Fort Saint Pierre

Fort Saint Pierre
Fur Trade Outpost
Constructed:	1731
Company built:	La Vérendrye fort
Location:	west end of Rainy Lake near the mouth of Rainy River west of Fort Kaministiquia in northwestern Ontario.
Continent:	North America
National Historic Site of Canada
Designated:	1934

Fort Saint Pierre was the first fort built west of Fort Kaministiquia by Pierre La Vérendrye in northwestern Ontario. La Vérendrye, the first western commander, built it in 1731 at the beginning of his explorations. As military officer, La Vérendrye had multiple responsibilities, and he created forts as outposts to support France's fur trade with the indigenous peoples. In addition, he was searching for a western inland sea which he believed connected to the Pacific Ocean. The fort was located at the west end of Rainy Lake near the mouth of Rainy River. (The British built Fort Frances there in 1817.) The La Vérendrye expedition included his four sons and nephew, as well as other troops.

The construction took place in the fall, supervised by La Vérendrye's nephew Christopher Dufrost de La Jemeraye and his eldest son Jean Baptiste de La Vérendrye, while the father returned to Fort Kaministiquia for the winter. Although considered more symbolic than economic, the fort provided an early link in the important trade route from Montreal to the West.

La Colle, a Monsoni chief who assisted La Vérendrye a great deal, made his main camp in the vicinity of the fort. He and his warriors helped control the Sioux of the Prairies in the period when La Vérendrye was leading expeditions and fort building westward.

The fort no longer exists.

See also

• Chronology of the War of 1812
• War of 1812 Campaigns
• List of forts
• War of 1812
• Upper Canada

References

• Manitoba Historical Society - Lake of the Woods
• Manitoba Historical Society - La Verendryes
• Dictionary of Canadian Biography - La Colle
• Dictionary of Canadian Biography - Charles-Michel Mesaiger
• Manitoba Historical Society - Indian Migrations in Manitoba and the West