Saleesh House (1)
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Saleesh House (1) (1809-18??) - A North West Company (NWC) trading post first established by David Thompson and James McMillan in 1809 at present day Thompson Falls, Sanders County, Montana. Became a Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) post in 1821. Probably abandoned in the mid 1800s.
HistoryOne of three similarly named trading posts established along the Clark Fork River and one post established between the river and Flathead lake.
Established as a North West Company trading post by David Thompson and James McMillan in November 1809 near present-day Thompson Falls in Sanders County, Montana. The post was strategically located along the Clark Fork River and a major aboriginal trail now referred to as the "Trail to the Buffalo". Initially, the post consisted of three simple log buildings. Saleesh House was located in a beaver-rich area and operated under James McMillan for the next few years. David Thompson returned to Saleesh House for the last time in 1812, found the post in poor repair, and refurbished it with more permanent structures. In 1821, the North West Company merged with the Hudson's Bay Company, and the Saleesh House operation was likely affected by this change. It is unknown how long the post continued to operate after the merger but it may have operated into the mid-1800s when the HBC opened Fort Connah near present-day St. Ignatius. Some sources say it closed after the merger in 1821 because of Blackfeet Indian hostilities. Current Status The exact location of the site is not known but indications are that it was located just east of Thompson Falls, Sanders County, Montana. The David Thompson Monument and the Saleesh House Marker are located on the north side of Hwy 200 at mile marker 50.9. The traditional site of the post was located .25 miles south of Hwy 200 mile marker 52.3 on Saleesh Shores Drive while current thought suggests that it is located approximately two miles east on Airport Road at River View Drive. The GNIS database coordinates indicate that it was along Steamboat Drive. All three approximate locations are shown as map points (G), (1), and (2).
See Also: Sources:
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Visited: 9 Jun 2017
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