Fort Nisqually, Puget Sound
When fur traders needed a halfway point between two massive forts in 1833, they picked a quiet creek near today’s DuPont. Fort Nisqually became the first European settlement on Puget Sound, connecting local tribes to markets across three continents.
You can visit the exact spot today where the following events happened.
Chief Trader Archibald McDonald’s Arrival in May 1833
Archibald McDonald reached Nisqually on May 30, 1833, ready to build a permanent fort. He brought William Fraser Tolmie, a young Scottish doctor and plant expert, along with seven men to do the construction work.
Four Hawaiian workers, called Kanakas, helped paddle supplies to the site. McDonald also brought oxen, horses, potatoes, and garden seeds. This new effort built on his earlier work from April 1832, when he had set up a small warehouse called Nisqually House with just three men.
Building the Fort in Summer 1833
Workers cut cedar from nearby forests to build the first fort buildings. By June 20, French-Canadian workers had built homes for themselves inside the fort area. They finished the main storehouse and officers’ quarters first to protect trade goods and house the leaders.
Wooden stakes formed a wall around the buildings, with a path left between this wall and the beach. Dr. Tolmie described the early fort as having “a store half finished, a rude hut of cedar boards, and Indian lodges.” Crews planted gardens while construction continued through summer.
Francis Heron Takes Command of the New Fort
Francis Heron, a tall Irishman, took over the fort from McDonald in late June 1833. Unhappy about leaving the more comfortable Fort Colville, Heron questioned the fort’s location and explored other possible sites.
On June 29, a strong earthquake shook the area. Local tribes thought Heron caused it with powerful medicine that could shake the ground. Heron considered moving to the Deschutes River, but S’Klallam traders refused to travel that far.
By fall, company leaders decided to keep the fort at Nisqually.
The First Multicultural Settlement on Puget Sound
Fort Nisqually brought together people from around the world. Scottish officers ran daily operations.
Native Americans worked as guides and laborers. Hawaiian Kanakas managed boats and did many essential jobs, while French-Canadians brought transportation and building skills.
The workforce also included Métis (mixed European and Native American), West Indians, and Englishmen. These diverse workers created the first global community on Puget Sound, mixing languages, customs, and skills from many cultures.
Trade Relations with Coast Salish Tribes
Fort officers met with Chief Gray Head of the Steilacooms in 1833 to build friendly relations. They quickly set up trade with the nearby Puyallup tribe and the more distant S’Klallam people.
The company sent two Native messengers to tell coastal tribes about trading goods at the fort. People from the Snohomish, Chinook, Klallam, Snoqualmie, Duwamish, Skagit, Twana, and Makah tribes soon arrived.
They came by horse from inland and by cedar canoe from the coast, bringing furs to trade for European and Asian goods.
Fur Trading Operations Begin
The fort focused on getting beaver, otter, and other animal pelts from Native trappers. Traders gave wool blankets, guns, bullets, metal tools, and cotton clothing in exchange for these valuable furs.
Native Americans traveled many miles to bring pelts to the fort. Trading followed formal rules, with exchanges happening between the chief trader and Native leaders.
This fort helped Hudson’s Bay Company control fur trading across the Pacific Northwest. By placing Nisqually between their Columbia and Fraser River posts, they created a trading network covering hundreds of miles.
The First Agricultural Efforts at the Fort
Fort workers planted gardens as soon as they arrived in 1833. They brought potatoes and seeds from Fort Vancouver to grow food quickly. Dr. Tolmie wrote about a clearing planted with onions, carrots, turnips, and cabbage near the fort. These gardens added fresh food to their diet while the trading post got established.
The surrounding prairies showed promise for raising livestock in the future. During the first months, settlers relied heavily on food from local Native villages because hunting brought limited success.
William Fraser Tolmie’s Scientific Observations
Dr. Tolmie carefully recorded the Puget Sound environment during his time at Fort Nisqually. He described the land, native peoples, and natural resources in his journals. Tolmie identified Oregon white oak (Garry oak) growing in the surrounding prairies. He collected plant and animal samples to send to scientists in England.
On June 29, 1833, Tolmie wrote the first account of an earthquake in the region. His detailed notes give us valuable information about Puget Sound before European settlement changed the local environment.
The 1834 Fur Trading Success
The fort had an impressive first full year of trading. In 1834, they collected 1,450 beaver pelts, the most valuable fur in Europe. They also acquired 700 muskrats, 190 raccoons, 340 river otters, 46 bears, and 80 minks from Native trappers.
The company traded fabric, blankets, bullets, guns, tobacco, and clothing for these furs. This success made Fort Nisqually an important hub on Puget Sound and allowed the Hudson’s Bay Company to control the fur trade between coastal and inland tribal areas.
Visiting Fort Nisqually Living History Museum
You’ll find the Fort Nisqually Living History Museum at 5400 N. Pearl Street, Tacoma, WA 98407, inside Point Defiance Park. Become a Fort Nisqually Member for free admission year-round.
For the original 1833 fort site, visit The Home Course golf course in DuPont. Stop by the DuPont History Museum at 207 Barksdale Avenue to see displays about the fort’s history before heading to the site.
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