Kootanae House, also spelled Kootenae House, was aNorth West Company fur trading post built byJaco Finlay under the direction ofDavid Thompson near present-dayInvermere, British Columbia in 1807. The trading post was established near the junction ofToby Creek and theColumbia River.[1] In 1808 Thompson reckoned its location as50°32′12″N115°56′15″W / 50.53667°N 115.93750°W /50.53667; -115.93750.[2] The actual location is Kootenae House National Historic Site, located at50°31′36″N116°02′44″W / 50.526624°N 116.045440°W /50.526624; -116.045440[3] (the discrepancy is due to inaccuracies in Thompson's measurements). The trading post was abandoned in 1812 due to hostilities from thePeigans east ofHowse Pass.[4]
The site was designated aNational Historic Site of Canada in 1934, with a plaque erected in 1938.[3] The land the trading post was once on was donated to the Government of Canada in 1935.[4]
In July 2005,Parks Canada, in cooperation with several members of theKtunaxa Nation conducted archaeological investigations at the site of Thompson's Kootanae House, near Invermere BC. Kootanae House was David Thompson's first post constructed in the Columbia Basin and his "jumping off point" for further explorations throughout the region.[3] The archaeology confirms that this site is the location of a North West Company trading posts and lays to rest some inconsistencies between the site and Thompson's description of the trading post. In 2009, signs describing the history of the site were added for the benefit of visitors.[5]
National Historic Sites of Canada by location | |
|---|---|
| Provinces | |
| Territories | |
| Other countries | |
.svg)
