Nisqually, or Fort Nisqually
Nisqually, or Fort Nisqually was established by the HBC on what was the Nisqually people's land. The HBC wanted an increased presence in Oregon Territory, land shared jointly and delicately with the United States, so it petitioned the British Parliament for the right to form a farming colony. Parliament refused, citing concerns of umbrage from the United States, but it did extend the HBC's license to the land, unchanged from the terms of the original license, for a further 21 years.1
The Puget Sound Agricultural Company formed in response to the Parliament's play, and it established its headquarters at Fort Nisqually, near modern-day Tacoma, Washington State.2 This was a shadow company for the HBC, and it was led by HBC staff and investors; in light of this influence, Nisqually became a locus of shipping and agriculture.3
Dr. William F. Tolmie was Fort Nisqually's chief trader until he left for Vancouver Island in 1859.4
  • 1. The Puget Sound Agricultural Company, Hudson's Bay Company.
  • 2. E. E. Rich, Hudson's Bay Company 1670-1870, vol. 3, 1821-1870 (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1961), 685-687.
  • 3. Ibid.
  • 4. The Puget Sound Agricultural Company, Hudson's Bay Company.
Mentions of this place in the documents
The Colonial Despatches Team. Nisqually, or Fort Nisqually. The Colonial Despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871, Edition 2.0, ed. The Colonial Despatches Team. Victoria, B.C.: University of Victoria. https://bcgenesis.uvic.ca/nisqually.html.

Last modified: 2020-03-30 13:22:16 -0700 (Mon, 30 Mar 2020) (SVN revision: 4193)