Fort Durham: Difference between revisions

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'''Fort Durham''', also known as '''Fort Taku''' as '''AHRS Site JUN 036''' is an [[archaeological site]] near [[Taku Harbor, Alaska]], within the limits of [[Juneau City and Borough, Alaska|Juneau City and Borough]]. It was one of three [[Hudson's Bay Company]] (HBC) posts set up in [[Russian Alaska]].
'''Fort Durham''', also known as '''Fort Taku''', '''Taku''', '''Taco''', and '''Tacouw''' and in legal terms as '''AHRS Site JUN 036''' is an [[archaeological site]] near [[Taku Harbor, Alaska]], within the limits of [[Juneau City and Borough, Alaska|Juneau City and Borough]]. It was one of three [[Hudson's Bay Company]] (HBC) posts set up in [[Russian Alaska]].


In 1834 the HBC tried to establish the post of [[Lax Kw'alaams, British Columbia|Fort Simpson]] just south of the coastal boundary at 54°40′north latitude. The effort was blocked, temporarily, by the Russians, resulting in high-level negotiations between the British and Russian governments. One result of these negotiations was the 1839 ten-year lease of what is today the [[Alaska Panhandle]]. Under the terms of the agreement the HBC had the right to establish posts, hunt, and trade furs along the coast in exchange for furnishing the [[Russian American Company]] with food. The HBC took advantage immediately, sending [[James Douglas (governor)|James Douglas]] north in the ''[[Beaver (steamship)|Beaver]]'' in 1840. Douglas explored the [[Taku River]] and built Fort Durham (or Taku) on the coast just south of the river's mouth. He also took possession of [[Redoubt San Dionisio]] (Fort San Dionysius) , which lay off the mouth of the [[Stikine River]] on [[Etolin Island]], near today's [[Wrangell, Alaska]] (and renamed it Fort Stikine), which the Russians had agreed to transfer to the HBC under the 1839 lease agreement.<ref name=mackie-1>{{cite book |last= Mackie |first= Richard Somerset |title= Trading Beyond the Mountains: The British Fur Trade on the Pacific 1793-1843 |year= 1997 |publisher= University of British Columbia (UBC) Press |location= Vancouver |isbn= 0-7748-0613-3 |pages= pp. 140-142}} online at [http://books.google.com/books?id=VKXgJw6K088C Google Books]</ref>
In 1834 the HBC tried to establish the post of [[Lax Kw'alaams, British Columbia|Fort Simpson]] just south of the coastal boundary at 54°40′north latitude. The effort was blocked, temporarily, by the Russians, resulting in high-level negotiations between the British and Russian governments. One result of these negotiations was the 1839 ten-year lease of what is today the [[Alaska Panhandle]]. Under the terms of the agreement the HBC had the right to establish posts, hunt, and trade furs along the coast in exchange for furnishing the [[Russian American Company]] with food. The HBC took advantage immediately, sending [[James Douglas (governor)|James Douglas]] north in the ''[[Beaver (steamship)|Beaver]]'' in 1840. Douglas explored the [[Taku River]] and built Fort Durham (or Taku) on the coast just south of the river's mouth. He also took possession of [[Redoubt San Dionisio]] (Fort San Dionysius) , which lay off the mouth of the [[Stikine River]] on [[Etolin Island]], near today's [[Wrangell, Alaska]] (and renamed it Fort Stikine), which the Russians had agreed to transfer to the HBC under the 1839 lease agreement.<ref name=mackie-1>{{cite book |last= Mackie |first= Richard Somerset |title= Trading Beyond the Mountains: The British Fur Trade on the Pacific 1793-1843 |year= 1997 |publisher= University of British Columbia (UBC) Press |location= Vancouver |isbn= 0-7748-0613-3 |pages= pp. 140-142}} online at [http://books.google.com/books?id=VKXgJw6K088C Google Books]</ref>

Revision as of 14:49, 13 January 2009

Fort Durham
Fort Durham is located in Alaska
Fort Durham
LocationJuneau City and Borough, Alaska, USA
Nearest cityJuneau, Alaska
Built1840
ArchitectDouglas,James
NRHP reference No.78000529
Added to NRHPMay 05, 1978[1]

Fort Durham, also known as Fort Taku, Taku, Taco, and Tacouw and in legal terms as AHRS Site JUN 036 is an archaeological site near Taku Harbor, Alaska, within the limits of Juneau City and Borough. It was one of three Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) posts set up in Russian Alaska.

In 1834 the HBC tried to establish the post of Fort Simpson just south of the coastal boundary at 54°40′north latitude. The effort was blocked, temporarily, by the Russians, resulting in high-level negotiations between the British and Russian governments. One result of these negotiations was the 1839 ten-year lease of what is today the Alaska Panhandle. Under the terms of the agreement the HBC had the right to establish posts, hunt, and trade furs along the coast in exchange for furnishing the Russian American Company with food. The HBC took advantage immediately, sending James Douglas north in the Beaver in 1840. Douglas explored the Taku River and built Fort Durham (or Taku) on the coast just south of the river's mouth. He also took possession of Redoubt San Dionisio (Fort San Dionysius) , which lay off the mouth of the Stikine River on Etolin Island, near today's Wrangell, Alaska (and renamed it Fort Stikine), which the Russians had agreed to transfer to the HBC under the 1839 lease agreement.[3]

In 1841 the HBC governor George Simpson ordered Fort Durham and other coastal posts closed, because the Beaver was able to conduct the coastal fur trade without the need for more than the single permanent post of Fort Simpson. The HBC closed operations at Fort Durham in 1843.[4]

It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1978.[2]

References

  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2007-01-23.
  2. ^ a b "Fort Durham Site". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Retrieved 2007-12-28.
  3. ^ Mackie, Richard Somerset (1997). Trading Beyond the Mountains: The British Fur Trade on the Pacific 1793-1843. Vancouver: University of British Columbia (UBC) Press. pp. pp. 140-142. ISBN 0-7748-0613-3. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help) online at Google Books
  4. ^ Mackie, Richard Somerset (1997). Trading Beyond the Mountains: The British Fur Trade on the Pacific 1793-1843. Vancouver: University of British Columbia (UBC) Press. pp. pp. 269-270-142. ISBN 0-7748-0613-3. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help) online at Google Books