Built in 1867 by Nils Severson on his land with help from neighbors, Fort Severson was made of limestone and mortar of lime and sand from Deer Creek. Severson's design was a typical fort with small openings for rifles and larger openings for gatling guns. The Spirit Lake Massacre and the uprising at New Ulm, Minnesota, prompted the building of forts across North Iowa, and this is the only one left standing. Although Indians never came, there were some scares, and settlers came from as far as ten miles away to stay there. The building was later used as a stage coach stop on a route between Northwood and St. Ansgar on the Kansas City, Rochester Minnesota stage line. As many as 20 people slept on the top floor, meals were served on the first floor, and immigrants stayed there while looking for land to settle on. It became a farm building in the 1870s after the railroad came through. Restored in 1972 by local people as a United States bicentennial project, the fort and site were donated for use by David and Judy Goplerud. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Sites in July 1976 and is maintained by the Mitchell County Historical Society.