Fort Reliance National Historic Site of Canada

Fort Reliance National Historic Site of Canada is a heritage site and former Hudson's Bay Company post located on the east arm of Great Slave Lake in the South Slave Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. The site is best known as the winter quarters built in 1833 by George Back during the Arctic Land Expedition, a partly scientific and partly search mission to the Arctic Ocean via the Back River that also sought the missing John Ross. Back's original fort consisted of a main house and several smaller log structures with stone and clay chimneys; outlines of the logs, chimneys, and storage pits remain visible today. In 1855 the Hudson's Bay Company's Chief Factor James Anderson, for whom the Anderson River is named, rebuilt the fort as winter quarters for the search for the lost Franklin expedition, but it was abandoned after a single season. Although not a fur-trading outpost, the site was later used by trappers in the Thelon River area, and in 1897 an American trapper known as Buffalo Jones built a log cabin using one of the chimneys. Fort Reliance was designated a National Historic Site in 1953 and is described by Parks Canada as the "oldest continuously operating Hudson's Bay Company post, 1833." In 2010 the same property was designated "Old Fort Reliance Territorial Historic Site." Parks Canada, together with the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, works to preserve and protect the site, which has included rehabilitation of the chimneys. The site lies within Thaidene Nene National Park Reserve; should that proposed national park be realized, Fort Reliance National Historic Site would join the national park system as a separate unit. The 2021 Census recorded a population of zero at Reliance, with a land area of 21 km2.

Fort Reliance was originally built in 1833 by George Back during the Arctic Land Expedition to the Arctic Ocean via the Back River. The expedition, partly scientific and partly searching for the missing John Ross, used Fort Reliance as a winter camp. Back's fort was made up of a main house with several smaller ones that were constructed from logs. The houses had stone and clay chimneys for heating. The outline of the logs along with the chimneys and some storage pits still exist. In 1855, the Hudson's Bay Company's Chief Factor James Anderson, for whom the Anderson River is named, rebuilt the fort. It was intended to be used as winter quarters while searching for the lost expedition of John Franklin, but it was again abandoned after one season. It was not a fur trading outpost although the site was later used by trappers in the Thelon River area. In 1897, a log cabin, using one of the chimneys, was built by an American trapper, Buffalo Jones. Fort Reliance was designated a National Historic Site in 1953. It is described by Parks Canada as the "oldest continuously operating Hudson's Bay Company post, 1833". Together with the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, Parks Canada is working to preserve and protect the site, which has resulted in the chimneys being rehabilitated. In 2010, the same property was designated "Old Fort Reliance Territorial Historic Site." The site lies within Thaidene Nene National Park Reserve. If that proposed national park is ever realized, Fort Reliance National Historic Site would also join the national park system as a separate unit.

• 2010

  Same property designated "Old Fort Reliance Territorial Historic Site."

• 1953

  Fort Reliance designated a National Historic Site.

• 1897

  American trapper Buffalo Jones built a log cabin using one of the chimneys.

• 1855

  Hudson's Bay Company Chief Factor James Anderson rebuilt the fort as winter quarters for the Franklin search; abandoned after one season.

• 1833

  Fort Reliance built by George Back as winter camp during the Arctic Land Expedition.

A Parks Canada–administered National Historic Site preserving the remains of an 1833 Hudson's Bay Company fort and later territorial historic site within Thaidene Nene National Park Reserve.

1. 1Fort Reliance National Historic Site of Canada - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2Fort Reliance, Northwest Territories - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org