One hundred years after Fort Abercrombie was established by order of Congress in 1857, petitions were being gathered for Congress to again act on this important military site. Residents of Abercrombie and others interested in the preservation of this early frontier post were collecting signatures to have it named as a national park. The plan was to rebuild the original structures, purchase additional land, establish a museum and restrooms and allow for a caretaker for the summer. The supporters estimated that an annual appropriation of $5,000 to $6,000 a year would be needed and letters were sent to Assistant Secretary of the Interior, Fred Aandahl, a former North Dakota Governor. Although national park status was never obtained, Fort Abercrombie continues to be one of North Dakota's significant historic sites with a new Interpretive Center scheduled to open in May of 2008.

By Jim Davis

Source: The Fargo Forum, August 4, 1957, Page C-2

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