New Caledonia posts

Fur trade warehouse at Fort Langley, the same as found in any fur trade fort

There are quite a few historic posts in what the HBC called New Caledonia, and also on the northwest coast. In this post, I am going through these historic posts south of the Peace River. How far we will get, I do not know! The descriptions of these posts come from “Historic Forts and Trading Posts of the French Regime and of the English Fur Trading Companies,” compiled by Ernest Voorhis, 1930. So, as I said, we will begin with Fort St James, the territory’s headquarters.

Fort St. James. Originally a North West Co. fort at east end of Stuart Lake, B.C., built by John Stuart and Simon Fraser, 1806. At first was known as Stuart Lake Fort or Fort Nakasley & and was called Fort New Caledonia by Fraser. Daniel Williams Harmon was in charge from 1811 to 1817. After coalition in 1821, this fort became the chief Hudson’s Bay Company’s post in New Caledonia. Has been operated by the Company to date [as of 1930], or 123 years since established. 

Fort Fraser. North West Co. fort at east end of Fraser Lake, B.C., built by Simon Fraser 1806. It was burned, October 4, 1817, and afterwards rebuilt. It was taken over by the Hudson’s Bay Co. after the union of 1821 and was operated by the Company until about 1900. It appears on all the Lists of forts to 1894. This fort is said to be “the first settlement made in the so-called Oregon Territory by civilized man.” It is shown on map of Henry-Thompson travels (Coues) No. 3 & on Arrowsmith’s maps 1832 (1011), 1850 (No. 100), 1857 (No. 8). 

“Coues” is, of course, Elliott Coues’s book, New Light on the early History of the Greater Northwest, which contains Alexander Henry’s journals, as well as some of David Thompson’s. If you want to read or re-read it, it is on Canadiana. Just google the title of the book and it will pop up there. 

You would think that the next on the list of historic New Caledonia posts is Fort George, at the junction of the Nechako River with the Fraser. Yet there is another post before we get to Fort George that existed on the Nechako River, upriver from Fort George. The name of that post is Chala-oo-chick, and it was built in 1820 by George McDougall, at the mouth of the Chilako River, where it flows into the Nechako. By the end of 1821 the post was named Fort George, but as trade was not up to expectations it was closed down and moved east to the original site of the Fort George that Simon Fraser had built in 1807, the launching place for the historic journey down the Fraser River in 1808. I think Joseph Louis Rondeau descendants should pay attention to this early post on the Nechako, as if Rondeau spent a winter on the Fraser River, Chala-oo-chick is the fort he (and others) would have been stationed at. 

More on Chala-oo-chick and its possible location: On one of his old maps, A.C. Anderson drew an old fort across the Fraser River from Fort George (Prince George), and a little upriver from the fort. It is believed to be an error: Anderson was probably given the information that an old fort stood upriver from Fort George — meaning Chala-oo-chick — but he drew it on the wrong river: the Fraser instead of the Nechako.

I also found another mention of Chala-oo-chick in William Connolly’s 1826 journal for the HBC Brigades. On Saturday May 6, he and his crew “left our Encampment and passed the Forks formed by the junction of the two Rivers which flow from Stuart’s & Fraser’s Lakes, at a quarter past twelve, and encamped below the rapids of Chal-a-oo-chicks at half an hour after 7.” Shortly after they left their camp on the following day, they reached the junction of the Nechako with the Fraser, where Fort George stood — except, of course, Fort George didn’t stand there at this time. That New Caledonia post was temporarily closed down because of an attack that killed two HBC men.

So, we now get to Fort George, a historic New Caledonia post that once stood where Prince George stands today, where the Nechako River flows into the Fraser. There are 8 Fort George’s in the HBC –this Fort George is Fort George (7).

Fort George (7). A North West Co. fort on Fraser River, B.C., at mouth of Nechako River. Built 1807. Was taken over by Hudson’s Bay Co. 1821 and is named on their list of 1894. Shown on Map. No. 1 & Rinfret Map No. 3. Called Fort of Forks on Arrowsmith map 1832 and is placed on east side of the river at mouth of Stuart’s River (a branch of the Nechako). It is called Fort George on Arrowsmith 1857 (No. 8) and shown in present location. 

