Fort St. James
The largest group of original wooden fur trade buildings in Canada, on the lake Simon Fraser reached in 1806.
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Simon Fraser established a North West Company post on Stuart Lake in 1806, in Dakelh territory, and it became the administrative centre of New Caledonia, the fur district that later gave British Columbia part of its identity. The buildings standing today are largely from the 1880s and 1890s and form the largest collection of original wooden fur trade structures in the country: a fish cache, men's house, warehouse and trade store, restored rather than reconstructed. Costumed staff work the site in summer, and a flock of heritage chickens roams it. The lakeshore setting and the Dakelh community of Nak'azdli Whut'en adjoin the site.
What you actually see
- The original buildings - the largest group of authentic fur trade structures in Canada.
- The trade store - stocked as it would have been for the fur exchange.
- The fish cache - a raised store for the salmon the post depended on.
- The lakeshore setting - Stuart Lake behind the palisade line.
When to go
May to September for staffed operation; the site closes in winter. The Dakelh perspective is presented alongside the company one, which is worth the guided tour.
Honest expectations
Closed roughly October to May. It is a long drive from Prince George. The site is compact and takes about two hours.
Nearby
Prince George lies southeast; the Ancient Forest is beyond it.
What to pack for Fort St. James
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
