Attendees of the Ft. Stevenson State Park 50th Anniversary celebration gather at the park on Aug. 3.

The location of frontier military outpost Fort Stevenson may be 120 feet under the waters of Lake Sakakawea, but the state park that bears its name rang in its 50th anniversary in August.

Founded in 1974, Fort Stevenson State Park is located on a peninsula about two miles southwest from the original fort, and four miles south of Garrison in McLean County. In the last 50 years the park has grown into a year-round attraction for visitors throughout the state and nation seeking entertainment and recreation, having been the first North Dakota state park to offer campsites with amenities such as water, power and sewer services.

Summer visitors to Fort Stevenson are able to avail themselves to any number of outdoor activities, from fishing, boating, camping and picnicking, in addition to more than eight miles of trails for hiking, biking and cross-country skiing. Those looking to take in a bit of history can check out the partial reconstruction of Fort Stevenson, which also serves as a museum for the outpost named for Thomas G. Stevenson, a general of the Union Army who perished in the Battle of Spotsylvania during the Civil War.

Fort Stevenson State Park fills the summer months with signature events such as frontier military days, with its accompanying stick horse rodeo; national marina day in June; and the N.D. Governor’s Walleye Cup fishing competition in July.

Park Manager Chad Trautman said in light of the 50th anniversary, the park’s staff sought to expand the park’s offerings and find new ways to engage with the public. The park kicked off the summer with an attempt to claim a Guinness World Record for the most people making s’mores. Trautman said the attempt was successful, with 1,150 showing up to take part in making and, no doubt, consuming the time-honored campfire delicacy.

“We were ecstatic to have achieved the record, knowing it couldn’t have happened without the amazing people of North Dakota,” Trautman said.

The park’s summer programming was capped off by its 50th anniversary celebration on Aug. 3, which was jam packed with a sailboat regatta, a boat parade and a water skiing performance by Bottineau-based Club de Skinautique.

“We could not have done all this alone. The anniversary celebrations have been made possible through the generous monetary contributions from our local community. The tremendous support received in the form of donated money, supplies and food ensured the success of these events. In addition, many businesses have allowed their staff to volunteer time. We are forever grateful for their generosity and kindness,” Trautman said.