Ever wonder what it was like to live as a pioneer in the mid-1800’s in Southwestern Minnesota? This week we had the opportunity to tour this historic replica site in Jackson, MN.
Fort Belmont is the only re-creation of a civilian fort located in the Upper Midwest. The original hexagon-shaped stockade was only around 18 feet by 26 feet, protecting a simple two-story cabin.
Located halfway between Chicago and Mount Rushmore, this unique stop features a collection of the late 1800s ~ early 1900s buildings and artifacts. Our team enjoyed exploring the 1860’s replica log cabin, stockade, climbing the forty-foot observation tower that provided beautiful views of the Des Moines River Valley.
The sod house provided us with a brief respite from the steamy July air; the temperature inside felt about fifteen to twenty degrees cooler than the outside air. Besides being naturally fireproof, the two-foot thick walls also proved to be bullet and arrow proof, offering protection from hostile people.
We learned about some of the challenges to living in a sod house, most notably for the girls was that it was common for bugs, rodents, and snakes sharing your home. Heavy rains would eventually soak the sod, leaking inside for many days after the storm had passed.
PHOTO FUN FACT: Sod houses are dark inside! To capture the image below, we needed to adjust our camera settings to ISO 20,000, 1/40th sec, f/3.5 at 18mm.
Make sure you stop by the Delafield Lutheran Church while you explore the site, this unique church bears witness to the changing of American farming communities in the modern age.
The church served the Delafield community from 1902 to 1998, when it was no longer able to sustain operations due to declining membership. Eventually, the building moved to its current location in 1999.
FUN FACT: Ask a guide about how they were able to move the building under power lines.
Summer Kitchen
Many early pioneer homes would have two kitchens, one inside the main house and a separate one used during the summer. Summertime was the time of the year that most of the canning, drying, smoking, pickling of foods occurred. As anyone who has experienced the Midwest in the summer knows, temperatures can be quite warm and muggy; without modern air conditioners and fans, anything that generated additional heat was not an option.
FUN TIP: If your kids have never seen a corn sheller used, ask a guide to demonstrate.
Shoutout! Jackson KOA hosts Frank & Melinda Christianson
The Jackson, MN KOA was probably the cleanest KOA we have stayed. After a fun day covering Fort Belmont, our team loved relaxing in the pool, meeting fellow campers, enjoying an evening hayride and just exploring the campground.
After 17 years, Frank and Melinda are retiring and selling this exceptionally well-kept campground. If you or anyone you know are interested in owning this site, please contact Frank at 507-847-3825 or visit the RV Park Store.
What are your favorite memories from exploring historical forts?
