Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park - Features

On-A-Slant Indian Village

The Mandan village, named On-a-Slant (Miti O-pa-e-resh) because of it being built on a sloping plain toward the river, contained about 85 Earthlodges with a village population of around 1500. Unlike most Plains Indian tribes, the Mandan lived in sedentary communities in permanent homes called Earthlodges. The Mandan relied upon a mixture of fishing, hunting, and agriculture for subsistence. The men hunted and fished while the women tended crops, prepared animal hides and meat, gathered wild berries, wove baskets, and made pottery. The Mandan had advanced skills in village design and defense, which were economic centers where nomadic tribes came to exchange animal skins for agricultural products.

After prospering on this site for two centuries, a smallpox epidemic hit in 1781 and virtually eliminated the Heart River region Mandan. The survivors moved north along the Missouri River, eventually joining the Hidatsa near the Knife River. When Lewis and Clark discovered the deserted On-A-Slant Village in late 1804, it was already in an advanced state of decay, for they reported that the remains included fallen heaps of earth, which had covered the houses.

Today On-a-Slant Village is a state historic site and has six reconstructed Earthlodges including a large Council Lodge. Tours take you through the village and give visitors an insight into the lives of the Mandan people who once lived at On-a-Slant. 

Military Fort

Nearly a century after the Mandan occupied On-a-Slant village, the U.S. military established an infantry post on a bluff above the On-A-Slant ruins. In preparation for the Northern Pacific Railroad to lay its track to the west of the Missouri River basin, the military dispatched to companies of Infantry to the area. In June 1872, an infantry post, called Fort McKeen The name Fort McKeen was short-lived; the designation was changed to Fort Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1872. In 1873 Congress authorized the addition of a cavalry post and its construction was mostly completed the same year.

By 1874, Fort Abraham Lincoln housed three companies of the 6th and 17th Infantries and six companies of the 7th Cavalry, making the fort a nine-company command. With a total complement of about 650 men, the fort was among the largest and most important forts on the Northern Plains.

Lt. Colonel (Brevet Major General) George Armstrong Custer was the first commander of the enlarged fort and served here from 1873 until the Battle of the Little Big Horn in 1876. Upon completion of the railroad to Montana, Fort Abraham Lincoln had fulfilled its primary purpose. Consequently, the fort gradually declined in importance in 1891 it was decommissioned. In its heyday, the fort encompassed 78 separate buildings. All of the original buildings were dismantled by area settlers and the materials used in the construction of area homes and farms.

Today, dues to efforts by former Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation reconstructed Commanding Officer’s Quarters, Central Barracks, Granary, Commissary, and Stables now stand on the site.  

Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)

The first development of Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park happened during the 1930s with the establishment of a CCC camp at Fort Abraham Lincoln. Young men working to support their families during the depression joined the ranks for the CCC. The CCC was responsible for the building of the park’s campground, roads, Blockhouse reconstructions, Visitor Center building, and reconstruction of 5 Earthlodges on the On-a-Slant village site. They also mapped and laid out the cornerstone markers that show were the buildings that made up Fort Abraham Lincoln and Fort McKeen stood.  

Today you will find just outside the park Visitor Center the 39th “CCC Worker Statue” Dedicated on June 14, 2007 honoring all those men and the hard work they did in our North Dakota State Parks.   

Tours

Today, the Victorian-style home of George and Libbie Custer has been reconstructed and is open for living history tours . Step back in time and learn about life at Fort Abraham Lincoln while Custer and Libbie lived in North Dakota. 

The On-A-Slant Indian Village is also open for tours during the summer. Learn about the Mandan culture and lifestyle and what it took to thrive for two centuries along the Missouri River.

Interpretive Tour Pass:

Tour passes can be purchased at the Visitor Center or Commissary.

Adult: $8
Student (K-12): $5

Operation Dates:

May 17 - September 7, 2025

The Commissary Great Room

This multipurpose room is a beautiful space overlooking the majestic Missouri River. The Commissary Great Room is ideal for weddings, graduation celebrations, birthday parties and business meetings. Available year-round, the space has seating and tables for up to 150 people. The meeting room and small kitchen come equipped with WiFi, DVD player, TV, coffeemaker, microwave, sink and refrigerator. To book the Commissary call the park at (701) 667-6340.

Meeting Room. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $250/day (9 a.m. - 10 p.m., clean up 10-11 p.m.)
 

Triple Shelter

This shelter offers three separate spaces and is open daily for free public use. However, shelter space can be reserved to ensure availability and allow access to electricity.

Triple Shelter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $75/day

• Commissary Store - Coffee Shop & Gift Shop
• Historical Sites
• Kayak launch
• Picnic shelters
• Playground
• Sewage dump station
• Showers & flush toilets
• Visitor Center