Fort Carlton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fort Carlton |
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Exterior view of Fort Carlton's palisades
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| Location | RM of Duck Lake No. 463, Saskatchewan, Canada |
| Built | 1810 |
| Original use | Trading post |
| Demolished | 1885 |
| Rebuilt | 1967 |
| Current use | Historic site/museum |
| Owner | |
| Official name: Carlton House National Historic Site of Canada | |
| Designated: | 1976 |
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Fort Carlton was an important fur trading post built by the Hudson's Bay Company. It operated from 1795 until 1885. The fort was located along the North Saskatchewan River. This is near Duck Lake in what is now Saskatchewan, Canada.
Today, Fort Carlton has been rebuilt by the government of Saskatchewan. It is now a provincial historic park that you can visit. The site is about 65 kilometres (40 mi) north of Saskatoon.
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Fort Carlton's Story
The name "Carlton House" or "Fort Carlton" was used for several trading posts. These posts operated at different times and in three different locations. The first two posts were set up in 1795 and 1805. A series of forts named Fort Carlton then operated at a third location starting in 1810.
Three Fort Locations
- The first Fort Carlton (1795–1801) was built in a safer spot. It was near an old French trading post called Fort de la Corne. This happened after another post, South Branch House, was destroyed. The North West Company (NWC) also had a nearby post. This first Fort Carlton did not trade many furs, so it closed in 1801.
- The second Fort Carlton (1805–1810) was built on the South Saskatchewan River. It was about six miles upstream from the old South Branch House. The North West Company also had a post nearby. In 1810, both companies left this area. They moved to the third and final Fort Carlton location.
- The third Fort Carlton (1810–1885) was built on the south bank of the North Saskatchewan River. This spot was known as the Great Crossing Place, a shallow area where people could cross the river. Even though the area was mostly prairie (grasslands) and not good for beaver trapping, there were plenty of woods nearby. There was even a supply of limestone for building.
The North West Company built their Fort La Montée inside the same walls as the Hudson's Bay Company's Fort Carlton. In 1816, the Nor'Westers moved out. They built a second Fort La Montée a few miles upstream. When the two companies joined in 1821, Fort La Montée was abandoned. Anything useful was brought down to Fort Carlton.
In 1824, a group of Natives approached Fort Carlton but were turned away. By 1835, the buildings were old and needed repair. A new, hexagonal (six-sided) fort was built nearby. This new fort also eventually needed repairs. So, another new fort was built in 1855–1858.
Around this time, Fort Carlton became a key spot for sending winter mail. People from the upper Saskatchewan and Athabasca River areas would meet here. They would exchange mail with people coming from the Red River Colony near Lake Winnipeg. In 1869, a smallpox sickness spread through the area. Steamboats began arriving on the Saskatchewan River in 1874. The last fort at this location was destroyed by fire in 1885.
Trading and Travel
Fort Carlton was an important trading post for the Hudson's Bay Company. It mainly traded in pemmican (a dried meat and fat mixture) and buffalo robes. Other furs were also traded. It was a major base for the Hudson's Bay Company in the Saskatchewan area.
The fort was located on the Carlton Trail. This was a major route running from the Red River Colony (in modern-day Manitoba) to Fort Edmonton (in modern-day Alberta). Fort Carlton was a vital stop for many travelers along this trail.
Police and Military Use
Treaty Six was an agreement between the Canadian monarch and various Cree and Saulteaux First Nations. It was first discussed and signed near Fort Carlton in 1876.
Big Bear (Mistahimaskwa), a Cree leader, used the site for early discussions about Treaty Six around 1884. The next year, he surrendered here after a conflict.
The North-West Mounted Police (now the RCMP) rented the fort from the Hudson's Bay Company in the 1880s. It became their main base in the Saskatchewan Valley. After the Battle of Duck Lake, the police and local volunteers left the fort. It was then briefly taken over by Gabriel Dumont's Métis forces. However, the Métis soon decided to move to Batoche. During the 1885 conflict, the fort was destroyed by fire.
Rebuilt Fort and Park
Fort Carlton was rebuilt in 1967. It was recognized as a National Historic Site of Canada in 1976. The site features a partial reconstruction of the fort as it looked around 1880. This includes four replica buildings. In 1986, the site was also named a provincial park of Saskatchewan.
See also
- Saskatchewan River fur trade
- List of protected areas of Saskatchewan
- Tourism in Saskatchewan
- History of Saskatchewan
