The York Factory Express for Booksellers
The annual York Factory Express journey to Hudson Bay, and its return as the Columbia Express, was unique to the Hudson’s Bay Company’s fur trade west of the Rocky Mountains…
Read moreDescending the Hayes River
The York Factory Express left Fort Vancouver, 100 miles from the mouth of the Columbia River, in late March, and by mid-June were at Norway House, on Playgreen Lake. Their…
Read moreRobert Campbell’s “London Ships” Story
My father was a sheep-farmer in Perthshire, Scotland. I was born on the 21st February 1808, and received my education partly in my native Glen, and partly at Perth. My…
Read moreJohn Work’s Journey to the Columbia District, 1823
July 1823, Friday 18. Having received orders to that effect I embarked with Mr. [Peter Skene] Ogden for the Columbia with two light canoes, four men in each. Mr. Lewis…
Read moreThe Historic Hayes River
In 1826, Lieutenant Aemilius Simpson described his departure from York Factory: “We Embarked from York Factory at 3pm and commenced our journey across the Continent of North America. Our brigade…
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