Fort Kaministiquia

Fort Kaministiquia, located in what is now northwestern Ontario, Canada, was founded in 1717 by French merchants led by Daniel Greysolon Dulhut, and was to be the first in a series of forts reaching westward to expand trade. It would also begin an organized search for a water route which they hoped would lead them to the western sea. The expansion did not proceed further until Pierre Gaultier de Varennes et de la Vérendrye became commandant in 1728. He began to make plans to expand westward and began his explorations in 1731. This led to a fort at Grand Portage and Fort St. Pierre in that year. In 1732 the next important link in the movement west was built on Lake of the Woods. It was called Fort St. Charles.

Fort Kaministiquia continued to be the first link with the expansion forts. The British constructed a new fort, Fort William, at this location in 1803. The city of Thunder Bay now occupies the area where Fort Kaministiquia provided the base for so much western history.

External links

* [http://ontarioplaques.com/Plaques_STU/Plaque_ThunderBay22.html Fort Kaministiquia]

* [http://www.thunderbaymuseum.com/furtrade.htm Thunder Bay Museum]