Planning a Canadian trip with emphasis on historic fur trade and gold rush sites

[UTTransplant]

We plan on starting at Ft. Williams next summer and gradually wander our way towards the Canadian Rockies then down towards Vancouver and ending up in Redmond, OR for an FMCA convention in mid July. I am looking for resources for historical sites to visit. The US has National Trails with lots of information, so I would love a resource like that. Alternately a few good books about the fur trade would help us plan. Any recommendations? Probably a 6-8 week trip.

 

[MrsRV]

I would love to learn more about that too - following!

 

[Babe2201]

I am wondering if some of the local libraries might be able to help you out. Most of them can borrow books from other libraries as well.

 

[OldWEB]

No idea where Ft. Williams is, in IA where you live?

 

[Tulecreeper]

No idea where Ft. Williams is, in IA where you live?

I think they're talking about the Ft. Williams in Thunder Bay, Ontario. It's an historical park.

 

[UTTransplant]

Tulecreeper has it right - Thunder Bay Ontario. I thought that would be obvious from the title, but obviously not.

 

[jackiemac]

Not sure if this covers the area you are visiting but a friend highly recommended it - fur trade related from 1800s.

Across the Wide Missouri

 

[UTTransplant]

Thanks Jackie. I am going to get that from our library when I get home. However it is more about the US fur trade, not the Canadian one. Ed, one of our resident Canadians, gave me some good book recommendations and some tourist bureau to call.

 

[TonyL]

Hi Pam,
Anne and I can't offer any help regarding the old fur trade, but we did cross from British Columbia to Sault St. Marie back in 2022. We also have extensive knowledge around the Canadian Rockies and most of the different routes from Jasper/Banff to Vancouver.
If you think there's any help we can offer, just drop us a PM.
Safe travels.
T

 

[NMDriver]

All you have to do is type Canadian Fur Trade into a search engine to get Canadian Fur Trade and a page of resources

 

[UTTransplant]

While I have read about the fur trade in both the US and Canada, I was just hoping someone had a pre-planned route available I could start with. In the US there are a number of National Historic Trails promoted by the Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service. Oh well. It also looks like we are deciding to stay state-side this summer due to some other reasons. I will continue to plan the Canada trip, but it will be probably in 2025. Lots of fabulous places in western Canada.

 

[Matt_C]

Pam,
What you outline would be a great excursion, Mary's relatives routinely camp along the north shore of Superior. It is one of the areas on our bucket list.
Matt_C

 

[Hfx_Cdn]

Pam, here is an article on Gold Rushes in Canada, and it touches on the US as well, it even mentions Nova Scotia, where there are still gold mines now.
Ed

Gold Rushes in Canada

Gold rushes occurred in the mid- to late-19th century, primarily along North America’s West Coast from California to Alaska. In Canada, key events included th...

www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca

 

[CharlesinGA]

Chardron Nebraska...........
Museum of the Fur Trade
Large museum with a very large library. Located on the site of a 1700's French fur trading outpost. They have the largest collection of "trade guns" anywhere in the world (over 200 if I recall). Trade guns were simple, well made, no frills muskets sold or traded to the fur traders for furs.

The museum has nice displays and tons of artifacts and original Native American items also.

Chadron is the first good sized town you encounter after leaving the Black Hills southbound. Video starts at the segment on the Fur Trade Museum. I knew Marc was in the area and suggested he include it in a video.

 

[Kirk]

I will continue to plan the Canada trip, but it will be probably in 2025. Lots of fabulous places in western Canada.

If you travel west to east across Canada, you will find that there are not a lot of major routes to take. Be sure to plan to spend some time in Ottawa as it the national capitol and a very interesting city. For a national capitol, it is a relatively small city and is absolutely fascinating.

Chadron is the first good sized town you encounter after leaving the Black Hills southbound.

That is a very good place to visit and also only 30 miles east on US 20 is Ft Robinson state park, one of the few early forts that was never totally abandoned, and which has an interesting history.

 

[Larry N.]

That is a very good place to visit and also only 30 miles east on US 20 is Ft Robinson state park, one of the few early forts that was never totally abandoned, and which has an interesting history.

I'll second Ft. Robinson. We spent a few days there not too long back, and it was great; they even had a rodeo one evening while we were there. It has original barracks and parade grounds, museum sections, even info on how Crazy Horse was a prisoner there and was killed.



Pinedale, WY has a neat museum, and Bent's Fort in SE Colorado is a wonderful place to spend most of a day.

 

[Arch Hoagland]

While travelling those fields you pass that are yellow and miles long are Canola fields.

 

[Larry N.]

Let me add another interesting place in the U.S., though it was formed in Montreal:
The North West Company Fur Post, near Pine City, MN. It's a fascinating place to visit.

North West Company Fur Trading Post, Minnesota – Legends of America

The North West Fur Company Trading Post is a reconstructed fur trading post on the Snake River west of Pine City, Minnesota. It was established in 1804.

www.legendsofamerica.com

 

[UTTransplant]

I don’t think I have been to Pine City, but I have been to Pinedale and Bent’s Fort. Since we would probably travel I-35 tote to Ft. Robinson, I will make it a point to stop by. We have visited many fur trade locations all through the US Rockies which is why we are interested in seeing the Canadian ones from the Hudson Bay Comoany.

 

[CharlesinGA]

That is a very good place to visit and also only 30 miles east WEST on US 20 is Ft Robinson state park, one of the few early forts that was never totally abandoned, and which has an interesting history.

Its thataway <----, not this way ----->