Fort Durham

Fort Durham is an archaeological site in Juneau that preserves the remains of a Hudson's Bay Company trading post, with visible wall foundations and structural elements spread across the location. The layout reveals how traders organized the facility to manage commerce and daily operations in this remote region.

The Hudson's Bay Company built this post in 1840 under a lease arrangement with the Russian American Company to participate in North Pacific fur trading. Operations ceased by 1843 when the company shifted to annual visits and scaled back its presence in the area.

The site reflects how fur trade posts shaped daily life and economic relationships across communities, with European and local interests constantly intersecting through commerce.

The site is best explored on foot through natural terrain that can be wet and uneven, so sturdy footwear and weather-appropriate clothing are helpful. Interpretation signs and markers on the grounds help identify the archaeological features and understand the layout.

The location was also known as Fort Taku and represented an unusual partnership between British and Russian trading companies at a time when these powers typically competed for control. This short-lived cooperation was rare in the fur trade history of the region.