Stuart’s River is the river that flows out for Stuart’s Lake, where Fort St. James stands. It sounds like Fort of the Forks would have stood at what the HBC men of later years called Chinlac, which was the location of a First Nations village.

Before we follow the Fraser River south, there is actually a historic New Caledonia post way up the Fraser River from Fort George. I never knew this fort existed, and in fact it must have been serviced from Jasper’s House, which might technically mean it was an Alberta fort. Nevertheless it stands in BC, if not in New Caledonia itself. 

Fort Lac d’Orignal (2). A small North West co. Post west of Yellowhead Pass on present Moose Lake near Tete Jaune Cache, on enlargement of Fraser River, 53 degrees N & 119 degrees W.

We know from The York Factory Express that “orignal” is not a typo, but a French word that means “moose.” There are two other small historic posts bearing the same name nearby, but this is the only one that appears to be in BC. So, back to the Fraser River south of Fort George. Of course we know that these upcoming New Caledonia posts are Fort Alexandria, right? Yes, indeed, but in several locations, and with several name variations as well:

Fort Alexander (2). Hudson’s Bay Co. fort on Fraser River, B.C., near mouth of Quesnel River. Built 1821, not far from the North West Co. [fort] Alexandria, which it superseded. It was an important depot for northern posts. The first fort stood on left side of Fraser River. In 1836 this fort was moved to west side. Shown on HBC map 1857 (No. 8), also on 1832 (No. 101) & 1850 (No. 100). Appears on 1872 list last and was probably closed about 1880.

Fort Alexandria. North West Co. fort on Fraser River, B.C., about 20 miles above Soda Creek. Built 1800-05. It was located at the farthest point on Fraser River reached by [Alexander] Mackenzie before turning back to continue west to Pacific Ocean. It is shown on Rinfret map (No. 3). This fort was abandoned at the time of the coalition 1821, and was not taken over by the Hudson’s Bay Co. 

I don’t think either of these descriptions of location are entirely accurate. I understand that, in the early years, there were buildings at what we understand to be the location of today’s Fort Alexandria, when Fraser and Stuart were planning their journey down the Fraser River. They may have existed when John Stuart and others were running the provisioning brigades south to the Columbia River and back. As far as I know there was not a post there, however, and certainly not one that was closed down in 1821. We do know that Fort Alexandria was built in 1821 by the North West Co. men under George McDougall, who were unaware that the NWC had been overtaken by the HBC. That fort stayed open, and it was not located on or near the Quesnel River. So I am sticking to my guns on the location of Fort Alexandria, as I posted here: https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/fort-alexandria-location/

So, onward from Fort Alexandria: Due west from Fort Alexandria, but on the coast, are two posts — Fort Salmon River, and Fort McLoughlin:

Fort Salmon River. Small Hudson’s Bay Co. post at the head of Burke Channel, B.C., probably on the site of Bellakula [Bella Coola]. It was named Salmon River on the Arrowsmith Map 1857 (No. 8) and on No. 21.

Fort McLaughlin [McLoughlin]. The third Hudson’s Bay Co. fort established in lower British Columbia, on Millbank Sound. Built by [Duncan] Finlayson, [Donald] Manson, and [Capt. Henry] McNeill in 1833. It was strongly fortified. Shown on maps No. 6, 8, and 100.

The information about Fort McLoughlin is more or less correct, and it is highly. likely that the HBC men at Fort McLoughlin (Bella Bella) established a fishing outpost at Bella Coola at a later date than when my g-grandfather A.C. Anderson was there.

There are no outposts between Fort McLoughlin and the Skeena River to the north, and so there is no need to worry about that stretch of northern coastline. We will return to the Fraser River. The next place is the Chilcotin Post, which was replaced by the Thleuz-cuz post. However, that latter post is not listed in this book. 

Fort Chilcotin. Hudson’s Bay Co. post on Chilcotin Lake (Chilko), branch of the Fraser River BC. Built about 1828. It was a small outpost shown on Arrowsmith maps 1832 (No. 100), 1850 (No. 101).. and appears on the company list of 1872, but not later. 

