North Dakota National Historic Sites | Pennies, Places, and Paws

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Learning History Through Experiences

There are two National Historical sites in North Dakota: Fort Union Trading Post and Knife Indian Village. One important thing to know, if you plan on visiting both, is that they are in different time zones. Fort Union Trading Post is in MST and Knife Indian Village is in CST which results in an hour difference. You can tell from the names what you will learn at each site. Knife Indian Village focuses on Native American history and Fort Union Trading Post focuses on fur traders in the 1800’s. Both stops provide great opportunities to learn parts of the history of the United States.

The inside of an Earth Lodge. There is a fire pit in the center and 4 large tree trunks as support beams evenly spaced around the pit. The walls are in a circular shape and made of wooden planks. There is an area with cooking equipment and another where clothes appear to be drying. — (Inside of the Earth Lodge at Knife River Indian Village)

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Fort Union Trading Post

Fort Union Trading Post is in Williston, North Dakota and is not too far from the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Do not be alarmed when you temporarily enter Montana! This historical site is right on the border and there is even a small sign that you can take a picture of near the parking lot to prove you were in both states. It is opened from 9 am- 5 pm every day of the week except for holidays and has no entrance fee. From the parking lot, it is a several-minute walk uphill to reach the site. Pets are allowed everywhere except the main house/visitor center.

There is woman wearing a blue jacket and grey pants posing next to a brown sign that says "Entering Montana: in red letters. She is standing on a sidewalk that is lined with grass on both sides. The right side is a road and the left side is a row of trees. — (Our brief trip to Montana)

The exterior wall of the Fort Union Trading Post is made up of tall faded wooden boards. You can see the main opening that leads into the post. There is a sign at the bottom of the frame that says Front Gate and explains what happened here in the past. — (The Outside of Fort Union Trading Post)

The Fort Union Trading Post was the most important fur trade post in the mid 1800’s and it currently provides a great opportunity to see how a trading post would have operated back then, complete with re-enactors. It is surrounded by a large fence; this would have helped protect the trading post from invasion. You will notice many informational signs throughout the site that explains what you are seeing and the history behind it.

The outer wall viewed from inside the Fort Union Trading Post. The wall is made up of tall white boards. One segment has a buffalo hide stretched out in front of it. There are several benches on the left side of the frame and a shed behind the benches. The ground is made up of all grass. — (Fort Union Trading Post Demonstrating How They Would Dry Pelts)

They have kept many of the historical accuracies in how it would have been set up and the types of items that would have been around during that time period. There are several areas to explore like the trade room, clerk’s office, and the main house which is where the visitor center is. These are also the places where you might find the re-enactors who role-play the different jobs that they would have had at the time.

A view of a storage room set up like it would have been when the Fort Union Trading Post was in use. There are 3 barrels that descend in size from left to right on the back wall. The left one says coffee, middle says sugar, and black pepper on the right. There is an open book to record all transactions. The wall on the left have containers with unknown goods in them. The floors and walls are made of wooden planks. — (Trade Room)

The visitor center has a room where you can watch an informative video to learn more about the Fort Union Trading Post along with other displays regarding the history of the area. This is also where you will find the gift shop to get your national park passport stamped and an array of items for purchase like old-fashioned flint fire starter kits and cookbooks about cooking on the prairie or using common weeds.

White two story house. With a front porch on both floors. The roof is red and there are black shutters on the 8 bottom windows and two of the tope four. There is a white fend that surrounds the front. It is an old fashioned house; the main house in the Fort Union Trading Post. — (Main House/Visitor Center)

Depending on when you go, you might encounter school field trips that are visiting the site. Fort Union Trading Post does have a Jr Ranger and Trader program for kids that they estimate would take around an hour to complete if you wish to turn this into a more structured educational opportunity for your children.

On the sidewalk between the parking lot and the trading post there is a short trail available that leads to a river if you wish to stretch your legs a bit more before getting back into your car.

View of a river that is weaving off into the distance through tall grass near the viewer. Both sides of river has grass, bushes and green trees. Sky is light blue. — (River at the end of the short trail we found)

Knife River Indian Village

Stanton, North Dakota is where you will find the Knife River Indian Village Historic Site. There is no fee to visit and the outdoor areas are open from sunrise to sunset every day of the year. The visitor center is open from 9am-5pm during the summer months and 8:30am- 4:30pm from Labor Day to Memorial Day. The hours may be different on holidays. The trails are pet friendly; just remember to keep them on leash and pick up after them.

This National Historic Site consists of a visitor center (with several picnic tables and shelters out front) and 3 walking trails. The walking trails are in three different locations. It provides a unique experience where you will have the chance to walk amongst some of the burial grounds and village sites of the Northern Plains Indians. There is a paved parking lot at the visitor center, and it is a short drive to get to the two different unpaved parking lots that will give you access to the other trails.

This is a cream colored sign with the words "Awatixa Xie Village" in the top left corner. The right side of the sign is a picture of green grass with multiple circles in the earth. The left describes what the circles in the Earth mean (depressions of Earth Lodges) — (You can still see the depressions in the ground from the Earth Lodges)

The main building/visitor center gives you the opportunity to watch an informative movie about the history of the area and the Native American people. You can also explore a room full of exhibits where you learn more about how the tribes survived and the tools they use. It was interesting to learn how the tribes in the area stored their food and to see the types of boats they had built. In the gift shop, you can buy souvenirs, talk to a ranger, and grab a map that will direct you to the three different walking trail options: The Village trail, the Two River trail, and the North Forest trail.

A canoe made from a bison hide, with the hair part on the outside. There is an oar in the middle of it. Canoe is displayed on a stand in a the Knife River Indian Village NHS visitor Center — (Canoe made from Bison Hide)

Just behind the building is the start of the Village Trail (1.3mi) and the first thing you will encounter is a replica earth lodge (a type of home for the tribes that used to live in the area). It is full of items that one would have found inside a home during that time. If you continue down the trail, you will find where the Awatixa xi’e and the Awatixa Villages used to be. When you explore the area, you will be able to see the depressions in the earth from the earth lodges that used to be there. There are educational signs along the trails to explain what you are looking at. Some sections may be closed if they are currently doing excavations of some of the burial mounds that are further down the trail.

Outside of an Earth Lodge. It is the shape of a mound covered with dirt and grass. The doorway is made of tree trunks. — (Earth Lodge)

The Two Rivers trail (6.2mi) follows along the river and the North Forest Trail loop (2.2mi) leads you into the forest and prairie. If you do not have time to hike the whole trail, just go in about .1 miles to see where the Hidatsa Village used to be. Be aware the North Forest Trail will have you walking through some areas of high grass so keep an eye out for ticks!

Why You Should Visit:

If you are interested in learning about the history of the United States, I highly suggest you visit these two Historical Sites in North Dakota. Seeing parts of history firsthand is amazing and really brings home how people used to live back then. From the fur traders at the Fort Union Trading Post to the Native American villages at Knife River, one can learn a lot no matter your age. These are great free stops that also give you the opportunity to walk a trail or three depending on how long you have to spend at each location. If you are looking for other stops on your road trip, take a look at our North Dakota Roadside Attractions post.

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