North West Fur Trade In The Late 19th Century

ur trade of the early 19th century was essential in expanding and developing economy, industry, and the international trade network of the Pacific Northwest and what is modern-day Washington State. British, Russian, and American trappers all developed a massive system of trading and trapping furs in the North West and developed two separate industries in the coastal, ship-based trade and the land-based continental trade. Several large companies were formed over the duration of the period, and with their massive capitol and reach, were able to shape the industry and help it stretch across all of North America. One of those companies, The North West Fur Company, was pivotal in developing the land-based fur trade in the northwestern United States

The over-harvesting of the beavers and otters who’s furs the company traded had resulted in a massive recession in the industry. Both the North West Company and Hudson’s Bay Company were heavily affected and lost capitol and employees over the course of the next decade. Along with other external forces such as territory wars with the native populations, and pressure coming from the government bodies of both U.S.A. and Canada, North West Company was figuratively brought to its knees. In July of 1821, under increased pressure from the British government and new regulations governing the fur trade, the Hudson’s Bay Company under the leadership of Henry Bathurst purposed a merger to the North West Company. By ignoring their rivalry and combining trade routes and trading post capabilities throughout the Pacific Northwest, the new entity regained a healthy control of the fur trade in North America under the Hudson’s Bay Company’s name. Starting with Fort Vancouver, and expanding into large swaths of land both north and south, the new Hudson’s Bay Company was able to be the controlling force in the Pacific North West’s fur trade industry for the remainder of the 19th century and into the early 20th century. The company remained under the name Hudson’s Bay Company into the early 1980’s where its industry reach had grown to much more than just fur trading. In 1987, the division was acquired by a group of investors to focus primarily on grocery and merchandise sales. In the 1990s it was launched under the old name of the North West Company, and today is a publicly traded company on the