Fort de Cavagnal

Fort de Cavagnal was a French trading post on the Missouri River about 3 miles northwest of Kansas City. The facility included a stockade with corner bastions and buildings for administration, security, and commercial operations.

French governor Pierre François de Rigaud established the fort in 1744 as a strategic trading position with the Kansa and Osage. The post was eventually abandoned, though early 19th-century explorers still documented its visible remains.

The site served as a meeting point where French traders and local tribes conducted business and exchanged goods. These interactions shaped the daily rhythm of the trading post throughout its operation.

The site lies along the Missouri River bluffs in an open area where visitors can walk and explore the grounds. A marker identifies the location, though the original structures have largely disappeared over time.

Lewis and Clark documented the fort's remains during their historic 1804 expedition across the frontier. They recorded visible chimneys and structural outlines that revealed how the buildings had been arranged.

Location: Kansas City

Inception: 1744

GPS coordinates: 39.10670,-94.67640

Latest update: December 14, 2025 11:03