Fort Lisa, Trading fort near Missouri River, North Dakota
Fort Lisa was a trading post in North Dakota built as a square blockhouse with two levels. The ground floor stored furs while the upper floor provided housing for the hunters and traders who worked there.
Manuel Lisa founded this trading post in 1809 for the Missouri Fur Company, positioning it strategically between two rivers. The location gave his company control over fur trade routes in the northern territories.
The fort served as a meeting ground where European traders and Hidatsa people conducted business and exchange. Different ways of life came together in this place, each bringing their own goods and knowledge.
The riverside location made it easy to transport furs and goods by canoe to distant markets. Visitors should wear sturdy shoes since the ground tends to be soft and muddy, especially near the water.
Sacagawea, the guide from the Lewis and Clark Expedition, spent her final days here with her husband Charbonneau. Her presence links this trading post to one of the most significant explorations in American history.
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