Fort William (Oregon) facts for kids

Fort William was a trading post built in 1834. It was created by an American businessman named Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth. The fort was located on Wappatoo Island near the Columbia River. This area is now part of Portland, Oregon.

Wyeth built Fort William to be part of the fur trade. He also wanted to catch and sell salmon. In 1837, Wyeth sold the fort to the British Hudson's Bay Company. This company was very powerful in the region. They had a large base nearby called Fort Vancouver.

Why Fort William Was Built

Nathaniel Wyeth started a company called the Pacific Trading Company. He wanted to make money from the fur trade in the Oregon Country. Wyeth also owned another fort called Fort Hall in Idaho.

His plan for Fort William was to create a fishing business. He hoped to catch salmon and send them to the eastern United States and Hawaii.

The Island's Past Residents

The island where Fort William was built was known as Wappatoo Island. The famous Lewis and Clark Expedition had visited it before. Native American people used to live there.

However, by the time Wyeth arrived, no one lived on the island. Many people had died from diseases. These illnesses came from Europe and spread quickly. Native Americans had no natural protection against them. Sadly, about 90% of them died from diseases like smallpox and measles.

Where Fort William Was Located

Wappatoo Island is now called Sauvie Island. It sits just north of where the Willamette River meets the Columbia River. The fort was first built on the north end of the island.

However, the area often flooded. So, the fort was moved to the center of the island the next year. Fort William was across the Columbia River from Hudson’s Bay Company’s Fort Vancouver. Fort Vancouver was built in 1824. Fort William was about 90 miles (145 km) upriver from the mouth of the Columbia.

How the Fort Operated

Wyeth and his team tried different ways to make money. They cut down trees and sent the wood to the Hawaiian Islands. They also built boats and canoes. They even built a 60-foot (18 m) long building to process fish. Their goal was to ship salmon to the East and Hawaii.

Wyeth's employees also tried to trap animals for fur. They worked in the Deschutes River area of central Oregon. But they were not very successful. Wyeth's company struggled against bigger rivals. The Hudson's Bay Company was very strong. Another company, the American Fur Company, had a monopoly on the fur trade.

One of Wyeth's men, John Ball, wrote about their struggles. He said they could not compete with the Hudson's Bay Company. That company would raise fur prices a lot when American traders appeared. Fort William also faced other problems. Its first supply ship sank. The second ship arrived very late.

Wyeth left the fort in 1836. The next year, he rented it to the Hudson’s Bay Company. After Wyeth left the Pacific Northwest, John McLoughlin ordered Fort William to be taken down. McLoughlin was the leader at Fort Vancouver. He had a dairy farm built on the island instead. Wyeth also sold his other fort, Fort Hall, to the Hudson’s Bay Company.