Since taking over the reins of the 62-year-old Fort Museum complex on March 18, Fitzgerald has sought to revitalize the privately-owned, nonprofit institution with new approaches and funding sources, a technological upgrade, and a broader outreach to the community.

Born and raised in Fort Dodge, Fitzgerald moved away from the city for several years as an adult, but says she felt a “calling” to return home.

“When you go away for a while and come back you realize this is home,” she said. “And it’s kind of where you belong. I feel like this is where I can make a positive difference.”

As a 1993 Fort Dodge Senior High School graduate, and mother of five kids and four grandchildren who live in the area, she expressed a strong commitment to the community. After working in sales for over a decade, and gaining extensive experience in volunteer work with local civic organizations, she’s ready and eager to revitalize the image of the Fort Museum.

Jen Fitzgerald

“I feel like the Fort Museum needs to be noticed more. It’s not fully utilized, and I feel like it should be,” she said. “There’s a lot of interesting things here. We need to bring more life to the museum, and that’s something I can do, especially with my history in sales and community service.”

The Fort Museum and Frontier Village first opened its doors to the public in May 1964, seeking to preserve the area’s 19th-century frontier roots. It features a full-scale replica military stockade.

The museum and the community are linked historically to William Williams, who first came to the area in 1850 to serve as the sutler, or civilian merchant, at the military base first called Fort Clark and renamed Fort Dodge. After the fort was decommissioned in 1853, he purchased the site and transformed it into the town of Fort Dodge.

Visitors to the Fort Museum can explore replica military barracks and climb into the blockhouse for views of the surrounding grounds. Museum collections include Native American art and tools, military memorabilia, and Civil War exhibits. Various local artifacts from the 19th and 20th centuries, including period furniture and industrial equipment, are also on display.

The compound features an authentic, mid-19th century Frontier Village, which includes 18 original and reproduced buildings. A massive events center, known as the Opera House, was added to the fort complex in 1997. This rustic venue hosts community events such as concerts, balls and dances, fundraisers, political rallies, markets, and weddings.

Inside the cabin, featuring Lewis A. Armistead at his desk.

The Fort Museum also includes the Trading Post Gift Shop, which offers a selection of period clothing, home decor, moccasins, and other historical-themed items.

However, many people in the Fort Dodge area apparently have taken the Fort Museum and Opera House for granted in recent years, Fitzgerald observed, resulting in fewer annual visits to the complex and some events being cancelled due to insufficient publicity or lack of interest.

Nonetheless, Fitzgerald remains optimistic about the future of the Fort Museum complex, touting both its educational and entertainment value for people of all ages.

As she explains, Frontier Village is located primarily on “Front Street,” which includes 19th century structures and replica structures, such as two one-room schoolhouses, general store, church, blacksmith shop, print shop, livery stable, pottery building, cabinet shop, tinsmith shop, and jail.

Each building on Front Street houses authentic Fort Dodge artifacts from past centuries, often donated by local families, businesses, and civic clubs.

This is the oldest building in the fort complex. It is an authentic 1855 log cabin, salvaged from the original fort. It is dedicated to Lewis A. Armistead, who was a U.S. Army quartermaster and supervisor for the construction of the fort in 1850.

“Most of our artifacts here are genuine artifacts – they are not just replicas,” she said.

Moreover, each building in the village contains numerous artifacts that relate directly to a distinct aspect of Fort Dodge area history.

“Each one of our buildings tells a different story about our area,” she said. “Through our exhibits and the dedication of our curator, we’re able to bring those stories to life, and help visitors connect with our history.”

Within the walls of the stockade is an authentic 1855 log cabin, salvaged from the original fort. It is dedicated to Lewis A. Armistead, a Confederate general who was killed at Pickett’s Charge during the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863. Prior to joining the Confederacy, Armistead served as a U.S. Army quartermaster and supervisor for the construction of the fort in 1850.

