Fort La Reine

 (1737-1753) - A French fur trading post established in 1737 near present day Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada. Abandoned circa 1753.

History of Fort La Reine
In October 1738, Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, Sieur de La Vérendrye, established Fort La Reine along the Assiniboine River. The post was situated at a point that the Indians used to portage to Lake Manitoba on their way to trade with the English at Hudson's Bay. La Vérendrye used the fort as a trading post to intercept the English trade and as a base for his further explorations. Because of its location, the post became one of the chief French trading posts until the end of France’s influence in 1759.

La Vérendrye and his sons used the post to explore south to Missouri and north into Saskatchewan until it was ordered abandoned in 1749. Jacques Legardeur de Saint-Pierre rebuilt the post in 1751 but it was destroyed in 1752 while he was away and probably not rebuilt. The exact location(s) of the fort and dates of operation are unknown.

Current Status
A National Historic Site of Canada. A stone cairn and plaque are located at 130 Yellowquill Trail. The nearby Fort la Reine Museum is more about more recent local history. There is a small replica fort inside the museum.

See Also:

Sources:

Links:
 * North American Forts - Fort La Reine
 * Canada's Historic Places - Fort La Reine
 * Wikipedia - Fort La Reine
 * Fort la Reine Museum