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Monday 10am - 4pm Tuesday 10am - 4pm Wednesday 10am - 4pm Thursday 10am - 4pm Friday 10am - 4pm Saturday 9am - 3pm Sunday 12pm - 4pm

Fort Belmont

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Visit Historic Fort Belmont! at the Intersection of Hwy 71 & I90, in Jackson, MN! Open Daily: Memorial Day through Labor Day! See Historic Fort Belmont!

Complete with 1873 Lysgard Farmhouse, a 1902 Delafield Church, Working Grist Mill, Log Cabin, Stockade, Blacksmith Shop, Sod House and Museum! Open Daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day! Tours available upon request! Church and Farm house available for rent for weddings, baptisms and family reunions!

10/15/2026

🔭 FORT BELMONT FALL STAR PARTY
Know Before You Go

We’re looking forward to welcoming you this Saturday! Here are a few things to bring for a comfortable evening at the Fort:

Warm clothes—dress in layers for time outdoors.

A lawn chair, and a blanket if you’d like one. Bale seating will also be available.

A red flashlight, if you have one. Otherwise, we’ll have covers available for regular flashlights.

Binoculars or a telescope, if you’d like to bring your own.

You don’t need your own equipment or any astronomy experience. Our astronomy team will have telescopes available and will be happy to answer questions.

Please use red light around the telescopes to help everyone’s eyes stay adjusted to the dark. Hot cocoa and tea will be available, too.

Saturday, October 17, 2026
7:00–9:00 PM
Fort Belmont • Jackson, Minnesota
Free admission • Donations welcome

Check our Facebook Event for the latest updates before heading out.
https://www.facebook.com/share/19iNGb2X4V/

10/10/2026

🔭 FORT BELMONT FALL STAR PARTY
One Week Away • More Than Stargazing

A little building, a little stargazing, and a warm cup of cocoa—there’s plenty to look forward to at Fort Belmont next Saturday.

Children can build constellations with marshmallows and toothpicks, connecting their “stars” into patterns. Face painting will be available, too!

Out at the telescopes, our astronomers will be sharing views of the night sky and answering questions. We’ll also have hot cocoa and tea, glow sticks, and our exclusive Fort Belmont Star Party stickers.

It’s an autumn evening to explore something together, whether you’re coming with children, friends, or someone who simply loves looking up.

Saturday, October 17, 2026
7:00–9:00 PM
Fort Belmont • Jackson, Minnesota
Free admission • Donations welcome

Visit our Facebook Event for details and updates as you plan your evening.
https://www.facebook.com/share/19dCa6FpLN/

10/03/2026

🔭 FORT BELMONT FALL STAR PARTY

Two weeks from tonight!
Admission is free, donations are welcome.

We’re gathering at Fort Belmont for an autumn evening of stargazing, warm drinks, and good company, with the familiar stockade lit up to welcome you.

Our astronomy team will share views through telescopes and answer your questions about the night sky. No astronomy experience is needed—whether you’ve never looked through a telescope or already enjoy stargazing, you’re welcome here.

Hot cocoa, tea, and children’s activities will be part of the evening, too. It’s a chance to explore something together with family, friends, and neighbors.

Saturday, October 17, 2026
7:00–9:00 PM
Fort Belmont • Jackson, Minnesota

Visit our Facebook Event and mark Interested or Going as you make your plans:
https://www.facebook.com/share/1DY3uRVguy/

09/24/2026

🔭 FORT BELMONT FALL STAR PARTY
The Sky Above Fort Belmont

Our familiar stockade stands beneath sweeping circles of starlight in this photograph, taken right here at Fort Belmont.

As Earth rotates, the stars appear to move across the sky. Recording their light over time reveals these trails—the photograph brings that gradual movement together in one view.

This October, we’ll gather at the fort for an autumn evening of looking up together, with astronomers sharing telescope views and answering questions. There’s something special about taking time to explore the sky above a place we know.

Saturday, October 17, 2026
7:00–9:00 PM
Fort Belmont • Jackson, Minnesota

Follow our Facebook Event for details and updates as the evening approaches.
https://www.facebook.com/share/1Bc486FGdg/

09/17/2026

🔭 FORT BELMONT FALL STAR PARTY
Meet Paul and Chris

One month from tonight, Paul Seifert and Chris Rose will help lead our evening of stargazing at Fort Belmont.

Paul teaches at Minnesota West Community and Technical College. A self-described “lifelong star geek,” he has taught astronomy for 26 years and helped run star parties for more than 30. He still loves simply looking up in awe at the universe and finding interesting objects through a telescope.

Chris founded Macclesfield Astronomical Society in May 1990 at Jodrell Bank Radio Observatory in England. He also served as technical editor of the UK magazine Astronomy Now.

We’re glad to have both of them joining us to share telescope views, answer questions, and help us explore what’s overhead.

