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Fur Trade

The first Europeans came via canoe in 1738, when La Vérendrye erected Fort Rouge, the first of many forts and trading posts erected in the area. Known as the Red River Colony, the forts were within striking distance of The Forks because of its significance as an Aboriginal meeting place. The region provided rich food resources along an important transportation route including fish, waterfowl, game and, most importantly, bison, along an important transportation route. The Forks was the hub of the fur trade until the 1880s, when grain production became western Canada’s principal industry.

Prior to European exploration of the Red River, the Sioux, Saulteaux, and neighbouring Cree were in contact with Europeans through trade at York Factory, a post on Hudson Bay, south of the Nelson River Delta. Trade came closer to home for these First Nations groups when, under the direction of Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, Sieur de La Vérendrye, Fort Maurepas was built near the mouth of the Red River (1734) and Fort Rouge was built at the Forks (1738). These forts were soon abandoned, but with the establishment of Fort Gibraltar in 1809 (later Upper Fort Garry), the Forks remained an important hub for transportation and trade. In 1812, the Red River Colony — a settlement encompassing the length of the Red River — was established by Thomas Douglas, 5th Earl of Selkirk. As Europeans continued to colonize the Red River Valley, the Métis population grew. In 1869, Louis Riel led the Métis resistance at Upper Fort Garry, formed a government, and created the province of Manitoba.(See also Métis Settlements, Red River Rebellion.)

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