Northern Alberta

Last Update: 15/NOVEMBER/2012

Compiled by Pete Payette - Š2012 American Forts Network

Moose Lake Post
(1789 - 1809 ?), near Bonnyville
A North West Co. post, lasting about 20 years. Also known as Fort Lac d'Orignal. Moose Lake, located west of town, was originally named Lac d'Orignal.

Fort Kent
(no date), Fort Kent
This small town northeast of Bonnyville was named in 1922 after the suggestion of an early settler from Fort Kent, Maine.

Cold Lake Post
(1894 - 1932), Cold Lake
A Hudson's Bay Co. post.

Lac La Biche Post
(1798 - 1895), Lac La Biche
A North West Co. trading post. The Hudson's Bay Co. established Greenwich House (1799 - 1823) nearby. The HBC re-established the post in 1852. The Lac La Biche Oblate Mission (NHS) was built in 1853. The Alberta Field Force - St. Albert Mounted Rifles (about 60 men) used one of the mission buildings as barracks in May - June 1885 during the Riel Rebellion. The HBC store had been looted by the local Cree Indians and Métis in April 1885.

Athabasca Landing Posts
(1889 - 1895), Athabasca
A Hudson's Bay Co. post on the Athabasca River. The town was named Athabasca Landing until 1913.

The NWMP established a post here in 1897, and re-established (or continued ?) by the RCMP in 1919.

Fort Assiniboine (National Historic Site)
(1823 - 1877), Fort Assiniboine FORT WIKI
A Hudson's Bay Co. post (HBC records cover 1824 - 1837). Of interest in town is the Fort Assiniboine Museum, recreated as a period fur trade post. See also Woodlands County Points of Interest

Lesser Slave Lake Post (1)
(1799 - 1802), Slave Lake
A North West Co. post located on the eastern shore of Lesser Slave Lake at the mouth of the Lesser Slave River. Relocated in 1802 (see below).

Sturgeon Lake Post
(1889 - 1895), near Valleyview
A Hudson's Bay Co. post on Sturgeon Lake west of town.

Grande Prairie Post
(1880 - unknown), Grande Prairie
A Hudson's Bay Co. post (HBC records cover 1895 - 1897) located at Cutbank Lake, near La Glace Lake, about 15 miles northwest of town. Originally a subpost of Fort Dunvegan. Rebuilt in 1896. One of these 1896 buildings has been relocated and restored near the Grande Prairie Museum. The post was relocated to the south shore of Saskatoon Lake in 1902.
See also History of Grande Prairie from Discover the Peace Country.com

Spirit River Ranch Post
(1891), Spirit River
A Hudson's Bay Co. post near the Spirit River Ranch.

Fort Dunvegan (Provincial Park and Historic Site)
(1805 - 1918), Dunvegan
A North West Co. stockaded trading post. Taken over by the Hudson's Bay Co. in 1822 (HBC records cover until 1906). Briefly shut down in 1825 - 1828. The extant Factor's House was built in 1877. Admission fee.

Fort Fork (National Historic Site)
(Peace River Wildland Provincial Park)
(1792 - 1805), near Peace River
A North West Co. post located on the east bank of the Peace River near the mouth of the Smoky River. Site excavated in 1970, now mostly washed away by the river. A stone fireplace was salvaged and reconstructed at the Peace River Museum in town. The Mackenzie Cairn was erected on River Lot 19 along Shaftesbury Trail in 1929.

An XY Company trade post was built here in 1803.

St. Mary's House (1)
(1818 - 1821), Peace River
A Hudson's Bay Co. post. Also known as Fort St. Mary. Relocated in 1819 and 1820.

Peace River Crossing Post
(1896 - 1910), Peace River
A Hudson's Bay Co. post on the west bank of the river. The Factor's House (1904) is located at 100th Ave. and 98th Street near Riverfront Park. The town was named Peace River Crossing until 1919. The east bank was known as Peace River Landing. Of interest in town is the Peace River Museum, Archives, and Mackenzie Centre at 10302 99th Street (admission fee).

The RCMP had a post here in 1919.

Lesser Slave Lake Posts (2)
(1802 - 1897, 1924 - 1930), Grouard Mission
A North West Co. post located at the mouth of the Sacred Heart River on the western shore of Lesser Slave Lake. The Hudson's Bay Co. built Fort Waterloo nearby in 1816 (HBC records begin 1816).

The NWMP established a post on Lesser Slave Lake in 1897. The RCMP had a post at Grouard 1919.

Whitefish Lake Post
(1889, 1896), near Atikameg
A Hudson's Bay Co. post located on the western shore of Utikuma Lake.

Trout Lake Post
(1889 - 1895), Trout Lake
A Hudson's Bay Co. post.

Colin Campbell's House
(1820 - unknown), near Deadwood
A North West Co. post located on the Peace River, possibly at or near the mouth of the Cadotte River.

McLeod's Fort (1)
(1790 - unknown), near Deadwood
A North West Co. post located on the Peace River below (north of) Campbell's House.

