Fort Paskoya facts for kids
| Established | 1741 -1742 |
|---|---|
| Location | the Pas Manitoba Canada |
| Type | historic site museum |
Fort Paskoya was an important French fort and trading post. It was located on the lower Saskatchewan River, just above Cedar Lake. This fort, also known as Paskoyac or Pasquia, played a key role in the fur trade.
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Fort Paskoya: A Historic Trading Post
Around 1740, a French explorer named La Vérendrye built several forts. These forts were meant to control the chain of lakes west of Lake Winnipeg. Fort Paskoya was one of these important posts. Others included Fort Bourbon, Fort Dauphin, and Fort La Reine.
Why Was Fort Paskoya Important?
The main goal of these forts was to trade for furs. They also aimed to redirect furs that usually went to the English on Hudson Bay, sending them instead to Montreal. Fort Paskoya had a great location. Most furs from the west and northwest traveled down the Saskatchewan River, right past the fort.
The forts were also part of a bigger search. Explorers hoped to find a river that led to the "western sea." La Vérendrye believed the Saskatchewan River might be this route.
What Does "Paskoya" Mean?
The name "Paskoya" comes from a Cree word. It means "narrows," which describes a narrow part of a river or lake. It might also be named after the Opaskwayak Cree Nation, a group of Indigenous people the explorers met. "Paskoyac" was also an old name for the Saskatchewan River itself. There is even a Pasquia River near the town of The Pas today.
The First Fort Paskoya
In 1740, La Vérendrye's son, Louis-Joseph Gaultier de La Vérendrye, mapped the west side of Cedar Lake. During the winter of 1741-1742, the elder La Vérendrye decided to build a fort. This first Fort Paskoya was on a small island where the river flows into Cedar Lake. It soon became a smaller outpost connected to the first Fort Bourbon. A second Fort Bourbon was likely built nearby later on.
The Second Fort Paskoya
The second Fort Paskoya was built further upstream. It was located at what is now the town of The Pas. Historians believe it was built around 1750. Joseph-Claude Boucher, Chevalier de Niverville, was likely the first person to live and work there.
In 1753 or 1754, the fort was made stronger by Louis de la Corne, Chevalier de la Corne. In 1754, an explorer named Anthony Henday visited the fort. He described it as a "hogstye," which means it was not very neat or well-kept.
The fort closed in 1759. This happened during the "fall of New France," when France lost control of its colonies in North America. Later, in 1775, Alexander Henry the elder was stopped near here. A chief called The Pelican demanded payment for him to continue up the river. Around the same time, the Frobishers, another fur trading family, had a single trader at the site. The North West Company also had a post here, which was later taken over by the Hudson's Bay Company.
