I grew up not far from the old Fort Juleson site near Underwood, Minnesota. In 1876, after Custer’s defeat in Montana, the Upper Midwest braced for a Sioux attack. It was only 14 years after the U.S./Dakota War, and it remained fresh in their minds.
Rumors were rampant. Newspapers falsely reported Indian raids in other towns. Many feared for their lives, and left Minnesota for more settled areas.
In Otter Tail County, Civil War veterans banded together to make a stand. They chose high ground and built a defensive position. Legend has it that farmers left their harvest in the fields and fled to Fort Juleson—along with their families and livestock.
They waited for attacks that never came.
You can see the flag flying on the north side of Highway 210, just east of Underwood. It’s easy to imagine the settlers coming from all directions to the safety of the fort. I tell the story in the 4th book of the Abercrombie Trail Series, Blooming Prairie.
