The history of the American fur trade is rich with tales of intrepid explorers, resilient indigenous communities, and economic enterprise. At the heart of this vibrant exchange lies the North West Company Trading Post, historically known as the Snake River Fur Post, a meticulously reconstructed site on the tranquil Snake River west of Pine City, Minnesota. This particular North West Company Trading Post, originally established in the fall of 1804 by partner John Sayer and his skilled voyageurs, serves as a vital historical marker, illuminating the complex interactions that shaped the Upper Mississippi River region.
For over two centuries, the North American fur trade brought American Indians and European-Canadians together in a mutual enterprise of exchanging native trapped furs for European manufactured goods. This multi-cultural exchange, the first international business in the Upper Mississippi River region, depended on the expertise of people with dramatically different cultures and languages working interdependently. These included European traders, the American Indians—principally the Ojibwe—who trapped and prepared pelts, and the French-Canadian voyageurs, the strong, hardworking canoe men who transported furs and goods over vast distances. The American Indians also made invaluable contributions to European survival, introducing them to essential foods like wild rice and corn, and the indispensable birch bark canoe.
The European Demand for Furs and the Rise of the Trade
The driving force behind the earliest European exploration and settlement of the Great Lakes region was not solely to establish a northwest route to Asia or to conquer new lands, but rather, the immense demand for a specific fashion item: the beaver hat. This
