The Rock Island Military Reservation was established near Devils Lake in 1904. The history of the camp dates back to 1867 when Brigadier General Alfred Terry established several forts in North Dakota to protect prospectors heading to the gold fields in Montana. One of these was Fort Totten. In 1873, Rock Island was added to the Fort Totten Reservation. This was valuable as there was a considerable stand of timber on Rock Island. It became known as the Fort Totten Wood Lot. When Fort Totten was