Wood Lake Battlefield protection moving forward

There is some good news to report on the efforts of the Wood Lake Battlefield Preservation Association.

A conservation easement agreement has been signed with landowners on the portion of land where the Battle of Wood Lake took place in 1862. The development of a 53 acre portion of the battlefield as a memorial site dedicated to the Dakota Warriors and United States soldiers can now be developed. The hope is to have the site also include an interpretive trail to tell the history and restore it to native prairie.

The Association worked for over six years towards the goal of protecting the site, and was successful in having it listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.

The association is devoted to telling both sides of the history represented here. It has been working with the State Historic Preservation Office and the Civil War Trust to see that the site is protected and recognized for its significance.

Recognized as one of the most important battlefield sites from the 1862 US Dakota Conflict it is being protected as Minnesota prepares to observe the 150th anniversary of the war.