Fort Clark Trading Post State Historic Site

Fort Clark Trading Post State Historic Site is an archaeological location on the Missouri River bluffs containing remains of earth-covered lodges, two trading posts, and an extensive cemetery. The site displays over 2,200 surface features including house ruins and burial grounds with hundreds of graves.

The Mandan settlement was established in 1822, and the American Fur Company built their trading post nearby in 1830. These two developments made the location a key hub for early commerce along the Missouri River.

The site preserves evidence of Mandan settlements whose homes and burial grounds remain visible across the landscape. These remains tell the story of a thriving community that lived and worked here for many generations.

The site is managed by the North Dakota State Historical Society and offers visitors interpretive signs and self-guided tour materials at the Civilian Conservation Corps kiosk. Wearing appropriate footwear is helpful since the grounds are hilly and meant to be explored on foot.

The first steamboat to travel up the upper Missouri River, the Yellowstone, reached this location in 1832 carrying important supplies and trade goods. This arrival marked a turning point for river commerce in the region.