Fort William Historical Park
All pictures and information are courtesy of Fort William Historical Park
1. A voyageur canoe brigade at the "main slip" at Fort William. Furs departing from the Fort were often wrapped into 90-lb canvas packs. During a portage, a voyageur would be responsible for carrying two packs at a time, one secured by a leather tumpline that ran across the voyageur's forehead, while another pack balanced freely on top. Dry goods and liquids were often shipped in 9-gallon kegs called "firkins." A "North" canoe heading into the interior, would average a ton and a half of freight in men and cargo, while a "Montreal" canoe heading back east could carry as much as four tons of men and cargo.
2. With the Nor'Wester Mountain Range looking down upon them, voyageurs paddle a "Montreal" canoe en route to Fort William. The voyageur guide, often identified by the colourful plumed hat, pilots the crew as the "avant" with help from his helmsman or "gouvernail" at the rear. The vessel is brimming with goods, either contained in kegs or "firkins" or wrapped in furs and canvas.
3. A voyageur canoe brigade bearing a ‘gentleman’ fur trader arrives at Fort William during Rendezvous, with a welcoming cluster of voyageur encampments set up in front of the Fort’s palisade. During the early 1800s, Fort William was the site of the North West Company’s annual general meeting, known as the Rendezvous, where hundreds of fur traders, voyageurs and aboriginal converged on the Fort to conduct business, renew acquaintances and do a bit of celebrating.
4. A birch bark canoe utilized in the Canadian fur trade would not last long, given the tons of cargo and men they carried, and the wear and tear incurred over thousands of kilometres of rivers, lakes, rapids, and portages. The two canoe sheds at Fort William produced roughly three dozen replacement canoes each summer under the supervision of an experienced voyageur canoe builder, with the assistance of aboriginal women. Today, David Brown (pictured) Fort William’s canoe builder and shipwright, is among roughly three dozen people in North America who make a living full-time from producing these watercraft.
For more information please visit our links page!
1. A voyageur canoe brigade at the "main slip" at Fort William. Furs departing from the Fort were often wrapped into 90-lb canvas packs. During a portage, a voyageur would be responsible for carrying two packs at a time, one secured by a leather tumpline that ran across the voyageur's forehead, while another pack balanced freely on top. Dry goods and liquids were often shipped in 9-gallon kegs called "firkins." A "North" canoe heading into the interior, would average a ton and a half of freight in men and cargo, while a "Montreal" canoe heading back east could carry as much as four tons of men and cargo.
2. With the Nor'Wester Mountain Range looking down upon them, voyageurs paddle a "Montreal" canoe en route to Fort William. The voyageur guide, often identified by the colourful plumed hat, pilots the crew as the "avant" with help from his helmsman or "gouvernail" at the rear. The vessel is brimming with goods, either contained in kegs or "firkins" or wrapped in furs and canvas.
3. A voyageur canoe brigade bearing a ‘gentleman’ fur trader arrives at Fort William during Rendezvous, with a welcoming cluster of voyageur encampments set up in front of the Fort’s palisade. During the early 1800s, Fort William was the site of the North West Company’s annual general meeting, known as the Rendezvous, where hundreds of fur traders, voyageurs and aboriginal converged on the Fort to conduct business, renew acquaintances and do a bit of celebrating.
4. A birch bark canoe utilized in the Canadian fur trade would not last long, given the tons of cargo and men they carried, and the wear and tear incurred over thousands of kilometres of rivers, lakes, rapids, and portages. The two canoe sheds at Fort William produced roughly three dozen replacement canoes each summer under the supervision of an experienced voyageur canoe builder, with the assistance of aboriginal women. Today, David Brown (pictured) Fort William’s canoe builder and shipwright, is among roughly three dozen people in North America who make a living full-time from producing these watercraft.
For more information please visit our links page!