Voorhis Interactive: Posts of the Trade

Fort à la Corne   Fr GMaps
ID: 8  Voorhis Number: 7 ;   Location: Saskatchewan, Canada [53.1324, -104.88] ;    Founded: 1753 , Closed: NA .
a>

Old historic French fort on Saskatchewan river, about 12 miles air line below the Forks, on south side of river, close to mouth Payoenan Creek, about centre of Tp. 48, R. xx, W. of 2d Meridian. Originally built by La Vérendrye 1748, who named it Fort St. Louis. It was rebuilt by his successor in the old French company Legardeur de St. Pierre in 1753 who renamed it Fort à la Corne. Tyrrell gives its location as "about the north-east corner of the Hudson's Bay Co. Reserve", and he noted that traces of the old trails and stockades were still visible in 1896. In 1755 Hendry of the Hudson's Bay Co. stopped there and it was then occupied by six men for the French company. It was deserted for some time after the cession of Canada, although in operation in 1763. Cocking of the Hudson's Bay Co. found it deserted in 1772 except for an Indian camp. James Finlay in 1776 occupied it. A. Henry Sr. in 1776 also stopped there and speaks of "a considerable establishment, about an acre of ground, enclosed by stockade and having 50 to 80 men attached" (under James Finlay). The old fort was occupied by the North West Co. and rebuilt by them in 1797 and called Fort St. Louis. It was also known as Upper Neepawa, Des Prairies, and Des Trembles. It was abandoned by the North West Co. in 1805 (reason unknown). The site was unoccupied till 1846-8 when the Hudson's Bay Co. rebuilt on the site of the old fort and renamed it Fort à la Corne. In 1887 it was moved three miles upstream to present location. This fort was one of the oldest and most continuously occupied of the establishments in the west. It is mentioned in Bougainville's List and there named "Des Prairies". Alex. Henry Sr. passing in 1808 speaks of remains of the old French fort St. Louis in a low bottom on the south side "where some years ago were still to be seen remains of agricultural implements and carriage-wheels."



Query SitesList Site Names
None