Fort Renville

Fort Renville is the site of a fur-trading post established by Joseph Renville and constructed in 1826. Just 1/2 mile north of the Lac Qui Parle Mission, Fort Renville is marked with an interpretive sign for visitors.

As early as 1811 fur traders traveled and lived in the area, establishing posts to trade furs produced in the region. One of the most famous was Joseph Renville, the son of a French trader and a Dakota woman. In 1822, he established Fort Renville as a trading post at Lac qui Parle (Dakota for "lake that speaks".) It was one of the most influential centers of white presence in Southwestern Minnesota, and the only outpost between St. Peter and the British Posts of the Red River. The fort prospered until Renville's death in 1846. The site was excavated in 1940, and currently is marked with an interpretive sign.