After
surviving
the
Spirit
Lake/Springfield
Massacre
in
1857,
then
the
Dakota
Uprising
in
1862,
the
original
Fort
Belmont
was
built
by
the
Norwegian
settlers,
erecting
a
hexagon
stockade
around
an
18
x
26,
2
story cabin about 3 miles north of Jackson.
Eleven
families
(between
60
and
70
people)
occupied
the
stockade,
except
for
winters,
for
most
of
two
years,
venturing
out
only
when
necessary.
The
following
two
years
the
families
kept
the
Stockade
intact
for
use
on
the
threat
of
Indian
attack.
Fort
Belmont
was
completely
occupied
and
constructed
by
neighbors
so
it
is
classified
as
a
civilian
fort,
one
of
only
two
civilian
built
forts
ever
constructed
in
the
Midwest.