Interestingly, it was closed years earlier than 1872, and so I am surprised that it showed on HBC maps as recently as that. But then again, it might have been revived sometime after 1858. Now, down the Fraser River and eastward, up the Thompson River toward Kamloops, where three historic New Caledonia posts are shown, but all with the same number.

Fort Kamloops. Hudson’s Bay Co. post on south bank of the South Thompson River, opposite the confluence of the North Thompson River, BC. Alexander Ross in 1812 first traded at the junction of the South Branch with the North Branch Thompson River. In the autumn of 1812 David Stuart built the first fort at Kamloops for the Pacific Fur Co. It was situated on practically the same site as the present fort and was known at first as the “Shewaps Fort,” being named after a local tribe. The North West Co. on absorbing the Pacific Fur Co., called the Astoria Co., in 1813, took over Fort Shewaps and named it Fort Thompson after David Thompson, constructing a new fort (the second) on the east shore of the North Branch at the confluence. This fort was attacked by the Indians on several occasions. The Hudson’s Bay Co. acquired this fort on the union of 1821, John McLeod Sr. was the factor from 1822 to 1826 [when he led out the first York Factory Express]. The fort was well stockaded and included an enclosure for 300 horses. John Tod, who was the factor from 1842 to 1850, constructed a new fort (the third) opposite McLeod’s fort, on the west side of the North Thompson River, and the name was now changed to Fort Kamloops (meaning “Meeting of Waters.”) It was a large fort with several dwellings and a store and other buildings. The palisades were 15 feet high and were strengthened by two bastions. A fourth fort, the present one, was built by Donald McLeod 1861-1862 (Factor from 1854 to 1862) on the south of the South branch opposite the confluence. It was triple gabled with overhanging eaves. It is still in good condition [in 1930]…

John Tod took over the fort when Samuel Black was shot and killed in 1841, and in winter 1842-1843 he did built a new fort at the end of the 1842 brigade trail that Sam Black had, in part, explored. A.C. Anderson, who was the first man to ride over the new brigade trail, approved it, and in 1843 the Fort Alexandria men came out over it to the new Fort Kamloops. So as far as I am concerned, the timeline works. However, it was Donald McLean who was in charge of the Kamloops post from 1855 to, perhaps, 1862. I say 1855, because that is the year that Paul Fraser was killed, and Donald McLean took charge of the Kamloops post in his stead.

Now I have to decide which way I will go, and I think for now I will return to the Fraser River and follow it south, through its canyons, to Forts Yale and Hope.

Fort Yale. Hudson’s Bay Co. post on Fraser River about 20 miles upstream from Fort Hope. Built in 1848 and closed about 1880.

Fort Hope (2). Hudson’s Bay Co. post on Fraser River at confluence of Coquihalla River, BC. It marked the beginning of road from Fort Langley to Kamloops. Built about 1830. It constituted headquarters of mainland until Fort Langley was selected.

Fort Langley. Hudson’s Bay Co. fort near the mouth of the Fraser River, BC. Built in 1827. Destroyed by fire and rebuilt 1840. The first fort on the mainland of lower British Columbia. Erection of this fort secured the British occupation of BC. It was used as a depot for the north and included in lists of posts in operation until about 1885. 

Fort Yale was built in late 1847, early 1848, to be ready for the brigades that would go out by that route. The description of Fort Hope is in part incorrect. It was on the Coquihalla River, alright. But it was built in winter 1848-49, and it was never the headquarters of the mainland posts. Everything else he says is correct, though. 

Now we only have Vancouver Island to look at, and the Columbia River (which includes a very interesting series of posts.) I will follow those forts when I have time, and let you know what Mr. Voorhis has to say of the various posts I will find on Vancouver’s Island, and on the Columbia River. 

To return to the first of these historic posts on the west side of the Rocky Mountains, go here: https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/historic-posts-in-the-west/ This will bring you to the Yukon posts, and the next in the series will find the posts on the Peace River. There is a lot of fur trade history west of the Rocky Mountains, as you see!

When the next post in this series is published, I will post it here: https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/whatever-i-call-it/ 

Copyright, Nancy Marguerite Anderson, 2025. All rights reserved.

• ← Isaac Ingalls Stevens
• Cameras →