About the Fort Seward Historic Site
Fort Seward was an active military fort from 1872-1877. The post was
first called Camp Sykes, for Colonel George Sykes, 20th U.S. Infantry.
It was designated Fort Cross on September 7, 1872. The name was changed
to Fort Seward in 1873 in honor of former Secretary of State William H.
Seward who died on October 10, 1872.
Fort Seward was abandoned as a military post on September 30, 1877. The military reservation was transferred to the Interior Department on July 14, 1880. The Fort Seward Historic Site now houses an interpretive center displaying artifacts excavated from the site's archaeological digs. A new computer kiosk takes you on an audio-visual virtual tour of the site. The grounds are also home to a Veterans' Memorial and scenic views of the James River Valley. Weather permitting, the largest United States flag on display in North Dakota flies here.
Management of the site
The Fort Seward Historic Site is managed by a site manager who takes care of the day to day operations during the time the site is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The manager supervises any seasonal employees, orders supplies for the gift shop, mows the grass, coordinates camping reservations, provides interpretive services for visitors, researches history of the site, and new exhibits.
There is a five member board of directors that develops the strategic goals of the site and oversees the operation