Native Americans by the government, as well as, the role the fort played in the Dred Scott Case. 3) Many participants expressed surprise at the extent of the fort's presence and involvement in early Minnesota history. It appeared the stakeholders gained a considerable amount of new knowledge at the conclusion of the tour, some of which may have changed attitudes toward various events and the ethnic groups that were involved. At the conclusion of the trip an annotated bibliography of selected U.S.-Dakota War and the U.S. Civil War books available through PLS was distributed to participants.
Hutchinson, Glencoe, Winsted, and Brownton Public Libraries and staffs included in program contract. Hutchinson Leader provided free information regarding the event in a weekly column.