Fort St. James, British Columbia
Encyclopedia
Fort St. James is a district municipality
and former fur trading post
in north-central British Columbia
, Canada
. It is located on the south-eastern shore of Stuart Lake
in the Omineca Country
, at the northern terminus of Highway 27, which connects to Highway 16
at Vanderhoof
. Founded by the North West Company
explorer and fur trade
r Simon Fraser
in 1806, it came under the manangement of the Hudson's Bay Company
in 1821 with the forced merger of the two battling fur companies. Also known historically as Stuart Lake Post, it is one of British Columbia's oldest permanent European settlements and was the administrative centre for the Hudson's Bay Company
's New Caledonia fur district
. The fort, rebuilt four times, continued as an important trading post well into the twentieth century. Now the fort is a National Historic Site with some buildings dating to the 1880s. The community celebrated its bicentennial in 2006 and is incorporated as a district municipality
.
, Fraser
and his assistants John Stuart
and James McDougall
explored potential river routes to the Pacific Ocean
from 1805 through 1808. Explorations in the Winter of 1805-06 by McDougall resulted in the discovery of Carrier's Lake, now known as Stuart Lake
. In the heart of territory inhabited by the Carrier or Dakelh
First Nation, this proved to be a lucrative locale for fur trading
and so a post - Fort St. James - was built on its shore in 1806. In 1821, the fort came under the control of the Hudson's Bay Company
, when the North West Company
merged with it. It subsequently became the administrative headquarters of the Company's vast New Caledonia
District.
The fur trade was slow to take route in the area, since the economy of the Dakelh
people had been based on the fishery, rather than on trapping. In addition, there were customary and ceremonial restrictions which placed obstacles in the way of an efficient fur economy. Nonetheless, eventually the post became profitable, and continued to function until its closure in 1952.
, at the head of the Stuart River
. Both the lake and the river are named for Fraser's assistant John Stuart
, who would later become head of the New Caledonia
District of the North West Company. Fort St. James is located in the sub-boreal spruce zone of British Columbia
, a sub-division of the hemiboreal
climatic zone. It is characterised by severe, snowy winters and short, warm summers. The region is rich in wildlife.
origin The town is surrounded by numerous, small First Nations
communities and Indian reserves, including Pinchie
, Tachie, and Nak'azdli. The local economy is well diversified, although resource-oriented. The forest industries constitute the leading sector followed by mining, agriculture and tourism. Recent developments also include a small high technology sector .
, head coach of the Abbotsford Heat in the American Hockey League
.
Brian Spencer
"Spinner", former player in the National Hockey League and the subject of the film, 'Gross Misconduct'.
District municipality
A district municipality is a designation for a class of municipalities found in several locations, including Canada, Lithuania, and South Africa.-Usage in British Columbia:...
and former fur trading post
Trading post
A trading post was a place or establishment in historic Northern America where the trading of goods took place. The preferred travel route to a trading post or between trading posts, was known as a trade route....
in north-central British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is located on the south-eastern shore of Stuart Lake
Stuart Lake
Stuart Lake, or Nak'albun in the Carrier language is a lake situated in the Northern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. The town of Fort St. James is situated by the lake near the outlet...
in the Omineca Country
Omineca Country
The Omineca Country, also called the Omineca District or the Omineca, is a historical geographic region of the Northern Interior of British Columbia, roughly defined by the basin of the Omineca River but including areas to the south which allowed access to the region during the Omineca Gold Rush of...
, at the northern terminus of Highway 27, which connects to Highway 16
British Columbia provincial highway 16
Highway 16 is the British Columbia, Canada, section of the Yellowhead Highway. The highway closely follows the path of the northern B.C. alignment of the Canadian National Railway. The number "16" was first given to the highway in 1942, and originally, the route that the highway took was more to...
at Vanderhoof
Vanderhoof, British Columbia
-External links:**...
. Founded by the North West Company
North West Company
The North West Company was a fur trading business headquartered in Montreal from 1779 to 1821. It competed with increasing success against the Hudson's Bay Company in what was to become Western Canada...
explorer and fur trade
Fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...
r Simon Fraser
Simon Fraser (explorer)
Simon Fraser was a fur trader and an explorer who charted much of what is now the Canadian province of British Columbia. Fraser was employed by the Montreal-based North West Company. By 1805, he had been put in charge of all the company's operations west of the Rocky Mountains...
in 1806, it came under the manangement of the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
in 1821 with the forced merger of the two battling fur companies. Also known historically as Stuart Lake Post, it is one of British Columbia's oldest permanent European settlements and was the administrative centre for the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
's New Caledonia fur district
New Caledonia (Canada)
New Caledonia was the name given to a district of the Hudson's Bay Company that comprised the territory largely coterminous with the present-day province of British Columbia, Canada. Though not a British colony, New Caledonia was part of the British claim to North America. Its administrative...
. The fort, rebuilt four times, continued as an important trading post well into the twentieth century. Now the fort is a National Historic Site with some buildings dating to the 1880s. The community celebrated its bicentennial in 2006 and is incorporated as a district municipality
District municipality
A district municipality is a designation for a class of municipalities found in several locations, including Canada, Lithuania, and South Africa.-Usage in British Columbia:...
.
History
As part of his commission from the North West CompanyNorth West Company
The North West Company was a fur trading business headquartered in Montreal from 1779 to 1821. It competed with increasing success against the Hudson's Bay Company in what was to become Western Canada...
