Fort McLoughlin, Historical trading post on Campbell Island, British Columbia.
Fort McLoughlin was a trading post located at McLoughlin Bay on the northeast side of Campbell Island in British Columbia. The site stood in the protected waters of Lama Passage, serving as a central hub for the fur trade along the Pacific Northwest coast.
The Hudson's Bay Company established the post in 1833 to challenge American dominance in the fur trade across the Pacific Northwest. It operated for roughly 10 years before being abandoned in 1843.
The fort became a central meeting point for seven Indigenous villages, with 5,200 natives conducting annual fur trading valued at 3,000 pounds sterling.
The sheltered harbor made it possible for trading vessels to enter and exit safely in all weather conditions. Keep in mind that the site is accessible only by water today and is surrounded by open bays.
After the post was abandoned, the local Heiltsuk people deliberately burned down the wooden structures to recover iron materials from the ruins. This action reflects how Indigenous inhabitants repurposed the abandoned European resources for their own needs.
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