Magasin Royal facts for kids
The term Magasin royal (which means 'royal store' in French) was used for special trading posts controlled by the King of France. It also refers to two specific trading posts built in the 1700s. These posts were important for the fur trade near the Humber River. This area is now Toronto, Ontario, Canada. One historian called these forts "little more than a log cabin." But experts say they were the "first non-aboriginal building" in the Toronto area.
Fort Douville: An Early Trading Post
The first Magasin royal was built in 1720. It was located near what is now Baby Point along the Humber River. A person named Philippe Dagneau dit Douville built it. So, it is often called Fort Douville.
This wooden trading post was similar to one built in Lewiston, New York. The French left this trading post after the British built Fort Oswego in 1727. There are no records of people living permanently in the Toronto area between 1730 and 1750.
Fort Toronto: A New Trading Hub
In April 1750, Antoine Louis Rouillé allowed a new trading post to be built. This small, strong post was on the east side of the Rivière Toronto (now the Humber River). It was near where the river meets Lake Ontario. The goal was to take fur trade away from the British Fort Oswego.
This post is often called Fort Portneuf. It was named after the French officer Pierre Robineau de Portneuf who built it. This post is also known as Fort Toronto. It quickly became successful at trading with the First Nations people.
Building Fort Rouillé
Because Fort Toronto was so successful, plans were made for an even bigger trading post. This larger post was built from late 1750 to early 1751. It was located east of the Humber River.
The new post was named Fort Rouillé. It operated until 1759. Portneuf was the first leader of Fort Rouillé. Later, during the Seven Years' War, French forces destroyed both trading forts as they left the area.
After the French were defeated, a fur trader named Jean-Baptiste Rousseau lived near Fort Portneuf. He lived there starting in 1792. In 1793, the area became Upper Canada. The land along the Humber River was then set aside for timber. Rousseau moved his family in 1795 to continue trading with the First Nations.
