Spokane House
| Spokane House | |
|---|---|
| Fur Trade Outpost | |
 Log structure at Spokane House | |
| Constructed: | 1810 |
| Company built: | North West Company |
| Location: | Nine Mile Falls, Washington |
| Continent: | North America |
| Later Ownership: | 1821,Hudson's Bay Company |
| Abandoned: | 1826 |
Spokane Housewas afur-trading postfounded in 1810 by the British-CanadianNorth West Company,located on a peninsula where theSpokane RiverandLittle Spokane Rivermeet. When established, theNorth West Company's farthest outpost in theColumbia Riverregion was the first ever non-Indigenous settlement in thePacific Northwest(South of present-day 49 degree latitude border). Prior to the arrival of the white traders, the site of what would become Spokane House was a gathering place for area tribes who came to catch and dry salmon, which contributed to its development as a trading post.[1]
An American rival of the NWC, thePacific Fur Companyopened a station adjacent to Spokane House, called Fort Spokane. TheWar of 1812and ongoing supply issues caused the collapse of the PFC, with its posts now under the control of the NWC. The original Spokane House was abandoned in favor of Fort Spokane, though the latter location was still called Spokane House. The second Spokane House saw use as a major post in the interiorOregon Countryuntil the NWC was absorbed by theHudson's Bay Companyin 1821.
During a general tour of the Pacific Northwest, Spokane House was abandoned byGeorge Simpsonin 1825, in favor of a new post that becameFort Colvile.The site of Spokane House is inSpokane Countyin the U.S. state ofWashington,just northwest of the city ofSpokanein the community ofNine Mile Falls.
North West Company
[edit]Spokane House was created under direction ofDavid Thompsonand built byJaco Finlayduring the winter of 1810–1811.[2]Finlay would remain among theSqelizuntil Thompson's return later in 1811. Visiting the station in June 1811, Thompson noted that Spokane House was the place "where I left a small assortment of Goods to continue the trade, there were forty Tents of Spokane Indians, with Jaco, a half breed, as Clerk."[3]Thompson would soon depart for the mouth of theColumbia River,discovering the rivalFort Astoria.
Pacific Fur Company
[edit]Fort Spokane was a competing station opened by thePacific Fur Company,a venture headquartered atFort Astoriaand funded solely byJohn Jacob Astor.The arrival of an expedition originating inSt. Louisled byW. Price Huntalong with sorely needed supplies and reinforcements from theBeaverearly in 1812 allowed to company to establish more trade posts to compete against the NWC.[4]Among the various parties directed to leave Fort Astoria for the interior was an outfit headed by John Clarke. This party was directed to create "a district headquarters for trade in what is now easternWashingtonandOregon,northernIdaho,and westernMontana."[4]This group was directed to open a station in proximity to the Spokane House. The chosen location was approximately one-eighth of a mile from the original Spokane House on the same flat between the Spokane and Little Spokane Rivers.[1]
Relations with the neighboring Sqeliz were peaceable, with the post gate often left open at night. Illim-Spokanee, the father ofSpokane Garry,would trade with both fur company posts.[5]Despite being competitors, talks with NWC employees at Spokane House were amicable. McMillan agreed to join Clarke in not selling alcohol to the natives.[5]Parties of traders were supplied to trade with neighboring Indigenous nations in an effort to counter the NWC. François Pillet led a party of six to reside with theKtunaxato oppose theKootanae HouseandRussel Farnhamcommanded a group of men to nearSaleesh Housein theBitterroot Salishhomeland.[6]Leaving Farnham's group, Ross returned to the post shortly before 1 January 1813. The PFC laborers had as Ross recalled:
"a snug and commodious dwelling-house, containing four rooms and a kitchen; together with a comfortable house for the men, and a capacious store for the furs and trading goods; the whole surrounded by paling, and flanked by two bastions with loopholes for musketry.[5]
When the Astorian wintering parties returned in early May, departure for Fort Astoria was set for 25 May 1813. The majority of the PFC laborers were in this party, with four men under Pillet left at Fort Spokane.[7]Reaching Fort Astoria in August, the group learned the unfortunate news of theWar of 1812and consensus to sell the PFC assets, including Fort Spokane, to the NWC.
NWC hegemony
[edit]Operations based at Spokane House were relocated to Fort Spokane, though the PFC station took the NWC station's name. It became was the North West Company's central depot in theOregon Countryinterior but problems with the location of Spokane House were evident. Spokane House was poorly connected to other posts and reliant upon transport by largepack trains,rather than being able to use water transport. This made the company dependent upon theNez Percefor a supply of horses. During this annual transportation of trade goods to Spokane House, thirty five to forty men were employed by the NWC.[8]Despite several proposals to abandon Spokane House, it remained popular among company employees.Fort Nez Percéswas ranked as the main interior post in 1818.
