Big Timber Mazawaukins

Forest City, Minnesota

Above is a beautiful panoramic view of the fort at Forest City, MN.  It is a replica of the fort that was built during the uprising in the 1860's.  The replica was built by a few great men, along with the other buildings.  Some of these people are Chuck Fuller, Dale Root and others.  There are now 13 fully constructed buildings that include a house, a barn, a land office, a pottery shot, a gun shop, a wood shop, a blacksmith shop, a stable, a church, a machine shed, a doctor's office/ home, a ferrier and an outhouse.  They are working on three more buildings that will include a general store, a print shop and a shoe shop. The original hotel from the original settlement of Forest City still stands, but is someone's home.  It is the hope that it could one day be moved to the site or replicated. 

The Fort was originally built by about 150 people, using lumber that was cut to build a church in about 24 hours.  Since the few people in Minnesota who could protect the general population were fighting in the civil war far away, these people put up the walls to stay safe for a few weeks when the uprising began.  After a few weeks, the military made it to central Minnesota and the uprising diffused.  A small town was built around the fort.  It had 23 original buildings, which are now being rebuilt.  Most of these buildings are made from old log houses that are donated to the fort by their owners.  Because everything is voluntary and donated, things get built when they can. 

 To learn more about the history of the fort, come out and see it.  Many days, there is someone out there working on something.  Otherwise, the fort is open to the public the third weekend of August and the first weekend of December.  On the picture page, there are many pictures of the fort and the out buildings. 

 Forest City is located 4-5 miles north of Litchfield MN on CR 24.  It is on the right side of the road.