The S.S.Beaver sails to the Columbia River
In 1836, the S.S. Beaver sails east from the Sandwich Islands to the mouth of the Columbia River and, eventually, Fort Vancouver, the HBC headquarters on the Pacific Slopes. Here…
Read moreHome from Fraser’s River
My book, The HBC Brigades: Culture, Conflict, and Perilous Journeys of the Fur Trade, was published by Ronsdale Press in July, 2024. You can order the book at your local…
Read moreShipping at Fort Vancouver
It is time to write a little more about Thomas Lowe’s experiences at Fort Vancouver, and so we will now do it. We have just come through the Fort Vancouver…
Read moreLocating Fort Victoria
In March 1843, James Douglas was placed in charge of the building of the new post of Fort Victoria, on the southern tip of Vancouver’s Island. Many years of discussion…
Read moreShipwrecks on the Columbia River
The mouth of the Columbia River was crisscrossed with dangerous sandbars, and shipwrecks were relatively common. On many occasions, James Birnie was there to help in the rescue of the…
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