Saturday Marks 150th Anniversary of US-Dakota War

ST. PAUL  (AP) - Saturday marks the 150th anniversary of the outbreak of the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862 in southwestern Minnesota.

The war began on Aug. 18, 1862, at the Lower Sioux Agency in Morton. Hundreds were killed in six weeks of fighting, and the Dakota were exiled from their homeland. The war ended with the hanging of 38 Dakota men in Mankato on Dec. 26, 1862 - the largest mass execution in U.S. history.

Visitors to Historic Fort Snelling can learn about the conflict on Saturday and Sunday. An exhibit about the war, "Commemorating Controversy," is on display. Visitors can take a cellphone tour and talk about the war with interpreters in the Wood Barracks.

The History Center at the Lower Sioux Agency Historic Site will be open extended hours Friday through Sunday.

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