One of the most popular exhibits in the Fort Museum is the Cardiff Giant – a 10-foot-tall, 3,000-pound, naked “petrified man,” carved from gypsum mined locally in Fort Dodge. It is a replica statue of the one used in the infamous archeological hoax of the late 19th century, which once fooled millions of circus-goers and other observers.

According to Fitzgerald, the Cardiff Giant exhibit continues to attract visitors from all over the United States.

“We recently had tourists from Florida, for example, who drove up to Fort Dodge with their grandkids just to see the giant,” she said.

Fitzgerald is committed to attracting more local interest and support for the museum. She complains that many people seem to think that a single childhood visit to the museum is sufficient. However, she emphasizes that the museum’s exhibits often change due to new artifacts that are donated, and existing displays that are regularly modified or replaced.

“It’s almost funny when people say to me, ‘I’ve already been there once when I was a kid,’ as if that is all that’s necessary. I respond to them that it’s time to come back and see us again,” she said.

She hopes that more area residents will opt for annual memberships, which provide unlimited access to the museum complex for an entire season. Options include single memberships ($50), single parents ($60), family memberships ($75), and grandparent memberships ($65). “With a grandparent membership, you can bring your grandkids with you,” she said.

Without an annual membership, daily entrance fees are priced at $10 for adults; $8 for seniors, military personnel, and students (with an ID); $5 for children (ages 5-17): and free entrance for children 4-years-old and under.

As a privately-held, nonprofit foundation, the museum does not receive any government funding, and is dependent financially on entrance fees, proceeds from services and rentals, and donations, Fitzgerald said.

One of Fitzgerald’s main goals is to solicit grant money for the museum from outside sources. She notes that national and state education grants, for example, would significantly enhance the ability of area schools to bring their students to the museum.

“A lot of schools just can’t afford it, or they have a budget that constrains them,” she said. “We are not just talking about

Fort Dodge schools. There are also other schools in surrounding communities that bus in their students, which can be very expensive. Grant money to cover such costs would help more schools visit the museum.”

Additionally, Fitzgerald is committed to encouraging corporate and business involvement in the museum.

“We want local companies to come to our museum, so that we can provide tours for their employees,” she said. “It’s a great way to bring people here, so they know what we have to offer.”

She observes that many local residents do not realize that the Fort Museum has an events center, the Opera House.

“I feel like it is way underutilized,” she said. “But I’m bringing new life to it, bringing it into the 21st century with newer technology. We are now installing video projectors and large television screens in the center.”

Major upcoming events at the Opera House include the Celebrate Opening Day Market on Saturday, May 2, and the Mega Market (Farmers & Flea Market) on both Aug. 15 and Sept. 29.

As a longstanding tradition, the Fort Museum hosts an annual Frontier Days event, which is scheduled this year for June 5-7. It will feature a downtown parade, historical reenactments, a buck-skinner camp, and live entertainment. The cost is $10 admission to the fort grounds for the entire weekend.

“We have a committee that is putting it together, headed by Jeana Becker,” Fitzgerald said. “The theme for Frontier Days 2026 is ‘Passport to the Past,’ which is being touted as “a chance to step back in time and experience history; hands on, engaging for all.”

Fitzgerald is the only full-time employee at the museum, though she is assisted by four part-time employees, including a curator, front-desk greeter, and two maintenance workers. Consequently, the museum complex is highly dependent on volunteers.

“We need more volunteers – we need volunteers for bingo nights, the trading post, guided tours, and gardening,” she says. “We have three gardens on the fort grounds, and we need help getting those up and running before the season begins.”

The Fort Museum and Frontier Village is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Guided tours are available on Fridays and weekends, and during the week if scheduled in advance. Self-guided tours are always available. Bingo nights are scheduled for every Monday and Thursday nights.

As Fitzgerald emphasizes, “Whether you’re attending an event, volunteering your time, hosting a wedding or fundraiser, or simply visiting to learn more about our past, we welcome everyone to be a part of what we’re building here.”

For any questions concerning event bookings, volunteer opportunities, memberships, or community partnerships, contact her at the Fort Museum office.