Fort Ripley (Minnesota fort)
| Camp Ripley | |
|---|---|
| Morrison County, Minnesota, USA | |
| Site information | |
| Owner | State of Minnesota |
| Controlled by | Minnesota National Guard |
| Open to the public |
Yes |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1930 |
| In use | Yes |
|
Fort Ripley
|
|
| Location | Morrison County, Minnesota, USA |
|---|---|
| Nearest city | Little Falls, Minnesota |
| Coordinates | 46°10′32″N 94°22′23″W / 46.17556°N 94.37306°W |
| Built | 1848–49 |
| NRHP Reference # | 71000439 |
| Added to NRHP | September 10, 1971 |
Camp Ripley is a 53,000-acre (210 km2) military and civilian training facility operated by the Minnesota National Guard located near the city of Little Falls in the central part of the state. The location of the camp was selected in 1929 by Ellard A. Walsh, Adjutant General of the State of Minnesota. The site's winter warfare training course is the primary facility used by the National Guard for winter combat exercises. Camp Ripley also hosts the training academy for the Minnesota State Patrol and is a popular site for athletes training to compete in winter biathlons. Most Minnesota Guard soldiers train at Camp Ripley during two-week annual training periods.
The camp is a state game refuge with resources managed cooperatively by the Department of Military Affairs and Department of Natural Resources. It also houses the Minnesota Military Museum, a museum that is open for the public and military personnel. Also on the grounds is the site of Fort Ripley, a military post established in 1848—the second ever built in Minnesota—to keep the peace among the Dakota, Ojibwe, and Ho-Chunk people.
The site for Camp Ripley was first approved following World War I in 1929. The State of Minnesota purchased 12,000 acres (49 km2) of land to be used for military training. The site was officially named Camp Ripley in December 1930. It was named after Fort Ripley, a frontier fort that had been closed by the Federal Government in 1877. The fort was named for Brigadier General Eleazar Wheelock Ripley, a hero of the War of 1812. The remains of Fort Ripley are contained within the camp's property boundaries. The first soldiers that came to train at Camp Ripley stayed in tents, thus, training was only possible in the summer months. The government started to see that it was not beneficial to use tents year round while training, so they constructed buildings. There are now many historic buildings at Camp Ripley. An example is Valhalla, the governor's lodge. President Harry S. Truman stayed there twice, as did Senator Eugene McCarthy. When the lodge is not being used by the governor, it is used for other VIP guests.
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