Alberta Forts

Canadian Forts

ALBERTA

Last Update: 08/SEPTEMBER/2007

Compiled by Pete and Phil Payette - Š2007 American Forts Network

Fort Pend d'Oreille
(1870's), near Pakowki Lake
A NWMP post located on the Milk River south of Pakowki Lake. It consisted of a small log building, 16 x 14 x 9 feet, with a 40-foot square corral. Also known as Fort Pendant d'Oreille.
(thanks to Dave Hull and John Dormaar for providing info)

NWMP Outpost
(1887 - 1918), near Milk River
A reconstruction at Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park.

Belly River Fort
(1870's ? or 1880's ?), near Hill Spring
Probably a NWMP post. Located on the north side of the Belly River just west of Mami Creek.
(thanks to Dave Hull for providing info)

Fort Whoop-Up
(1869 - 1887 ?), near Lethbridge
A 1967 reconstruction of an American civilian fort, originally called Fort Hamilton, originally located at the forks of the St. Mary and Oldman Rivers near St. Mary's. These were illegal traders from Fort Benton, Montana, trading guns and whiskey to the Blackfoot Indians for buffalo hides and furs. Originally a collection of log huts, it burned down after six months but was rebuilt as a sturdy log stockade, stacked horizontally, with two square bastions in opposite corners. The North West Mounted Police took over the fort in 1874 to drive out the bootleggers. The site was washed away in 1915. Located at Indian Battle Park, the site of the last aboringinal battle in North America (Blackfoot vs. Cree in 1870).

Fort Slideout
(1870 ? - 1874), near Fort Macleod
An illegal American whiskey-traders post on the Belly River south of the old townsite of Pearce.
(thanks to Dave Hull for providing location)

Conrad's Post
(1871 - 1872), near Coalhurst
An illegal American whiskey-trading post, located on the Oldman River about three miles downstream from Fort Kipp, near the present-day bridge. The bottomland here was known as "Captain Jack's Bottom". Built by Charlie Conrad and Howell Harris for I.G. Baker, it was a palisaded structure about 30 by 50 feet, with a stone fireplace. It burned down in the spring of 1872.
(thanks to John Dormaar for providing info)

Fort Kipp
(1870's), near Monarch
An illegal American whiskey-trading post. Located on the south side of the Oldman River near the mouth of the Belly River.
(thanks to Dave Hull for providing info)

Fort Macleod (NWMP Museum)
(1874 - unknown), Fort Macleod
A replica of a North West Mounted Police post, originally located on an island in the Oldman River. There are two original buildings. This was the first NWMP post in the province. The post was rebuilt in 1884 on an adjacent site.

Robber's Roost
(1871), near Turin
An American outpost of Conrad's Post, located on the Oldman River at the mouth of the Little Bow River. It was simply a one-room shack. A group of North Peigan Indians took over the post at gunpoint demanding all the whiskey. The trader took refuge and was later rescued by Howell Harris. The shack was later abandoned and burned down by Blackfoot Indians.
(thanks to John Dormaar for providing info and location)

Fort Spitzee
(1870 - 1874), near Nanton ?
An illegal American trading post located on the Spitzee River, this time they were "wolvers", not whiskey traders. These men, the "Spitzee Cavalry", were involved in an altercation with the "Whoop-up Boys" in which they marched on Fort Whoop-up after a dispute. The owner of the fort had a cannon trained on the Spitzee men, threatening to blow them all up if they did not leave. They left.

Fort Calgary (Historic Park)
(1875 - 1914), Calgary
A North West Mounted Police post at the junction of the Bow and Elbow Rivers. Most of the original fort was torn down in 1882 and replaced by newer structures. The barracks were burned down in 1887 and replaced in 1888. The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway bought the site in 1914 and demolished all the stuctures. Became a park in 1975. The Deane House, built in 1906 for the Post Commander, located across the Elbow River, is the last remaining original building from the post. It is now a restaurant and dinner theatre. The Barracks were reconstructed in 2001. Admission fee.

Fort Normandeau
(1880 - 1895), Red Deer
A reconstruction of a North West Mounted Police post at Waskasoo Park.

