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Fur Trade Trivia:    Name the Ladies

Fort Charlotte, on the Pigeon River of the Grand Portage, was named in whose honor?
What was the name of the chapel in Montreal at which the outgoing brigades said a final prayer for a safe voyage?
[answers at the end]

Historic Resources:   Historic Colonial French Dress

Anyone reenacting voyageurs, coureour des bois, or Canadian women should check out "Historic Colonial French Dress" by Mary Moyars Johnson with Judy Forbes and Kathy Delaney (Ouabache Press, ISBN 0-9609026-0-0). Published in 1982, White Oak's copy is a bit tattered but well worth the perusal.

The book's subtitle is "A Guide to Re-creating North American French Clothing" and it is accurate. An introductory chapter reviews French fashions especially as they relate to gender and social class. This is followed by sections on women's and men's clothing. More than just a listing of the clothes, these chapters discuss fabrics, social structure, mannerisms, and usage.

A subsequent chapter pairs rough illustrations of situations-examples, lunch break in the field or out for a stroll-with text to explain the clothing and its use in this particular social context.

The best chapter, though, is the one with sewing techniques and loads of well detailed patterns: chemises, corset, pockets, bum roll, petticoats, bodice, aprons, kerchiefs, shawl, short gown, short cloak, knitted toque, cravats, stock, shirt, smock, breeches, trousers, vest, short jacket, capote, cloak, bag stockings, clogs, and fingerwoven sashes and garters.

The book has an excellent listing of references and additional reading materials and a glossary of terms.

Fort Lac la Pluie

[White Oak roughly fashions its site interpretation after Fort Lac la Pluie. This article, a shortened version of a longer work by Merv Ahrens, fur trade historian from Fort Frances, Ontario, provides a background on this vital post. Merv can be contacted at: mahrens@fort-frances.lakeheadu.ca.]

The NWCo's Fort Lac la Pluie was located on the Rainy River just west of Chaudiere Falls. Any remains of the post lie hidden beneath lawns and homes, but a marker denotes the spot.

LaVerendrye's post built on the western tip of Rainy Lake in 1731 was gone by 1760. By at least 1772 the Buoy (Boyer) brothers operated a post below the falls. They helped kept local Indians friendly to the growing fur trade and furnished wild rice to passing brigades.

By 1787 Fort Lac la Pluie was an establihsed NWCo post. According to Alexander Mackenzie it stood on a "high bank on the North side of the river...on one of the finest rivers in the Northwest." A later traveler described the view: "The scene was wonderously beautiful. In the indistinct light of the early dawn the cataract seemed twice its natural height, the tops of pine trees rose against the pale green of the coming day, close above the falls the bright morning-star hung, diamond-like over the rim of the descending torrent; around the air was tremulous with the rush of water."

In 1787 Alexander Mackenzie failed to reach his Athabascan wintering site due to winter freeze up. From 1788 onwards, Lac la Pluie became the turning point for Athabascan brigades who had completed half of their annual four to five-month round trip. Lac la Pluie became the advance supply depot for fur rich Athabasca.

Every July for 30 years the river bank and pasture lands surrounding the fort bustled with the activities of one to two hundred voyageurs. Furs to and trade goods from Grand Portage were hauled by Montreal pork-eaters over the 220 mile route with its 37 portages.

Few physical descriptions of the fort appear in traders' journals. In 1793 it apparently had "two wooden Bastions in front flanking the Gate." (MacDonnell) Being perched atop the 40-foot steep bank gave it a "very formidable appearance." (McKay) The most detailed account comes from Hugh Faries, clerk in 1804-05. He mentions a house with a flea-infested cellar, a new animal stable for cattle and horses, an ice house, a canoe shed, a cooper's house, a blacksmith's shop, a new Athabasca House, several small houses for the men, the Athabasca store, a new oven, a picket stockade, garden fences, and a storage facility able to winter 150 bushels of potatoes. The new Athabasca House was built of squared logs, split wooden shingles, white washed inside and out with white clay, two stone chimneys and a gallery (veranda).

The canoe making facility was extensive because "this is the post where the Canada NW Company procures most of the canoes for the inland business." (McKay) The canoe maker in 1804 had "finished the lises (ribs) of 90 canoes." (Faries)

"There is a good garden, well stocked with vegetables of various kinds-potatoes, in particular...." (Henry the Younger) The post also had horses, oxen, and cattle. Oats and wheat were grown and milled at a mill at the falls. Wild rice was secured through trade with local Indians.

The post surrendered to Lord Selkirk in 1816 but was regained by the NWCo in 1817. The Hudson Bay Company maintained a post by the same name nearby. Merger with the HBC in 1821 relegated the fort to a mere trading post since the Athabascans were being supplied directly from York Fort on Hudson Bay. By 1823 the fort was already in ruins.

From 1817 to 1830 the HBC operated a new Lac la Pluie post about one mile upstream from the old one. It was this post that renamed Fort Frances in honor of HBC Governor George Simpson's wife. It continued in operation until it burned in 1903.

Interpreter Training Session a Success

In April over 30 people participated in an interpreter training session aimed at expanding the ranks of fur trade era interpreters who can present White Oak programs on- and off-site.

Presentations were made on what makes a good interpreter, character development, acting techniques, Ojibwa culture, working with the public, and dealing with difficult audiences. The sessions were highly interactive as participants willingly offered their insights and comments.

During the evening the participants broke into groups to present improvised skits intended to highlight different interpreting skills and situations. A tough trivia contest challenged everyone's knowledge of the fur trade including the person conducting the contest (yes, Chris Cheney, the Methye Portage was also known as Portage la Loche).

Sunday morning was highlighted by Ron Hobart's slide presentation of the memorable and grueling reenactment of de la Salle's journey from Montreal to the mouth of the Mississippi River.

Participants who earned their certificates for attending White Oak's first interpreter training session were: Joan Bybee, Alisha Hallam, Don Newsome, John and Sue Kavanagh-Beltman, Ken and Lisa Hurlbut, Beth Irving, Teri Heinkel, Jerry Bybee, Jack Todd, John Powers, Jon and Vi Richardson, Charles Lempke, Will Hollnagel, John Parmeter, Doug and Sandy Marston, Ken and Bonnie Swanson, Tom Abeyta, Terry O'Brien, Carol and Chris Cheney, Ken Nyberg, Lloyd Cheney, Chuck Ogee, Richard Marquardt, Ken Hormann, Roger Cook, Sally Becker, Ray Nyberg and Perry Vining.

White Oak intends to conduct additional sessions. Our goal is to increase the ranks of interpreters and contribute to the overall quality of fur trade interpretation. We hope to join with other historical sites for these future sessions.

White Oak Rendezvous weather conditions in Ojibwemowin:

Advice from Alexander Mackenzie to his cousin Roderick Mackenzie, his replacement in the English River district:

"Take care of Mr. Cartier, Mr. McGillivray's interpreter as he is a very keen insinuating fellow. Keep everything as secret as you can from your men, otherwise these old voyageurs will fish all you know out of your Green Hands."

Fort Charlotte was named after the wife of King George III.>br> The chapel on the tip of Montreal island was Ste. Anne's.
One more lady of the fur trade: who was Fort Frances named after? The answer is in one of this issue's articles.

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