South Branch House, Heritage site and trading post remains on South Saskatchewan River, Canada.
South Branch House is an archaeological site containing structural remains and artifacts from an eighteenth-century Hudson's Bay Company trading establishment near Prince Albert. The one-hectare location sits on the eastern bank of the South Saskatchewan River and holds remains that reveal insights into early European trading presence in the region.
The Hudson's Bay Company built South Branch House in 1786 as its first trading post on the river and operated it until 1794. That year, Gros Ventres attackers destroyed the station, bringing operations to an end.
The site shows archaeological evidence of trade interactions between European merchants and First Nations communities during the competitive fur trading period. These exchanges shaped daily life at the location and reveal how different cultures engaged and conducted business together.
The location sits roughly 30 kilometers south of Prince Albert on the eastern bank of the South Saskatchewan River. Visitors should allow time to explore the grounds carefully, as the archaeological remains are subtle and proper footwear for the riverbank area is needed.
David Thompson, who later became a prominent North American geographer, maintained the trading post journal during its first operational season. His records provide rare glimpses into the daily operations and relationships at this early trading location.
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