Paul’s invitation says it well: “Get outside and enjoy the night sky any way you can.”

Saturday, October 17, 2026
7:00–9:00 PM
Fort Belmont • Jackson, Minnesota

Follow our Facebook Event for details and updates.
https://www.facebook.com/share/19QFGcWhAL/

09/10/2026

🔭 FORT BELMONT FALL STAR PARTY

What Is a Star Party?

At Fort Belmont, we usually look into the past. On October 17, we’ll look up.

A Star Party is a relaxed gathering where people explore the night sky together. Telescopes will be set up for guests to look through, questions are encouraged, and no astronomy experience is needed.

Never used a telescope? Perfect. Just bring your curiosity and enjoy seeing the sky from a whole new perspective.

📅 Saturday, October 17
🕖 7:00–9:00 PM
📍 Fort Belmont

Learn more and mark yourself Interested or Going:

https://www.facebook.com/share/1CkT4DoXBx/

Have you ever looked through a telescope?

09/01/2026

🌟 There’s something special about Fort Belmont after dark.

The prairie grows quiet, the historic buildings become silhouettes, and the night sky takes center stage.

On Saturday, October 17, we invite you to spend an autumn evening looking up with us. Local astronomers will share their telescopes and help us explore sights in the night sky that photographs simply can’t compare to seeing with your own eyes.

Bring your family, bring your curiosity, and come experience the Fort beneath the stars.

🌟 STAR PARTY AT FORT BELMONT
📅 Saturday, October 17, 2026
⏰ 7:00–9:00 PM
📍 Fort Belmont • Jackson, Minnesota

Save the date—more details will be shared as the evening gets closer!

08/24/2026

🪶 Pioneer Days Rendezvous 2026 — Thank You

This is what it takes to bring Pioneer Days to life.

Volunteers. Reenactors. Demonstrators. Performers. Artists. Scouts. Vendors. Friends. Neighbors. People willing to give their time, share their talents, haul equipment, cook food, answer questions, welcome visitors, clean up messes, solve problems, and keep going until the job is done.

Over the past weekend, Fort Belmont came alive because of them.

To everyone pictured here—and to the many people who helped behind the scenes but weren’t able to make it into the photo—thank you.

And to every visitor who walked through the gates, asked a question, joined a cricket game, followed a pirate on a treasure hunt, listened to the music, watched the cannon fire, explored the camps, supported our vendors, shared a meal, or simply spent part of your weekend with us: thank you for being part of Pioneer Days Rendezvous.

We are also deeply grateful to our sponsors and supporters—Southwest Minnesota Arts Council, New Fashion Pork, Thrivent, and Culligan of Jackson—for helping make this weekend possible.

Events like Pioneer Days don’t happen because of one person or one organization. They happen because a community decides that history, education, fellowship, and a little bit of fun are worth preserving.

From all of us at Fort Belmont:

Thank you for an incredible Pioneer Days Rendezvous 2026.

We hope you made a memory or two while you were here.

08/23/2026

🪶 One More Day on the Frontier!

If you missed Pioneer Days yesterday, there’s still one more chance to experience it—and we have a few special Sunday additions waiting for you.

🎩 Abraham Lincoln will be making a surprise appearance at Fort Belmont today!

⛪ Fort Belmont is also proud to host the All-Class Reunion Church Service as part of today’s activities.

Join us today from 9:00 AM–4:00 PM for another full day of living history, music, games, demonstrations, food, and family fun throughout the grounds.

A few of today’s highlights:

🎩 Abraham Lincoln — Special surprise appearance
💥 New Ulm Battery — Cannon demonstrations every hour on the hour
🏏 Historic Cricket with Tom Melville — Join in short, informal 19th-century games throughout the day
🏴‍☠️ MN Jack Sparrow — Treasure hunts at 11:30 AM and 3:00 PM
🎨 Jackson Center for the Arts — Face painting and en plein air painting
🎻 Triple Fiddle — Live music beginning at 1:00 PM
🪓 Tomahawk Throwing Contest — 2:30 PM

You’ll also find blacksmithing, weaving, rendezvous camps, merchants, historic buildings, children’s activities, food, and plenty more to discover around the grounds.

🍽️ Food and drinks available for purchase
📅 Today • 9:00 AM–4:00 PM
📍 Fort Belmont • Jackson, Minnesota
🎟️ Free Admission | Donations Accepted

Yesterday was a great start. Today is your last chance to experience Pioneer Days Rendezvous 2026.

Come spend one more day on the frontier with us—and see who you might meet along the way.

Address

217 Belmont Lane
Jackson, MN
56143

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 4pm
Tuesday	10am - 4pm
Wednesday	10am - 4pm
Thursday	10am - 4pm
Friday	10am - 4pm
Saturday	9am - 3pm
Sunday	12pm - 4pm

Telephone

+15078476672

Website

https://www.fortbelmont.org/

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