Buckingham House (fur-trade post) facts for kids

Buckingham House and Fort George were two important trading posts built a long time ago, from 1792 to 1800. They were located right next to each other on the North Saskatchewan River, near a place called Elk Point, Alberta. Buckingham House belonged to the Hudson's Bay Company, and Fort George was run by the North West Company. These posts were part of the busy Saskatchewan River fur trade, where people traded animal furs for goods.

Trading Posts on the Saskatchewan River

Fort George: A Busy Trading Hub

The North West Company decided to move their trading post further upriver. This was because there were fewer beavers to trade, and they faced challenges with local Indigenous groups at their old location, Pine Island Fort. So, they built Fort George about 120 miles away. It was also known as Fort des Prairies.

Angus Shaw was in charge of Fort George for most of its time. Two of his assistants were Duncan McGillivray and John McDonald of Garth. The fort was quite busy, with about 60 to 80 men working there, plus many women and children. At one point, after news of a dangerous event at South Branch House reached them, the men from both Fort George and Buckingham House stayed inside Fort George for six weeks for safety.

Between 1794 and 1796, Fort George was very successful. It produced 325 bales of fur and 325 bags of pemmican, which was a dried meat important for traders. By 1799, the famous explorer David Thompson (explorer) visited the fort and found it was getting old and worn out. By 1800, there were very few beavers left in the area. Because of this, Fort George was abandoned, and the traders moved to Fort de l'Isle, about 20 miles further up the river. Later, in 1809, Alexander Henry the younger took anything useful from the old fort to Fort Vermilion.

Buckingham House: The Rival Post

After Angus Shaw, William Tomison from the Hudson's Bay Company arrived in October 1792 with 28 men to build Buckingham House. Over the years, different people were in charge, including Peter Fidler, George Sutherland, James Pruden, and Henry Hallet. Buckingham House usually had fewer men and less trade goods compared to its rival, Fort George.

Even though they were rivals, the two trading posts usually had proper, if sometimes difficult, relationships. There was one time during a dry period when the Hudson's Bay Company tried to stop the North West Company from using their well. However, John McDonald of Garth from Fort George made it very clear that sharing the well was important, and the issue was quickly resolved. Like Fort George, Buckingham House was also abandoned in 1800 because the supply of beavers had decreased too much.

Where Were These Forts?

Both Buckingham House and Fort George were built on the north bank of the North Saskatchewan River. This area was covered in trees. A small valley and a few hundred yards of land separated the two forts. Today, there is an interpretive center nearby that helps people learn about the history of these places. To the north of these forts were other trading posts located on the upper Beaver River (Canada).