What was the Bow Fort?

“From 1832 to 1834, the Hudson’s Bay Company attempted to maintain a small fur-trade post on the Bow River near the present site of Morley, Alberta. The effort was initiated by trade governor George Simpson, probably in recognition that fur in the area, harvested mainly by the Peigan Nation, was then being directed by the American Fur Trade Company to its posts along the Missouri River. It could more easily be transported along the Bow or Red Deer Rivers to HBC posts along the Saskatchewan.

The venture was fraught with danger, however, for tribes of the Blackfoot Confederacy were known to be occasionally hostile to white intruders in their domain. In fact, it was the threat of a major battle between Blood and Peigan war parties right at the post’s doorstep, that led the post’s leader, John Harriott, to abandon it in early 1834.

Originally called the Peagan Post, it later had its name changed to the Old Bow Fort. In the 1920s, historian J.E.A. Macleod started investigating the site, and, in 1970, archeologist Paul Nesbitt managed to uncover its exact location and recover some artifacts. Recently, the post has been the subject of much research by Douglas Hughes. Using mainly Hudson’s Bay Company records and post journals, Hughes has managed to weave together the story of the Old Bow Fort. It is a short account, but the post existed for only a short time.”

(source) The above is from a summary review by David W. Leonard of a book,The Old Bow Fort by Douglas Hughes.

The site of the Old Bow Fort was on the flat bluffs above the Bow River. It was just down river from the confluence of a creek running from the front range of the mountains. The creek became know as Old Fort or Bow Fort creek because of the ruin Up-stream about 3KM, the creek ran close to the site of Camp Chief Hector.

There were two campsites used by CCH nearby. “Junction” was located at the terminus of Bowfort Creek where it entered the Bow River. The campsite was down in the creek valley and a steep slope to the east rose up to the flats where the Old Bow Fort had been located. “Newfort” campsite was about a kilometre upstream located in a crook of the creek. Program activities at both campsites might include a 1/2 trip to explore the site of the old fort. The sites were typically used by 10-11 year old groups but on a few occasions Junction was used by CCH canoe trips.