Rocky Mountain House (National Historic Site)
(1799 - 1875), Rocky Mountain House
Site of a North West Co. fur trade post (1799 - 1821) and three Hudson's Bay Co. posts (1799 - 1834, 1835 - 1861, 1865 - 1875), each connected by a trail. The post moved south to near Calgary on the Bow River in 1875 after being shut down by the NWMP. Admission fee to the Visitors Center. Located 6 km west of town on AB 11A.

Fort Ostell (Museum)
(1900 - 1940), Ponoka
The Pioneer Museum is also here.

Fort Ethier (site)
(1880's), Wetaskiwin
A North West Mounted Police post at the Wetaskiwin and District Museum.

Fort Edmonton (Park)
(1795 - 1880's ?), Edmonton
A Hudson's Bay Co. post recreated to its 1846 apearance. Used by the NWMP after 1874. The provincial capitol building is on the actual site of the fort. Admission fee. Fur Trade History

Fort Augustus
(1795 - unknown), Edmonton
A North West Co. trading post.

Fort Saskatchewan (Museum)
(1900 - 1920), Fort Saskatchewan
A North West Mounted Police post. There are nine buildings here. Admission fee.

Fort de L'Isle (Historic Site)
(unknown dates), near Myrnam

Fort Vermilion (1) (Historic Site)
(unknown - 1809 ?), near Lea Park

Fort des Prairies
(1804 - unknown), unknown location
A North West Co. fur trade post on the North Saskatchewan River.
(NOTE: the term "Fortes des Prairies" also refers to the chain of North West Company posts across the upper plains.)

Fort George and Buckingham House (Provincial Historic Site)
(1792 - 1800), Elk Point
Remains of Hudson's Bay Company (Buckingham House) and North West Company (Fort George) posts. They are side-by-side. Admission fee.

Moose Lake Post
(1789 - 1809 ?), Bonnyville
A North West Co. post. It lasted only 20 years. Moose Lake was originally named Lac d'Orignal.

Lac La Biche Post
(1798 - unknown), Lac La Biche
A North West Co. trading post. The Hudson's Bay Co. established Greenwich House (1799 - 1823) nearby. The HBC re-established a post here in 1852.

Fort Victoria
(Victoria Settlement Provincial Historic Park)
(1864 - unknown), Smoky Lake
A Hudson's Bay Co. post. The clerk's quarters is the oldest building in the province still on its original site. The town was established in 1862. Admission fee.

Lac La Nonne Post
(1870 - unknown), Lac La Nonne
A Hudson's Bay Co. post.

Jasper House
(Jasper National Park Historic Site)
(1829 - unknown), near Jasper
Ruins of a Hudson's Bay Co. post on the Rocky River. See Jasper NP Fur Trade.

Henry House
(Jasper National Park Historic Site)
(1811 - unknown), Jasper
A North West Co. fur trading post. See Jasper NP Fur Trade.
A fur trade supply depot built by Jasper Hawes was located here in 1801.

Fort Dunvegan (Provincial Historic Site)
(Dunvegan Provincial Park)
(1805 - 1918), Dunvegan
A North West Co. stockaded trading post. Taken over by the Hudson's Bay Co. in 1821. Briefly shut down in 1825 - 1828. The present Factor's House was built in 1877. Admission fee.

St. Mary's House
(1818 - unknown), Peace River
A Hudson's Bay Co. trading post.

Fort McMurray
(1870 - 1898), Fort McMurray
A Hudson's Bay Co. post that no longer exists. A NWMP post was built in 1914.

Fort Vermilion (2) (Museum)
(1809 - unknown), Fort Vermilion
A fur trading post on the Peace River.

Fort Chipewyan
(1788 - unknown), Fort Chipewyan
Established by fur trader Roderick Mackenzie of the North West Company. His cousin Sir Alexander Mackenzie departed from this fort on an expedition which led to the discovery of the Mackenzie River in the Northwest Territories in 1789. The museum is in a recreated 1872 Hudson's Bay Co. store. Admission fee. Located adjacent to Wood Buffalo National Park.

Fort Wedderburn
(unknown dates), near Fort Chipewyan
Located west of Fort Chipewyan across Riviere des Rochers.

Fort Fitzgerald
(unknown dates), Fitzgerald
Located adjacent to Wood Buffalo National Park.

NEED MORE INFO: An American fur trading post on Old Fort Bay at Lake Athabasca (Old Fort River is located here between Lake Athabasca and the Saskatchewan border).
Towns: Fort Assiniboine; Fort Kent; Fort MacKay.