Fort Snelling State Park Association (Minn.)

The Fort Snelling State Park Association was organized in January 1961 in order to promote the establishment and development of a state park at the Fort Snelling Military Reservation after 320 acres centered around the historic old fort were declared surplus by the Veterans Administration and made available to the State of Minnesota.

Incorporated in March 1961, the Association was instumental in persuading the 1961 Minnesota legislature to pass a bill establishing a 2450 acre state park in the Fort Snelling area with the 320 acres of surplus land as its nucleus. However, the legislature did cut the bill's original $675,000 appropriation for the purchase of private lands within the park's boundaries to $65,000. In order to make up the shortfall the Fort Snelling State Park Association conducted a fund raising campaign with a goal of raising $250,000. Although the campaign fell short of its goal, raising nearly $200,000, the 1963 state legislature passed a $400,000 appropriation for the park and coupled with a $73,950 grant from the federal government the acquisition of private lands within the park moved forward.

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