Fort Carlton was a Hudson's Bay Company fur trading post from 1795 until 1885. It was located along the North Saskatchewan River not far from Duck Lake, in what is now the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The fort was rebuilt by the government of Saskatchewan as a feature of a provincial historic park and can be visited today. It is about 65 km north of Saskatoon.

History

First called Carlton House, there were several historic Fort Carlton posts that operated in different periods and at three locations. Two posts were established in 1795 and 1805 respectively. A series of forts named Fort Carlton operated at a third location starting in 1810.

Three locations

The last fort at this location burned down in 1885 after a period of use as a police post (see below).

Commercial

As a Company post it primarily dealt in provisions, namely pemmican and buffalo robes although other furs were traded as well. Lawrence Clarke served as its last Chief Factor. It was a major base of operations for the Saskatchewan District of the Hudson's Bay Company. Situated on the Carlton Trail, running from the Red River Colony in present-day Manitoba to Fort Edmonton in what is now Alberta, Fort Carlton served as an important centre for travellers.

Police and military use 1880–1885

Treaty Six between the Canadian Crown and various Cree and Saulteaux First Nations was initially negotiated and signed near the Fort in 1876. Big Bear (Mistahimaskwa) had used the site in his initial negotiations for Treaty Six in about 1884, and finally, the following year he surrendered here after his engagement at Steele Narrows. The Prince Albert blockhouse was employed by the Royal North-West Mounted Police on evacuating from Fort Carlton after the first fire. The North-West Mounted Police leased the fort from the HBC in the 1880s, and it was its main base in the Saskatchewan Valley region. Following the Battle of Duck Lake it was abandoned by the police and Prince Albert Volunteers, then it was briefly occupied by Gabriel Dumont's Métis forces. The rebels soon chose to withdraw to Batoche. During the 1885 conflict, the fort was destroyed by fire.

Provincial park and reconstructed fort

Fort Carlton was reconstructed in 1967 and it was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1976. It features a partial reconstruction of the fort c. 1880, including four replica buildings of "Red River frame" construction. In 1986 the site was designated a provincial park of Saskatchewan.