Fort Smith (7)

Fort Smith (7) (1874-c1970) - A Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) fur trading post and fort first established in 1874 along the Slave River at the present day Town of Fort Smith, Northwest Territories. Named after Donald Alexander Smith, a commissioner, governor and principal shareholder of the HBC. Closed after 1970. Fort Smith HBC Post Manager's House, 1927. Fort Smith, S.S. Distributor with barge being loaded at HBC Warehouse, 1937. Fort Smith HBC Post, New Buildings 1930. History A Hudson's Bay Company fur trading post and fort first established in 1874 on the Slave River. The post was down river from a portage around four impassible rapids. Above the rapids the HBC established Smith's Landing Post (actually in Alberta) as a companion portage post. Fort Smith HBC Post, 1900. Despite the cession of Rupert's Land to Canada in 1870, the HBC maintained a monopoly for trade at Fort Smith until the discovery of gold in the Yukon. After 1900 there were 13 other trading posts located at Fort Smith, most independent traders. Traders at Fort Smith (from Usher) Trader/Company Opened Closed Company Notes Hudson's Bay Co. 1874 1970+ Hudson's Bay Company Hislop & Nagle 1900? 1912? Hislop & Nagle Hurssell, Joseph & Ben 1900? 1912? Independent Northern Traders Ltd. 1912 1938 Northern Traders Limited Sold to HBC Conibear, A.M. 1918 1944 Independent Lamson & Hubbard Co. 1919 1924 Lamson & Hubbard Company Sold to HBC Baker, Peter 1921 1922 Independent Morie, J.A. 1921 1938 Independent York & Lyall 1921 1932 Independent Cooke, W.F. 1932 1940 Independent Brodie, James 1940 1944? Independent Stewart, James S. 1944 1948 Independent Bender, M. 1948 1961 Independent Kaeser, Paul 1948 1970+ Independent The HBC post was rebuilt and modernized circa 1930. Closed after 1970. Fort Smith RMCP Post (1911-Present) In 1911, a government presence was established at Fort Smith with the arrival of an Indian Affairs agent, a regional medical doctor, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police opened a detachment. Current Status The HBC no longer maintains a retail outlet at Fort Smith under that name. The RCMP still has a detachment at Fort Smith. Location: Town of Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, Canada. Maps & Images Lat: 60.00695 Long: -111.8811 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 673' See Also: Hudson's Bay Company Hudson's Bay Company Forts Sources: HBC Archives - Fort Smith, post B.348, records (1875-1897) Voorhis, Ernest, comp., Historic Forts and Trading Posts of the French regime and of the English Fur Trading Companies, Dept.of the Interior, Ottawa, Pdf, page 165. Usher, Peter J., Fur Trade Posts of the Northwest Territories, Northern Science Research Group, Dept. of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Ottawa, 1971, Pdf, page 44. Links: North American Forts - Fort Smith Wikipedia - Fort Smith Visited: No