Fort Buford 160th Anniversary Celebration

Date
June 15, 2026 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Location
Fort Buford State Historic Site/Missouri Yellowstone Interpretive Center

Cost
FREE

Monday, June 15 | All-Day Event

Celebrate 160 years of history at Fort Buford with a full day of immersive, hands-on frontier experiences! This special anniversary event invites visitors of all ages to explore the sights, sounds, and skills of life on the Northern Plains in the 19th century. Step onto the parade grounds and experience the fort as it once was, alive with activity, craftsmanship, and community.

Featured Activities Throughout the Day:

Wet Plate Photography Demonstration with Shane Balkowitsch

Watch renowned photographer Shane Balkowitsch demonstrate the historic 19th-century wet plate photography process from 12:00–1:30 PM.

Adobe Brick Making Demonstrations & Hands-On Participation

See how early structures were built, and try your hand at forming your own adobe brick.

Young Recruit Station: Enlistment Papers & Frontier Passport Book

Young visitors can “enlist” at the fort, complete their enlistment papers, and carry a frontier passport booklet to collect stamps and experiences throughout the day.

Telegraph & Morse Code Station

Send and receive messages using the communication technology that connected frontier posts.

Army Life: Then & Now

Interactive comparison table exploring daily life for soldiers in the 1860s versus today.

Frontier Games & Croquet on the Parade Grounds

Try period-inspired games that soldiers and families enjoyed at the fort.

Tin Punch Lantern Activity

Create your own decorative lantern inspired by 19th-century designs.

Picnic on the Parade Grounds

Bring a blanket and lunch and enjoy a summer day surrounded by history. Light refreshments and lemonade served throughout the day.

Short Presentations

10:00 AM | 3:00 PM

“Fort Buford: Why Here?”

Discover why this strategic location at the Missouri–Yellowstone Confluence was chosen and how it shaped regional history.

Come celebrate 160 years of resilience, community, and frontier life at Fort Buford.

This free, family-friendly event is part of the ND250 commemoration celebrating our nation’s 250th birthday

Categories
Activities; Events

Organization
Tourism

Contact
crteal@nd.gov
(701) 572-9034

Links
Facebook Event Page!

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