British Fur Companies Fort Astoria

a watercolor painting of fort george in 1845.

fort george became center of nwc operations along columbia river, becoming fort william in miniature. @ time nwc no competition land-based fur trade in region. nwc laborers developed fort george expanding agricultural fields, in addition creating several large buildings erected, , pallisades [sic] , bastions strengthened. fort george became important port-of-call maritime fur trade. 1818 there 50 nwc employees @ fort george, on half being hawaiian kanakas.

in 1821 north west company merged hudson s bay company, took ownership of fort. fort george continued function primary entrepôt of columbia department until 1825. during tour of newly acquired assets on pacific shore, governor george simpson spent winter of 1824 @ fort george. found station inappropriate both fur post , regional depot. simpson ordered establishment of new post , depot further in interior along columbia river. suitable prairie selected governor having more agricultural projects. besides intention new post supply foodstuffs company stations in pacific northwest, simpson determined relocate columbia department administrative apparatus there well. new station christened fort vancouver, initial construction completed in spring of 1825. hbc personnel withdrew fort george 2 months later. neighboring native villagers began seasonally reside there, rapidly reducing state of ruin & filth. small number of lodges, maintained clatsops, established close fort george.

to counter americans merchant vessels, reoccupation of fort george hbc ordered in 1829. post placed @ forefront of competition between british , american fur traders. while post gradually rebuilt, dilapidated condition , extensive repairs required forced sole clerk in tent during winter. residency of hbc trader made 20 feet wide 60 feet long. along 2 minor buildings, there small warehouse. while ordering lowering of exchange rates skins in 1829, mcloughlin focused on maintaining commercial ties chinookan peoples through forcing our competitors reduce prices. continued value placed in chinookans british subjects went extended beyond major source of fur pelts. instance, surrounding tribes of fort george employed man post canoes.

the sinking of such hbc ships william , ann @ mouth of columbia necessitated use of trading post guide ships inland. beginning in 1830 location continuously used in small capacity company. isabella, hbc trading ship, crashed near station during year. neighboring clatsops appeared on scene, offering recover property ship. despite chief factor mcloughlin lamenting have no alternative run risk or lose property , assistance tendered them proved invaluable company.

during 1833 post had staff of four; english clerk, scottish field manager stromness, , 2 hawaiians. throughout 1830s , 1840s, several men served fort george s managing officer james birnie serving longest. daniel lee reported birnie maintained abundant crops of excellent potatoes , garden vegetables @ post. growing salmon harvesting operations of hudson s bay company focused on fisheries surrounding fort george. company used salmon feed employees, exporting markets of kingdom of hawaii.