Rocky Mountain House: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 18:14, 15 July 2014

Rocky Mountain House (1799-1875) - A North West Company post first established in 1799 near the present day town of Rocky Mountain House, Alberta. A competing Acton House was established by the Hudson's Bay Company nearby and when the two companies merged in 1821 both became Hudson's Bay Company posts. Not continuously occupied and located on at least four different sites. Abandoned in 1875.

Rocky Mountain House Site #4 Chimneys	Rocky Mountain House Site #1
Rocky Mountain House Last Site Marker and Two Chimneys in the Background

History of Rocky Mountain House

Rocky Mountain Post	Acton Post
Site 1 (1799-1821) First Post Site 2 (1835-1861) Site 3 (1865-1868) Temporary Post Site 4 (1868-1875) Final Post	Acton Post (1799-1835)

Site #1 (1799-1821)

Established by John McDonald of the North West Company in the fall of 1799 as the most westerly fur trading post in the district. Initially intended to trade with the more westerly mountain tribes it became a trade center for the local Blackfoot and Assiniboine tribes instead. The Hudson's Bay Company established nearby the Acton House at the same time. The trade did not prove to be profitable and both posts closed and reopened several times.

Starting in 1806 David Thompson and his wife Charlotte Small use the post as a base for his explorations of the Rocky Mountains and his eventual discovery of the Athabasca Pass and his navigation of the full length of the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean.

When the North West Company and the Hudson's Bay Company merged in 1821 under the Hudson's Bay Company name both posts became Hudson's Bay Company posts.

Site #2 (1835-1861)

Site #3 (1865-1868)

Site #4 (1868-1875)

Construction on the final Rocky Mountain House began in 1864 but was not completed until 1868. From 1868 to 1875 it functioned as the last trading post at the site. The centerpiece of the post was the Chief Factors house and the two chimneys from that house remain today on the site. When the post closed in 1875 the post was dismantled and the materials were reused at other locations.

Current Status

Archelogical remains in Rocky Mountain House, Alberta.

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Location: Town of Rocky Mountain House, Alberta.

Maps & Images

Lat: 52.3623 Long: -114.9709

Multi Maps from ACME
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Elevation: .....'

See Also:

Sources:

Links:

Visited: No

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 == Site #3 (1865-1868) ==
 == Site #4 (1868-1875) ==
+Construction on the final Rocky Mountain House began in 1864 but was not completed until 1868. From 1868 to 1875 it functioned as the last trading post at the site. The centerpiece of the post was the Chief Factors house and the two chimneys from that house remain today on the site. When the post closed in 1875 the post was dismantled and the materials were reused at other locations.
 == Current Status ==
 Archelogical remains in Rocky Mountain House, Alberta.