Can you imagine what it would be like to have lived in Jackson County in the late 1800s? Make plans to visit Fort Belmont and take a step back in time to the days of early pioneers.
Fort Belmont is open daily for tours from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Please enter the museum upon arrival and register at the Trading Post counter. Staff will be available to take you on a personal tour of the Fort. Transportation is also available for those unable to walk a far distance, thanks to a generous donation from the Harry Hample family, in memory of Harry Hample.
Site Hours:
Monday - Friday 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Sunday 12 noon - 4:00 p.m.
Tours for school groups and bus tours are also available after May 1st or before October 1st by appointment, only. Please call the local Chamber of Commerce office at (507) 847-3867 for additional details and to make arrangements for group tours.
Check out our links at the right to learn more about items of interest at the Fort. The various buildings contain many items of the time period, depicting life and times of early settlers.
Be sure to get a picture with Lars Larson at Fort Belmont!
Lars Larson Rasdal Hjornevik, "Jenntuften (the iron troll)" which he was called after his trial of strength, lived at Tufte, Norway in the mid 1800s. This is the story of Lars. All can remember a huge rock at the Hjornevik farm, that stood at the end of the house. The stone was round and very hard to get a hold of. One Sunday afternoon when the people came from church, they got Lars to lift the stone. Lars lifted the stone several times. No one could believe it. There were many people who came just to see this. The stone was very large, weighing 1032 pounds, and he had to bend over and lift it up to his chest. This happened in 1860 before Lars immigrated to the United States at the age of 33.