Old Fort William United Kingdom Thunder Bay

Fort William, the operations root of the north-west Company from 1803 to 1821, marks a milestone within the reputation for Canada. Beginning in 1971, the fort had been faithfully reconstructed as a historical web site some 15 km from its initial area within lips regarding the Kaministiquia River, from the north coast of Lake better. Fort William is an important place in lots of respects. During the 18th and 19th centuries, it played a crucial role when you look at the fur trade west regarding the Great Lakes, a major industry in those days, by serving as a meeting location linking the east and western components of the continent. Today, it is still a meeting destination, the good news is it connects the tens of thousands of visitors whom flock into web site every year utilizing the connection with 1st Nations, French-Canadian, and Scottish people who had been the important thing people in story of this essential turning point in Canadian record.

Exactly the same fort, in two different places

Today’s Fort William, resembling the original one constructed in 1803, is in yet another area than in which it very first stood. The causes the fort’s presence stretch back to the start of the 18th century. During those times, inside seek out furs having become more and more rare inside eastern part of the continent, the French venture increasingly additional west and north. around 1717, Zacharie de la Noue establishes Fort “Camanitigoyaˮ regarding the Kaministiquia River, near to where in fact the present-day City of Thunder Bay is located, using aim of extending the fur trade towards western. He also seeks to encourage the First countries individuals trade with the French instead of taking their furs toward Hudson’s Bay trading posts set up regarding shores of James Bay and Hudson’s Bay since 1670. But the numerous portages impede vacation on liquid highway that connects Fort “Camanitigoyaˮ to Lake Winnipeg together with river basin for the whole Canadian Northwest. initial Nations people reveal the French another path, following the Pigeon River, situated south. This path, with the advantage of being reduced, has one lengthy “grand portageˮ that stretches over 14.5 kilometer. Therefore, starting in 1731, the Kaministiquia River fort is gradually abandoned in preference of the Grand Portage course, which becomes the most well-liked commercial route for several years. With the start of the Brit regime, brand-new fur businesses tend to be established, notably the north-west business (NWC) in 1779.