Rocky Mountain House

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)

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

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Elevation: .....'

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