North West Company Depot

In 1793 John Macdonell recorded that the fort contained sixteen buildings, including six storehouses for the company's merchandise and furs, with the rest used as dwelling houses, shops, a compting house, and a mess house. In 1800 Daniel William Harmon wrote of work in the general shop dealing dry goods, rum, flour, sugar, butter, and meat to the people, while laborers spent days making and pressing packs of furs to be sent to Canada and clerks were busily employed in making packs. On July 4, the Natives were allowed to dance in the fort, and the company gave them a present of thirty six gallons of shrub, a drink made of orange or lemon juice, sugar, and rum.

Grand Marais, Minnesota · United States