Discovery Sites
How to get there: Located at the junction of Hwy 212/59 and 445th Ave on the edge of Montevideo, Minnesota.
What you will find: There is a wayside rest here. The four faces of the 51-foot granite monument are inscribed with information about the battles that took place along the Minnesota River during the war, the Dakotas’ surrender, and the creation of the monument.
Services at this site: None
The Camp Release Monument, erected July 4, 1894, stands as a reminder of Minnesota’s tragic early state history. The Minnesota River Valley and the area of Montevideo played an integral part in the U.S. – Dakota War in the fall of 1862.
After their defeat at Wood Lake, Dakota warriors surrendered at Camp Release where they released any prisoners they had. They in turn became captives; 38 were executed at Mankato, some were imprisoned in military prisons. Some of them were executed, after conviction in summary trials at Lower Sioux.
The monument was the first property added to the state park system and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
Things to Do: Discovery Site, U.S. - Dakota War of 1862
