Remaining years Fort Edmonton

1 remaining years

1.1 remaining administrators
1.2 explorers
1.3 under threat of warfare
1.4 dismantling

remaining years
remaining administrators

following few short-lived administrations in rowand s wake, william j. christie long-lasting chief factor @ edmonton 1858 1872. christie s protégé richard charles hardisty, later canadian senator, served chief factor in edmonton interim period 1862 through 1864.

the hudson s bay company relinquished rupert s land government of canada in 1868, pursuant rupert s land act 1868, ending hbc s administration of vast territory , beginning era of settlement in 1870s.

by 1890s, fort in disrepair , largely abandoned. hudson s bay company transitioned retail stores, , business in edmonton ran 1 of instead.

explorers

in 1841 james sinclair stopped @ fort edmonton receive instructions on cross rockies. him 116 121 métis settlers red river colony, hired pugets sound agricultural company settle on fort nisqually , cowlitz farm within modern washington state.

captain john palliser stayed in fort edmonton time in 1858 while on famous expedition. of factor s wife, palliser held ball there.

in 1859, 9th earl of southesk visited on way rocky mountains, hoping fresh mountain air improve health.

under threat of warfare

fort edmonton, near new legislature building, 1914.

the spring of 1870 saw fort edmonton come under threat of violence due war between blackfoot , cree, resulting slaying of cree chief maskipiton. blackfoot unable ford north saskatchewan due high spring waters, encamped across fort edmonton , harassed muskets nonetheless. wagons full of goods had abandoned traders in hurry reach safety inside of fort, , contents spoiled blackfoot. though fort not invaded, men within armed , ready fight. chief factor william j. christie chose withstand blackfoot , not attack them, fearing invite further violence against hudson s bay company.

fifteen years later, on march 19, 1885, during north west rebellion, edmonton s telegraph wire cut. fearing imminent attack, settlers took shelter behind fort s old wooden palisade. no attack happened.

dismantling

what remained of fort dismantled in 1915. seen crumbling eyesore next alberta legislature building, had been completed 3 years earlier. government of alberta indicated @ time use old fort s timbers create heritage site elsewhere in city, never did.