In this article, we shall be talking about various landmarks within the city of Richfield, Minnesota, and it appears that there are two landmarks that are near this city. These landmarks are Riley Lucas Bartholomew House, within Richfield, and Fort Snelling, which is literally a walk away from Richfield’s borders. We shall talk about these landmarks in detail, we will tackle things such as their origin and history, but before that, we shall give you first a quick description of the place. Now, without further ado, let me begin describing each of these landmarks to you in detail.
First off, there’s Riley Lucas Bartholomew House, which is inside the administrative borders of the city. The Riley Lucas Bartholomew House is a historic house museum in Richfield, Minnesota, United States, originally the home of prominent early Minnesotan Riley Bartholomew (1807–1894). The Richfield Historical Society operates the house as the Bartholomew House Museum adjacent to their Richfield History Center.
In 1852, when Fort Snelling was greatly reduced in size, the area that would become the city of Richfield became available for settlement. Bartholomew came to the area and filed a claim on the shores of Wood Lake. He proceeded to build the two-story section of the home with local lumber, using white pine for the floors. His wife, Fanny, and two children joined him in the spring of 1853. Soon after the construction of the house, two additions were added by moving two single story dwellings from near Minnehaha Falls and adding them on to the house. Bartholomew went on to become influential in local politics as a member of the Republican Constitutional Convention which framed the Minnesota Constitution in 1857. He also represented District Four in the Minnesota Senate. Bartholomew, who earlier in life had risen to the rank of general in the Ohio militia, also joined a company of volunteers during the Dakota War of 1862.
The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for local significance in military and politics/government for its association with Riley Bartholomew.
Next on the list, is Fort Snelling, which is merely a quick walk away!
Fort Snelling, originally known as Fort Saint Anthony, is a United States military fortification located at the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers in Hennepin County, Minnesota. The Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, a National Park Service unit, includes historic Fort Snelling.
The fort is located in Fort Snelling Unorganized Territory in Hennepin County, Minnesota, named after the fortification. The Minnesota Historical Society now runs the fort, located atop a bluff along the river. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources runs Fort Snelling State Park, protecting the land at the bottom of the bluff. Fort Snelling once encompassed both parcels.
The fort is designated as a National Historic Landmark and has been named a “national treasure” by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
In 1805, Lieutenant Zebulon Pike acquired Pike’s Purchase from the Sioux Nation for the United States, comprising 100,000 acres (400 km²) of land in the area. Significant European-American settlement began in the late 1810s. Following the War of 1812, the United States Department of War built a chain of forts and installed Indian agents at them between Lake Michigan and the Missouri River. These forts primarily protected the northwestern territories from Canadian and British encroachment. The Army founded Fort Saint Anthony in 1819.
Colonel Josiah Snelling commanded the 5th Infantry Regiment (United States). Its soldiers constructed the original Fort Saint Anthony from 1820 to 1824. During construction, most soldiers lived at Camp Coldwater, which provided drinking water to the fort throughout the 19th century. The post surgeon began recording meteorological observations at Fort Saint Anthony in January 1820, beginning one of the longest near-continuous weather records in the country. Upon the fort’s completion in 1825, the Army renamed it as Fort Snelling in honor of its commander and architect.
Major Roadways and Highways in Richfield, MN