Fort Dauphin, French trading post in Winnipegosis, Canada

Fort Dauphin was a French fort built in 1741 at the mouth of the Mossey River on Lake Winnipegosis, near today's Winnipegosis, Manitoba. Pierre Gaultier de La Vérendrye directed its construction. The site is now a National Historic Site of Canada, designated in 1943.

The first Fort Dauphin was built in 1741 at the mouth of the Mossey River on Lake Winnipegosis, directed by Pierre Gaultier de La Vérendrye. A second fort of the same name was built in 1767 on the north shore of Dauphin Lake by French fur traders. In 1817 the Hudson's Bay Company established a post on the west side of Dauphin Lake, moved in 1819 near a North West Company post, and closed after the 1821 merger.

The trading post brought together European fur traders and Indigenous peoples for commerce and exchange in a shared economic space. These interactions shaped how the region developed and connected different groups through business.

The site is designated as a National Historic Site where visitors can explore the remains and structures on the grounds. Plan your visit during warmer months and be prepared for wet terrain near the water.

The Winnipegosis site was made a National Historic Site of Canada in 1943, two centuries after La Vérendrye's men built the first fort. John Best of the Hudson's Bay Company reused the same spot in the winter of 1795-1796.