Boy looks inside the barrel of an old cannon - military history sites

Self-guided · County in Minnesota

Military History Sites in Big Stone County, MN

Forts, armories, barracks, batteries and memorials from every war the country has fought, listed with what happened at each.

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Photo: Phyllis Lilienthal on Unsplash

Big Stone County is one of 87 counties in Minnesota. The record for this chapter of history is uneven, and some of it is hard to read. That is a reason to go and see it, not a reason to skip it.

Child sits on a cannon with others walking by - military history sites — Photo: Belov Sergey on Unsplash

A woman standing in front of a display of guns - military history sites — Photo: Felix Ngo on Unsplash

A group of men in uniform holding guns - military history sites — Photo: Rusty Watson on Unsplash

On the record near Big Stone County, MN

The 12 nearest

12 listed sites on the record match military history sites within 200 miles of Big Stone County, MN, out of 19 listed sites of every kind within 25 miles. 5 listed sites carry Big Stone County as their county.

Fort Wadsworth Agency and Scout Headquarters Building18 miles from the center of Big Stone County · Building · Browns Valley · listed 1986National Register of Historic Places
Dawson Armory and Community Building38 miles from the center of Big Stone County · Building · Dawson · listed 1995National Register of Historic Places
Tracy Municipal Building and Armory90 miles from the center of Big Stone County · Building · Tracy · listed 2023National Register of Historic Places
Grand Army of the Republic Hall95 miles from the center of Big Stone County · Building · Litchfield · listed 1975National Register of Historic Places
Clearwater Masonic Lodge-Grand Army of the Republic Hall116 miles from the center of Big Stone County · Building · Clearwater · listed 1979National Register of Historic Places
New Ulm Armory123 miles from the center of Big Stone County · Building · New Ulm · listed 1979National Register of Historic Places
Worthington Armory and Community Building130 miles from the center of Big Stone County · Building · Worthington · listed 2017National Register of Historic Places
St. Peter Armory143 miles from the center of Big Stone County · Building · St. Peter · listed 1997National Register of Historic Places
Minneapolis Armory158 miles from the center of Big Stone County · Building · Minneapolis · listed 1985National Register of Historic Places
Salvation Army Women's Home and Hospital162 miles from the center of Big Stone County · Building · St. Paul · listed 1983National Register of Historic Places
White Bear Lake Armory169 miles from the center of Big Stone County · Building · White Bear Lake · listed 2019National Register of Historic Places
Armory, Old, --Vermillion182 miles from the center of Big Stone County · Building · Vermillion · listed 2002National Register of Historic Places

Distances are straight-line from the center of Big Stone County, MN. Many sites are private property or working buildings - view them from the public way. See them on the map.

Military History in Big Stone County, step by step

1
Read the short history of the period for this area
2
Open the map filtered to the sites from that chapter
3
Visit the nearest site and read its full record
4
Ask what the marker leaves out and look for the rest
5
Add the site to a route that follows the period in order

What people in Big Stone County, MN ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in Big Stone County, MN?

Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.

Where does the information on these sites come from?

From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.

Are the hard parts of this history included?

Yes. The record is shown as published, and the stories behind the markers include what happened, who it happened to, and how it was remembered. Leaving the hard parts out would make the stop less worth the trip.

Why are there so many of these sites near Big Stone County, MN?

Most areas have more than people expect, because the registers list every surviving building and site tied to a period, not just the famous ones. The list on this page shows exactly what is on the record nearby.

How a visit works in Big Stone County

Step 1
Find the place
Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In Big Stone County, MN the map shows what is listed around you and how far each one is, so the first decision is where to go, and it takes a few seconds.
Step 2
Read the story
The record behind each marker is kept whole: what happened there, when, who was involved, and why it was worth a sign. You read it standing where it happened, which is the part a textbook cannot give you.
Step 3
Get there under your own power
Walk it, run it, hike it, ride it or drive it. Stops in Big Stone County, MN are chained into routes that fit the way you move, so a lunch break, a long run or a Saturday drive can all pass through history.
Step 4
Collect it and come back
Each stop you reach counts toward a badge, and a photo or a correction you send makes the record better for the next person. The map remembers where you have been, so the next trip starts where the last one ended.