As the Civil War raged on, the Union Army, following a defeat at Wilson’s Creek in southwest Missouri, fell back to Rolla and in 1863 constructed a double-deck blockhouse to protect the town from any rebel attack from the east. That building – named Fort Dette, after Capt. John F.W. Dette, who supervised most of its construction – sat on the site of what is now Missouri S&T.

Share This Story

Spark a Memory?

Share your story! Fill out the form below to share your fondest memory or anecdote of S&T. If you'd prefer not typing, you can also share by phone at 833-646-3715 (833-Miner150).

Going nuclear

Going nuclear

Missouri S&T is home to the state’s first nuclear reactor. Operational since 1961 and one of only three nuclear reactors…

Building a legacy of mechanical engineering

Building a legacy of mechanical engineering

A registered professional engineer, John Toomey, who earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering in 1949 and 1951, founded…

Raíssa Sousa and Welenton Webler

Raíssa Sousa and Welenton Webler

Raíssa Sousa and Welenton Webler were both exchange students from Brazil when they met in August 2015. “We didn’t know…

Katie (Fritts) and Mitchell Niehoff

Katie (Fritts) and Mitchell Niehoff

Katie (Fritts) and Mitchell Niehoff met in fall 2006 during that semester’s first meeting of the Perfect 10 Improv group….

Remembering Bataan

Remembering Bataan

Gene Boyt, who earned a degree in mechanical engineering; Robert Silhavy, ceramic engineering; and John McAnerney, civil engineering, were called…

Rosalie (Larson) and Stan Hadley

Rosalie (Larson) and Stan Hadley

Rosalie (Larson) and Stan Hadley met one Friday in September 1977 in TJ Hall. Rosalie’s roommate was a lab partner…