North West Co. fort built on site of the old French fort Kaministiquia (q.v.) on lake Superior at mouth of the Kaministiquia river. The North west Co. used the Grand Portage route until 1801-2 when they moved to Kaministiquia and used thenceforth the old French route to the west which had been rediscovered by Roderick McKenzie 1798, the Grand Portage being on American territory. They rebuilt the old French fort in 1800 and called it "New Fort". On the union of the X. Y. Co. and the North West Co. the fort was again rebuilt in 1804 and called Fort William. It was a great trading centre, the entrepôt to the great west and northwest, and all furs and supplies of the Company passed through this fort both ways for nearly a quarter century. Supplies were received by schooner from St. Mary's, though transported at first by canoe. The fort was surrounded by palisades 15 feet high with bastions. Within the enclosure were a log-house dining room, Council House, Doctor's residence, storehouses, forge, workshops, prison, shipyard, garden, cattle & horses. A look-out was always maintained. The fort was captured by Lord Selkirk in 1817 and came under control of the Hudson's Bay Co. at the union of both companies in 1821. After the union Fort William began to decline as a trading centre, furs being transported by way of Norway House and York Factory, and McLean says that in 1833 the fort was rapidly decaying and had become "a petty post". Across the Kaministiquia river at Pointe de Meuron (q.v.) the Hudson's Bay Co. maintained a small observation post during the activities of the North West Co.