Fort McLoughlin facts for kids

Fort McLoughlin was a fur trading post built in 1833 by the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC). It was located on Campbell Island in what is now British Columbia, Canada. At that time, the Hudson's Bay Company was a very powerful British company. It traded furs for profit and also acted like a government for the British Empire in some areas.

The fort was likely in McLoughlin Bay on the northeast side of Campbell Island. Its name comes from John McLoughlin, who was a main leader for the company in that region. The fort is also connected to the Heiltsuk community of Bella Bella.

Why Fort McLoughlin Was Built

One big reason for building Fort McLoughlin was to challenge the American fur traders. Americans were very strong in the fur trade along the coast. By 1830, American traders were paying more for furs. This meant that many furs from the interior of British Columbia were going to American traders instead of the HBC.

The HBC built Fort McLoughlin and Fort Simpson to stop this. Their goal was to get the furs before they reached the American traders. The Americans did not have permanent trading posts on the coast, which gave the HBC an advantage. This plan worked well. By 1837, the American competition for furs was mostly over.

Furs from the interior traveled to the coast using old indigenous pathways. One of these paths was used by Alexander MacKenzie in 1793. Later, HBC traders in the interior complained that their furs were going to Fort McLoughlin. This was because the fort offered higher prices. Once American competition was gone, the HBC was able to set prices the same everywhere. This helped them control the fur trade better.

A Scottish doctor and fur-trader named William Fraser Tolmie worked at Fort McLoughlin. He wrote a journal about his time there.

Life and Trade at the Fort

Fort McLoughlin was built in May or June of 1833. It was located in a safe bay on Campbell Island, in an area now called the Inside Passage. At first, the post was sometimes called Milbanke Sound. The first workers at Fort McLoughlin included nine Hawaiian workers, also known as Kanakas. They had previously worked at Fort Simpson. The fort was built in an area where many indigenous people lived.

The Hudson's Bay Company post was named Fort McLoughlin. But over time, the indigenous people who gathered around it started calling the place Bella Bella. This name became common for the local Heiltsuk people. Dr. Tolmie, who was at the fort from 1833 to 1834, called the main tribe the Bil-Billa or Haeeltzuk Indians.

George Simpson, a leader of the HBC, wrote that the fort was near a village of about 500 "Ballabollas" (Bella Bellas). William Fraser Tolmie wrote about different groups trading there. These included the "Quaghcuils" (Kwakwaka'wakw), "Kitamats" (Kitimaat, a Haisla group), and "Chimnseyans" (Tsimshians). Duncan Finlayson wrote in 1836 that the "Bela hoola" (Bella Coola) and "Wacash tribe of Milbank Sound" (the Xaixais) also traded at the fort.

Fort McLoughlin was good at trading furs, but it could not grow enough food for itself. Supplies had to be brought in every year from other forts like Fort Langley and Fort Nisqually. In 1841, Sir George Simpson noted that about 5,200 indigenous people from seven villages visited the fort. They traded furs worth a lot of money. Both Simpson and Alexander Ross agreed that the fort made a profit of about 1,500 pounds each year.

The Heiltsuk community of Old Bella Bella grew around the fort while it was open. This community continued to thrive even after the fort closed.

Why the Fort Closed

Fort McLoughlin was closed by Sir George Simpson in the early 1840s. This happened because the HBC's steamship, the Beaver, could now collect furs along the coast. This meant that permanent trading posts like Fort McLoughlin were no longer as necessary.

The fort was said to be completely empty by 1843. Its workers and supplies were moved to help start Fort Victoria. However, some items from Fort McLoughlin were moved to Fort Rupert in 1849. The site of Fort McLoughlin was still used from time to time until 1878.

One report says that the Heiltsuk people burned down the abandoned fort. They did this to get the iron that was used in its construction. Because of this, nothing remains of the original trading post today.

Later, the Hudson's Bay Company changed its mind and opened a store at the old fort site. This store operated for many years. However, in May 1883, the company rented the building to John Clayton for a small monthly fee. The Heiltsuk community of Old Bella Bella stayed on the site even after the Hudson's Bay Company left.