Fort Union Trading Post
National Historic Site

VISITATION:

Highest in June; lowest in January.

LOCATION:

Williston, North Dakota

ADDRESS:

Fort Union Trading Post NHS
15550 Hwy. 1804
Williston, ND 58801

TELEPHONE:

(701) 572-9083

OPERATING HOURS, SEASONS:

Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (CST). Rest of year, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (CST) Closed during Winter Holidays.

DIRECTIONS:

Fort Union is located 24 miles north of Sidney, Montana and 25 miles southwest of Williston, North Dakota via ND Highway 1804.

TRANSPORTATION:

Personal vehicle or United Express Airline into Williston, North Dakota.

FEES, COSTS, RATES:

No Admission fees.

FACILITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES:
Visitor Center/Exhibits:

The primary visitor center exhibits are in the Bourgeois House located within the post walls. Other exhibits are located outside on the approach to the fort from the parking lot and within the courtyard of the trading post.

Programs/Activities:

Programs during the summer include an interpreter in the trade house selling replicas of trade items used in the nineteenth century, interpreters in period dress located at various stations within the walls of the post, black powder firearms demonstrations and blacksmith demonstrations.

Accessibility:

The fort and Bourgeois House are accessible by handicapped in wheelchairs; the southwest bastion and galleries are not accessible.

RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES/PARK USE:

Visitation to the Bourgeois House (visitor center), the Trade House and grounds within and without the fort walls, including the southwest Bastion.

RESERVATIONS/PERMITS:

Reservations for guided tours are to be made in advance for school classes and other visiting groups.

BASIC VISIT RECOMMENDATIONS:

Set aside from one-to-two hours to visit the trading post: Bourgeois House, Trade House and fort grounds.

SPECIAL EVENTS, PROGRAMS - SUMMER 1999

June 17-20: Fort Union Rendezvous - 19th Century Fur Trade Fair includes a variety of period arts, crafts, and music.

July 10-11: Fort Buford Encampment - Commemorates frontier military post active from 1866 to 1895. Military camp includes ceremonies, drill and black powder firing demonstrations.

July 24-25: Fort Union Civil War Weekend - Commemorates the time from 1864-1865 when Union soldiers garrisoned Fort Union, co-existing with the fur traders. This is the only time that the military was at Fort Union.

August 14-15: Indian Arts Showcase - Demonstrations of traditional Northern Plains Indian accoutrements, crafts, and music.

Sept. 4-6: Fort Union Living History Weekend - Reenactors portray American Fur Company employees and Native Americans of Fort Union Trading Post. Includes "Last Bell" tours, Saturday evening, Sept. 4.

ADJACENT VISITOR ATTRACTIONS:

Fort Buford State Historic Site - a 1866-1895 military post. (Online Note: Fort Buford is about half way down the list of ND Historic sites)

Confluence Park - A North Dakota state picnic area overlooking the confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Cooperating Associations - The Fort Union Association offers a bookstore in the Bourgeois House (visitor center) and more than 200 replica trade items in the Trade House. The bookstore has a complete offering of every available title on the Upper Missouri fur trade and Northern Plains Indians.

Last Updated:Sunday, 09-May-99 12:14:04
http://www.nps.gov/fous/