As the first official symbols of U. S. government presence on the Western frontier, the forts of the Northern Plains were both centers of commerce and sources of conflict. The integral role 51 of those forts played during decades of warfare with the Plains Indians tribes--and the posts' fates after those wars ended--is recounted in this informative guidebook. Included are histories, up-to-date descriptions of what remains today, directions and other visitor information for each post.