Fort Confidence facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fort Confidence |
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| at the mouth of the Dease River on the eastern tip of the Dease Arm of Great Bear Lake, Northwest Territories Canada | |
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Fort Confidence on the northeast shore of Great Bear Lake
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| Coordinates | 66°53′28″N 119°02′53″W / 66.891°N 119.048°W |
| Type | post |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | Hudson's Bay Company |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1837 |
Fort Confidence was an important base built by the Hudson's Bay Company in the Northwest Territories of Canada. It was located right where the Dease River meets the eastern part of Great Bear Lake. This fort was not a regular trading post. Instead, it was a special base for explorers heading into the Arctic.
Contents
What Was Fort Confidence?
Fort Confidence was first built in 1837. It was put together by two explorers, Peter Warren Dease and Thomas Simpson (explorer). Their main goal was to explore the cold Arctic coast. The fort served as their home for two winters while they worked.
The first building was made of logs. Sadly, it burned down not long after it was built.
Rebuilding and New Missions
The fort was rebuilt in 1848 by John Bell. This time, it had a new and very important job. It became a base for searching for a famous explorer named Sir John Franklin. Franklin had gone missing along the Arctic coast.
Sir John Richardson and Dr. John Rae used Fort Confidence for their search missions. They launched their expeditions from here.
The Fort's Final Years
The buildings from 1848 were still standing in 1902. However, by 1911, they had been destroyed by fire again. An expedition led by George M. Douglas passed through the area that year. They found only the remains of the fort. Today, you can still see four stone and clay chimneys where the fort once stood.
Fort Confidence in Books
Fort Confidence was even featured in a book! It appeared in The Fur Country, a famous adventure novel by Jules Verne.
Photo gallery
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Photo of 1902, with buildings still standing
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Photo of 1911, with only four chimneys remaining
