Minnesota Historical Society Gathers Fort Snelling Name Input in Brooklyn Park
Should Historic Fort Snelling get a new name? That was the question before a group of citizens in Brooklyn Park Monday night. The Minnesota Historical Society says the site’s name doesn’t reflect the whole story. And they’re touring the state asking if Minnesotans agree.
If the name is changed, the fort itself would remain Fort Snelling. But the overall site would get a new moniker. Society officials say the site’s story covers much more than the fort. That includes the history of the area before the fort was built in 1820.
“Our job is to tell the best stories possible,” says Kevin Maijala of the Minnesota Historical Society. “The most accurate. The best documented. And in the best way possible that includes as many Minnesotans as we can. That’s our job. This name piece is really a reflection of that process.”
Interestingly, Fort Snelling is itself renamed. Its original name was Fort St. Anthony. The U.S. War Department renamed it Fort Snelling in honor of Colonel Josiah Snelling, the officer who supervised its construction.
Maijala says the consensus from the meetings they’ve held so far seems to be leaning toward renaming the site.
If you’d like to know more, or weigh in, check this website.
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