Key Number:	HS 28841
Site Name:	Fort de L'Isle II 1799-1801 (Island Fort)
Other Names:
Site Type:	0417 - Mercantile/Commercial: Fur Trading Post

Location

ATS Legal Description:

			Twp	Rge	Mer
			55	8	4

Address:
Number:
Street:
Avenue:
Other:
Town:
Near Town:	Myrnam

Media

Type	Number	Date	View
Digital scan of Negative	75-R0125-29A	1975/10/09	Fort de L'isle, October 9, 1975

Architectural

Style:
Plan Shape:
Storeys:
Foundation:
Superstructure:
Superstructure Cover:
Roof Structure:
Roof Cover:
Exterior Codes:
Exterior:	N/A
Interior:	N/A
Environment:	Island on North Saskatchewan River, 16 miles south and 5 miles east of St. Paul.
Condition:	N/A
Alterations:	N/A

Historical

Construction:	Construction Date:
Constructed	1799/01/01
Usage:	Usage Date:
XY Fur Company Fur Trading Fort	1799/01/01
Owner:	Owner Date:
N/A

Architect:	N/A
Builder:	N/A
Craftsman:	N/A
History:	Alexander MacKenzie - founder. James Hughes - founder. Henry Hallett - founder. 1799-1801. Alberta Historic Site. Established soon after X.Y. Company established post on the Island. Early fur trade indicating company rivalry. Rock piles (fireplaces) and cellar depressions. * * * When Alexander Mackenzie (nephew of Sir Alexander) established a post for the New North West Co. (XY Co.) on Fort Island during the winter of 1799-1800, both the H.B.Co and the (old) NW Co. soon followed suit. The three cornered rivalry led to the murder in 1801 of James King (NW Co) by an XY Co. clerk named Lamothe at an Indian encampment five days march from the island. The incident focussed attention on the question of the jurisdiction of Canadian courts in cases arising in Indian Territory, and resulted in the Canada Jurisdiction Act 1803 which so empowered them. By 1802 all three forts had apparently abandoned, and in 1804 the XY Co. was absorbed by the NW Co. * * * Heritage Significance: 'The first post on Fort Island was established by Alexander Mackenzie, nephew of Sir Alexander, and later nicknamed 'the Emperor', wintering partner for the X.Y. Company in the winter of 1799-1800. His establishment was shortly followed by James Hughes for the North West Company, and probably Henry Hallett for the Hudson's Bay Company. The statement is usually made that Fort George and Buckingham House were abandoned for Fort de L'Isle at this time but Thompson passed the winter at Fort George and J.P. Pruden was at Buckingham House. The Forts de L'Isle seem to have been abandoned in 1802, and the scene of operations moved to Fort Vermilion (qv) but as late as 1808 the Hudson's Bay Company kept Island Fort on its books. The title apparently referred to Fort Vermilion at this time. This site appears in Thompson's 1800 journals as 'Island of Scotland - N.W.Co. 1800 1' and in 1808 as 'Old Island Fort.' Present Condition: Marked by an Alberta Historic Sites sign. Inscription: 'Alexander Mackenzie of the newly formed XY Co. established a trading post here in the autumn of 1799. The Hudson's Bay Co. and North West Companies immediately abandoned their posts downstream and established forts on the island to squeeze their competitors out of business. The XY Co. was finally absorbed by the N.W. Co. in 1804.' Fort De L'Isle was established as an historical site by Order in Council 1162/59 on August 4, 1959. A cairn was placed on the site in December, 1960. * * * Fort de I'Isle (1799-1801) (Fort Island - Part 16, 17, 18-55-8-W4M Fort de I'Isle was actually three competing fur and provision posts operated by the XY Company, the North West Company and the Hudson's Bay Company on an island in the North Saskatchewan River, north of present Myrnam. Though short-lived, these rival forts produced the murder that elicited the Canadian Jurisdiction Act (1803), empowering Canadian courts to hear cases arising in the northwest.

Internal

Designation Status:	Designation Date:
Provincial Historic Resource	1976/06/15

Register:

Links

Internet:
Alberta Register of Historic Places:	4665-0080