Encampment Island Fort
(1806), near Deadwood
A North West Co. post located on the Peace River below (north of) McLeod's Fort (1).

Horse Shoe House
(1803 - unknown), near
A North West Co. post located on the Peace River above (south of) the mouth of the Notikewin River.

Battle River Post
(Notikewin Provincial Park)
(1889 - 1897), near Manning
A Hudson's Bay Co. post on the Peace River, at or near the mouth of the Notikewin River.

Aspin House
(1792 - unknown), near La Crete
A North West Co. post located on the Peace River between Paddle Prairie and Fort Vermilion.

Fort Vermilion (1) (National Historic Site)
(1798 - 1943), Fort Vermilion
A North West Co. post on the Peace River, originally located about 90 km upstream near the present-day Paddle Prairie ferry crossing. Taken over by the Hudson's Bay Co. in 1822 and later relocated here to its present site in 1831 (HBC records cover 1802 - 1906). The sole surviving component of the former post, once located at River Road and 45th Street as a private residence, is the "Old Bay House" (1907), the former clerk's quarters and factor's house, which was relocated in 1994 adjacent to the town's Visitor Information Centre. Of interest in town is the Fort Vermilion Heritage Centre at the Community and Cultural Complex.
See also Town of Fort Vermilion Info from Discover the Peace Country.com

The HBC originally built Mansfield House here in 1802 to compete with the NWC's Fort Liard, also built here in 1802.

Charles Boyer's Post
(1788 - unknown), near Fort Vermilion
A North West Co. post located on the Peace River at the mouth of the Boyer River. No known remains.

Colvile House
(1818 - 1821), near Fort Vermilion
A Hudson's Bay Co. post on the Peace River below (east of) Fort Vermilion, located either near the mouth of the Wabasca River or near the mouth of the Mikkwa River.

Red River Post
(1875 - 1887), near John D'or Prairie
A Hudson's Bay Co. post located near the Vermilion Falls on the Peace River.

Wentzel's Post
(1799 - unknown), near Fox Lake
A North West Co. post on the Peace River at the mouth of the Wentzel River.

Grand Marais Post
(1798 - unknown), near Garden Creek
A North West Co. post located on the Peace River, possibly near Trident Creek.

John's House
(1818 - unknown), near
A North West Co. post located on the Peace River at or near the mouth of the Jackfish River.

Lake Claire Post
(1799 - unknown), Lake Claire
A North West Co. post located at the mouth of the Birch River on Lake Claire.

Fort of the Forks
(1788 - unknown), Fort McMurray
A North West Co. post.

Fort McMurray
(1870 - 1898), Fort McMurray
Originally a Hudson's Bay Co. post (HBC records cover 1870 - 1900). Of interest in town is the Fort McMurray Historical Society - Heritage Park, located at 1 Tolen Drive (admission fee).

A Royal North West Mounted Police post was built here in 1914.

Berens House
(1819 - unknown), near Fort McMurray
A Hudson's Bay Co. post located on the Athabasca River north of town, opposite the NWC's Pierre au Calumet Post.

Pierre au Calumet Post
(1815 - unknown), near Fort McMurray
A North West Co. post on the Athabasca River north of town.

Fort MacKay
(1891 - 1911), Fort MacKay
A Hudson's Bay Co. post.

Peter Pond's Fort
(1778 - unknown), Embarras Portage
An independent British trade post on the Athabasca River at the Embarras River.

Ross' Post
(1786 - unknown), Embarras Portage
An independent British trade post on the Athabasca River at the Embarras River.

Lake Athabasca Post (1) ?
(1790 - 1792), Old Fort Bay
A Hudson's Bay Co. post at the mouth of the Old Fort River, on the southern shore of Lake Athabasca. This post may have also been used by American fur traders at one time (date ?).

Fort Chipewyan (National Historic Site)
(1788 - 1927), Fort Chipewyan
Originally established at Old Fort Bay by fur trader Roderick Mackenzie of the North West Company. His cousin Sir Alexander Mackenzie departed from this post on an expedition which led to the discovery of the Mackenzie River in the Northwest Territories in 1789. Relocated in 1800. The HBC took over the post in 1822. No remaining above-ground structures from the original post. The post was rebuilt and expanded in 1872. The Fort Chipewyan Bicentennial Museum is in a recreated 1870's era Hudson's Bay Co. store (admission fee), located at 109 Mackenzie Ave.. See also History of Fort Chipewyan from Alberta Online Encyclopedia

The NWMP established a post here in 1897.

The Hudson's Bay Company established Nottingham House (1802 - 1808) on English Island to compete with the NWC.

An XY Company trade post (Lake Athabasca Post (2)) (1800 - 1804) was located on Little Island.

Fort Wedderburn
(1815 - 1822), near Fort Chipewyan
A Hudson's Bay Co. post. Located west of Fort Chipewyan across the Rivičre des Rochers.

Fort Fitzgerald
(unknown dates), Fitzgerald
A Hudson's Bay Co. post.

The RCMP had a post here in 1919.

Southern Alberta - page 1

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