Originally built as Fort Saint Anthony in the 1820s, Fort Snelling is spread across 300 acres in St. Paul, MN, and is strategically situated at the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers. Today, the Minnesota Historical Society runs the fort, which is located atop a bluff along the Mississippi River. The Northern Star Council for the Boy Scouts of America, which serves communities across central Minnesota and western Wisconsin, believed it was fitting to expand its headquarters there.
The $17 million expansion included the addition of the Peter J. King Family Foundation Leadership Center. The new building features an atrium, welcome area, expanded retail shop, interactive technology room for kids, several meeting rooms, a climbing tower and a team-focused high ropeschallenge course. The Council also moved its two offices in St. Paul and Golden Valley into the center.