A regular reader of the History Corner suggested featuring histories of Fort Pelly. Of course, I have written about this Fort some years ago already. However, look for more stories of this historic fort in upcoming History Corners.
Fort Pelly — a Hudson’s Bay Company Fort erected in 1824. Located on the north east elbow of the Assiniboine River about 8 miles (12 kilometers) south west of the present day village of Pelly.
The building on the left was the quarters for company officials and a reception area for Native traders. On the right is the Company store. There were several other buildings within the palisade. Transportation of goods in and out of the fort was sometimes by boat but mostly overland. Shipment of furs and other supplies was done with Red River carts to and from Fort Ellice, located at the confluence of the Assiniboine and the Qu’Appelle Rivers, and from there to Fort Garry on the Red River, where Winnipeg now stands.
Fort Pelly retained its importance until the beginning of settlement in this region in 1882, and it continued as a trading post on a reduced scale until the arrival of the railway branch lines in that area in 1909. It was closed in 1912.
Source: Jackson Collection City of Yorkton Archives
Contact Terri Lefebvre Prince,
Heritage Researcher,
City of Yorkton Archives,
Box 400, 37 Third Avenue North
Yorkton, Sask. S3N 2W3
306-786-1722
[email protected]