, Fraser
Simon Fraser (explorer)
Simon Fraser was a fur trader and an explorer who charted much of what is now the Canadian province of British Columbia. Fraser was employed by the Montreal-based North West Company. By 1805, he had been put in charge of all the company's operations west of the Rocky Mountains...
and his assistants John Stuart
John Stuart (explorer)
John Stuart was a nineteenth century Scottish-Canadian explorer and fur trader, employed by the North West Company...
and James McDougall
James McDougall (explorer)
James McDougall was a nineteenth century fur trader and explorer, who is remembered for his participation in opening up present-day British Columbia, Canada to European settlement as part of a North West Company expedition to the region, led by Simon Fraser....
explored potential river routes to the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
from 1805 through 1808. Explorations in the Winter of 1805-06 by McDougall resulted in the discovery of Carrier's Lake, now known as Stuart Lake
Stuart Lake
Stuart Lake, or Nak'albun in the Carrier language is a lake situated in the Northern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. The town of Fort St. James is situated by the lake near the outlet...
. In the heart of territory inhabited by the Carrier or Dakelh
Dakelh
The Dakelh or Carrier are the indigenous people of a large portion of the Central Interior of British Columbia, Canada.Most Carrier call themselves Dakelh, meaning "people who go around by boat"...
First Nation, this proved to be a lucrative locale for fur trading
Fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...
and so a post - Fort St. James - was built on its shore in 1806. In 1821, the fort came under the control of the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
, when the North West Company
North West Company
The North West Company was a fur trading business headquartered in Montreal from 1779 to 1821. It competed with increasing success against the Hudson's Bay Company in what was to become Western Canada...
merged with it. It subsequently became the administrative headquarters of the Company's vast New Caledonia
New Caledonia (Canada)
New Caledonia was the name given to a district of the Hudson's Bay Company that comprised the territory largely coterminous with the present-day province of British Columbia, Canada. Though not a British colony, New Caledonia was part of the British claim to North America. Its administrative...
District.
The fur trade was slow to take route in the area, since the economy of the Dakelh
Dakelh
The Dakelh or Carrier are the indigenous people of a large portion of the Central Interior of British Columbia, Canada.Most Carrier call themselves Dakelh, meaning "people who go around by boat"...
people had been based on the fishery, rather than on trapping. In addition, there were customary and ceremonial restrictions which placed obstacles in the way of an efficient fur economy. Nonetheless, eventually the post became profitable, and continued to function until its closure in 1952.
Geography and climate
The community is located on the south-eastern shore of Stuart LakeStuart Lake
Stuart Lake, or Nak'albun in the Carrier language is a lake situated in the Northern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. The town of Fort St. James is situated by the lake near the outlet...
, at the head of the Stuart River
Stuart River
The Stuart River is a river in northeastern British Columbia, Canada. The river flows over from Stuart Lake to its junction with the Nechako River. The river drains a portion of the Nechako Plateau — a gently-rolling region characterized by small lakes and tributaries...
. Both the lake and the river are named for Fraser's assistant John Stuart
John Stuart (explorer)
John Stuart was a nineteenth century Scottish-Canadian explorer and fur trader, employed by the North West Company...
, who would later become head of the New Caledonia
New Caledonia (Canada)
New Caledonia was the name given to a district of the Hudson's Bay Company that comprised the territory largely coterminous with the present-day province of British Columbia, Canada. Though not a British colony, New Caledonia was part of the British claim to North America. Its administrative...
District of the North West Company. Fort St. James is located in the sub-boreal spruce zone of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, a sub-division of the hemiboreal
Hemiboreal
Hemiboreal means halfway between the temperate and subarctic zones. The term is most frequently used in the context of ecosystems.-Botany:...
climatic zone. It is characterised by severe, snowy winters and short, warm summers. The region is rich in wildlife.
Population and economy
The population of the Fort St. James area is around 5000, of whom about one quarter identify as being of First NationsFirst Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
origin The town is surrounded by numerous, small First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
communities and Indian reserves, including Pinchie
Pinchie village
Pinchie is the English name of the Carrier village of Binche on the northeast shore of Stuart Lake, outside of Fort Saint James in north central British Columbia. It is part of the Tl'azt'en Nation band. In 2006 it had a population of 110.-References:*...
, Tachie, and Nak'azdli. The local economy is well diversified, although resource-oriented. The forest industries constitute the leading sector followed by mining, agriculture and tourism. Recent developments also include a small high technology sector .
Climate
Famous people from Fort St. James
Jim PlayfairJim Playfair
James Playfair is the associate coach of the Phoenix Coyotes. He is a former NHL ice hockey player and a former head coach of the Calgary Flames.-Playing career:...
, head coach of the Abbotsford Heat in the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
.
Brian Spencer
Brian Spencer
Brian Roy "Spinner" Spencer was a Canadian Professional ice hockey player who played 10 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Islanders and the Pittsburgh Penguins.-Career:Brian Spencer was drafted in the 5th Round, 55th overall by the...
"Spinner", former player in the National Hockey League and the subject of the film, 'Gross Misconduct'.
External links
- - Municipal website, includes extensive community information
- - Fort St. James Web
- - Fort St. James National Historic Site, Parks Canada website offers a good historical background
- - Regional District of Bulkley Nechako website
- - Caledonia Courier newspaper
- - FSJ Voice - news, forums and links useful to visitors and residents of Fort St. James