May 9, 1793. 227 Years Ago Today

      

My backyard is the home of the fur trade. I grew up in the 1960's on a homestead farm just 12 miles from the "Mighty" Peace River, in Northern Alberta, Canada.  But I never learned this, until now...

     Today, on this day May 9, 1793, 227 years ago; Alexander Mackenzie cast his 25 foot long birch bark canoe into the strong current of the Peace River from his winter quarters at "Fort Fork" and embarked on his journey to find an overland route to the Pacific. The location of the winter fortifications that they built at Fort Fork in the fall and late 1792, is easily located about 6 miles SE of the town of Grimshaw, Alberta. 

      In his "slender vessel" were 10 people, which included his cousin Alex. MacKay, two native guides, 6 NW Co. voyageurs- (Landry, Ducette, Beaulieu, Bisson, Courtois and Beauchamp) and a dog, plus 3,000 lbs of provisions and trade goods. By the 14th of May they would pass through our local areas that we now know as Dunvegan, Cotillion, Clayhurst etc. He followed the Peace River upstream through the Rocky Mountains with great difficulty, to the headwaters, and beyond.  

     

     Following advice of the natives he headed south on what we now know as the Parsnip River, past what is the present day town of "Mackenzie". They prevailed  on their quest, with many hardships, and on July 22nd reached the salt water of the Pacific. He of course later became "Sir" Alexander MacKenzie for his efforts on this expedition. This voyage happened, right through my backyard, 12 years before Lewis and Clark crossed America. 

     I'm following this incredible journey on Google Earth, using it along with his original journals to verify his Lat/Long calculations and encampment and adventure locations.The book that inspired me to do this is his own account; of which I am respectfully quoting excerpts from it, to fully illustrate each day of the epic voyage. ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF GOOGLE. This is a non profit blog.

VOYAGES from MONTREAL
THROUGH THE CONTINENT of NORTH AMERICA

TO THE
FROZEN and PACIFIC OCEANS
IN 1789 and 1793

WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE RISE
AND STATE OF THE FUR TRADE

By  ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, ESQ

 This book can be downloaded free- https://www.gutenberg.org/files/35658/35658-h/35658-h.htm

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