Hudson's Bay Company
[edit]
TheHudson's Bay Companytook over control of the NWC in 1821 and sentGeorge Simpsonto tour the new western possessions of the HBC throughout 1824 and 1825. He visited the station accompanied byJohn McLoughlin,McMillian, andPeter Skene Ogdenlate in October 1824.[8]Many of laborers that worked at Spokane House and its subsidiary stations of the Flathead Post and Kootanae House did not receive favorable reviews by Simpson. In particular he found many lazy, "the very scum of the country... the most unruly and troublesome gang... are under no control & feel their own independence, they therefore require very superior management to make anything of them..."[8]Simpson reduced the employees stationed at Spokane House for 1825 by seven, leaving only fifteen.[9]
Simpson returned to the station in April 1825. He began discussions with the Spokane House management to abandon Spokane House in favor of theKettle Falls.This was due to several reasons including, the distance of Spokane House from theColumbia River,the scarcity of fur bearing populations in the area, and the abundance of fish and promising agricultural prospects at the latter location.[10]That year work began near Kettle Falls on a new fur post,Fort Colvile.[1]
Later history
[edit]
In 1846 by theOregon Treaty,theUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Irelandceded all claims to lands in the Pacific Northwest south of the49th parallelto the United States of America.
Archeologicaldigs were carried out at the Spokane House site in 1950–53 and 1962–63. The historic district was defined and added to theNational Register of Historic Placesin 1988.[11]
Geography
[edit]
Spokane House was located on a flat peninsula between the Spokane River to the west and the Little Spokane River to the east with the two rivers coming together at the northern end of the peninsula. The flat is approximately 1,550 feet above sea level, but the surrounding terrain is quite rugged. Mountains rise immediately to the northeast of the Little Spokane to heights of 3,100 feet at a distance of two miles. A steep bluff is located immediately to the south of the flat where the Spokane River tumbles over Nine Mile Falls.[12]
The historical site is located within Riverside State Park, approximately one-half mile from the community of Nine Mile Falls.Washington State Route 291connects the site with Nine Mile Falls and the much larger city of Spokane. The Spokane House Interpretive Center is located on the site.[13]
Historical climate (1896-1899)
[edit]| Climate data for Fort Spokane, Washington | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 52 (11) |
59 (15) |
65 (18) |
84 (29) |
95 (35) |
100 (38) |
107 (42) |
109 (43) |
97 (36) |
77 (25) |
71 (22) |
50 (10) |
109 (43) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 32.9 (0.5) |
39.7 (4.3) |
49.6 (9.8) |
62.3 (16.8) |
68.9 (20.5) |
77.5 (25.3) |
88.3 (31.3) |
91.1 (32.8) |
75.9 (24.4) |
61.6 (16.4) |
39.9 (4.4) |
33.3 (0.7) |
60.1 (15.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 17.5 (−8.1) |
21.3 (−5.9) |
24.0 (−4.4) |
34.9 (1.6) |
41.5 (5.3) |
46.7 (8.2) |
50.0 (10.0) |
50.8 (10.4) |
41.2 (5.1) |
30.1 (−1.1) |
22.8 (−5.1) |
18.1 (−7.7) |
33.2 (0.7) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −28 (−33) |
−24 (−31) |
3 (−16) |
19 (−7) |
26 (−3) |
32 (0) |
39 (4) |
36 (2) |
27 (−3) |
13 (−11) |
−25 (−32) |
−8 (−22) |
−28 (−33) |
| Averageprecipitationinches (mm) | 2.73 (69) |
1.01 (26) |
0.54 (14) |
1.16 (29) |
1.90 (48) |
1.19 (30) |
1.52 (39) |
0.97 (25) |
0.79 (20) |
0.47 (12) |
3.54 (90) |
2.11 (54) |
17.93 (456) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 20.6 (52) |
7.4 (19) |
3.7 (9.4) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
20.0 (51) |
14.3 (36) |
66 (167.4) |
| Source:[14] | |||||||||||||
References
[edit]- ^abcElliott, T.C. (January 1930)."SPOKANE HOUSE".The Washington Historical Quarterly.21(1): 3–7.Retrieved14 July2024.
- ^Biography at theDictionary of Canadian Biography Online
- ^Thompson, David.David Thompson's Narrative.Edited by J. B. Tyrrell. Toronto: The Champlain Society. 1916, p.
- ^abRonda, James.Astoria & Empire.Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press. 1990, pp. 240–241.
- ^abcCox (1831), p. 196-199.
- ^Cox Ross.The Columbia River.Vol. 1 London: Coburn & Bently. 1831, pp. 188–189.
- ^Cox (1831), p. 202.
- ^abcSimpson, George.Fur Trade and Empire.Edited by Frederick Merk. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1968. pp. 43–48.
- ^Simpson (1968), p. 66.
- ^Simpson (1968), p. 134.
- ^Currents and Undercurrents:, An Administrative History of Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area,National Park Service
- ^"Nine Mile Falls Quadrangle".usgs.gov.U.S. Geological Survey.Retrieved14 July2024.
- ^"Riverside Overview Map"(PDF).parks.wa.gov.Washington State Parks.Retrieved14 July2024.
- ^"FORT SPOKANE, WASHINGTON (452972)".Western Regional Climate Center.Retrieved6 June2016.
External links
[edit]- Fort Spokane in Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area
- U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Spokane House Historic Site
HistoricHBC operationsin the Pacific Northwest | |||||
| Columbia Department |  | ||||
| New Caledonia District |
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