About Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site
Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site preserves and reconstructs the most important fur trading post on the Upper Missouri River. Between 1828 and 1867, Fort Union stood as the grandest fort on the upper river, a place where the Assiniboine and six other Northern Plains tribes exchanged buffalo robes and smaller furs for manufactured goods brought from around the world, including cloth, guns, blankets, and beads. The post is located on the Montana and North Dakota border near Williston and is administered by the National Park Service.
At its height, Fort Union was a remarkable hub of commerce and cross-cultural contact. The post annually traded more than 25,000 buffalo robes and roughly $100,000 in merchandise, functioning as a bastion of peaceful coexistence on the frontier. Operated in connection with the American Fur Company, it played a central role in the economy of the northern fur trade and in the broader story of western expansion before the trade declined after the Civil War era.
What to See
Today the site reconstructs and interprets the fort and its history. Features include:
- The reconstructed trading post buildings recreating the fort as it appeared during its active years.
- Living-history programs interpreting frontier commerce and Native American trade.
- Interpretation of the Assiniboine and other Northern Plains tribes who traded at the post.
- The annual Fort Union Rendezvous, a fur-trade fair recreating the era on the upper Missouri.
Planning Your Visit
The site is located along Highway 1804 near Williston, North Dakota. For current hours, fees, directions, and the schedule of living-history events such as the Rendezvous, consult the official National Park Service website at www.nps.gov/fous before you travel.
Explore North Dakota's Historical Landscape
Use the When It Was app to discover historical businesses, landmarks, and buildings throughout North Dakota. See how your community has transformed over the decades.
Explore When It Was →