Take a walk through history...

The fur trade history lives on at the Fort St James National Historic Site, where original log buildings have been restored and furnished in the style of the late 1890s, and interpretive and interactive exhibits are on display.

Staff dressed in period costumes spin stories of old and carry on life much as it was in the late nineteenth century. Listen closely for the phantom whispers of days gone by, and relive the colourful past of trappers, traders and First Nations people.

The trading post of Fort St James was originally established by the explorer Simon Fraser for the North West Company in 1806. Goods from eastern Canada and Europe were brought to Fort St. James for distribution through the fort to outposts in the surrounding area.

The fort was the social and economic heart of the fur-trade district, known as New Caledonia, and was the main contact point between fur traders and the Carrier First Nations, with furs gathered here being shipped to the European market.

Today, Fort St James has been restored as a National Historic Site, with town buildings dating back to the 1880s - this place displays the largest group of original wooden buildings representing the fur trade in Canada. Site visitors have the same spectacular view of Stuart Lake that the Carrier and the fur traders knew so well.

Not that they all saw this view the same way: while this was 'home' to the Carrier people, to the fur traders it was 'wilderness'. Hardships, adventures, challenges and changes are all part of the story of this place. Tourism, mining and the timber industry all play an active role in the economy of the local community.

Visit the Fort St James National Historic Site website for more information.