CANADA HISTORY - Places-Forts

Prince of Wales

The establishment of Prince of Wales Fort on the Churchill River by the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) was a significant event in the expansion of British influence in northern North America, driven by the fur trade and competition with French forces. Built to trade with the Dene, Cree, and Inuit peoples and to serve as a base for exploration and economic ventures like whaling, the fort was also central to Britain’s efforts to defend its holdings in Rupert’s Land. The harsh conditions of the subarctic environment, combined with the geopolitical tensions between France and England, made Prince of Wales Fort both a challenging and critical project for the HBC. The construction of the fort and the lives of the men stationed there are testament to the difficulties of colonial expansion in the North American wilderness.

Early Context and the Role of Indigenous Peoples

The area around Churchill, Manitoba, where Prince of Wales Fort would eventually be built, had been inhabited by Indigenous peoples for over 4,000 years. Archaeological evidence shows that these early inhabitants, including the Dene, Cree, and Inuit, hunted migratory animals, harvested fish, and gathered resources in the region long before European traders arrived. These Indigenous groups played a critical role in the survival and success of HBC posts like Prince of Wales Fort. They provided provisions, such as meat and fish, and supplied essential items like snowshoes and warm clothing. Known as the “Homeguards,” nearby Dene and Cree families helped provision the fort and served as guides and trappers, ensuring that the HBC could operate in the difficult subarctic conditions.

The first European to overwinter in the Churchill area was Danish explorer Jens Munck, who arrived in 1619 while searching for the fabled Northwest Passage. Munck’s expedition was ill-prepared for the harsh winter, and of the 64 men in his crew, only two survived. The remaining crew perished from exposure, scurvy, and trichinosis. Munck’s experience provided early European evidence of the challenges of survival in the area, which the HBC would later have to contend with during the construction and operation of Prince of Wales Fort.

The Establishment of a Trading Post on the Churchill River

In 1689, the Hudson’s Bay Company first established a trading post at the mouth of the Churchill River. The location was chosen for its strategic importance to the northern fur trade, as it allowed the HBC to interact with Indigenous trappers who traveled from deep within the interior. This initial wooden post, however, was destroyed by fire in the same year, and it wasn’t until 1717 that a permanent fortification was re-established at the site by HBC Governor James Knight.

Knight’s assessment of the area, however, was far from positive. He remarked that the conditions at Churchill were far worse than those at York Factory, the HBC’s other major post further south on the Hayes River. Nevertheless, the location’s strategic importance convinced the HBC to continue its operations there, and Knight recommended that the new post be named Prince of Wales Fort in honor of the British royal family.

Political Tensions and the Construction of Prince of Wales Fort

By the late 1720s, the political situation in North America had grown increasingly tense, as Britain and France vied for control over the fur trade and other colonial resources. The uneasy peace between the two powers was frequently disrupted by skirmishes and raids, particularly as French forces sought to extend their influence further north and west. In response, the Hudson’s Bay Company decided to fortify its posts more heavily, including the construction of a stone fortress at Churchill.

In 1730, the HBC authorized the construction of a more permanent fortification at the mouth of the Churchill River. The site chosen was a rocky promontory known as Eskimo Point, which offered a commanding view of the river’s entrance. The new fort, designed to protect the HBC’s cargo ships and trading operations from French attacks, was to be built using local materials, including quartzite and limestone. Its location also offered a natural harbor upriver called Sloop Cove, which provided safe anchorage for ships.

Construction of the new fort began in 1732, with the first stone laid on June 3 of that year. The project was overseen by Chief Factor Richard Norton, who estimated that the fort would take six to seven years to complete. However, due to the harsh climate, the remote location, and the small workforce available, the construction process dragged on for over 40 years.

The Challenges of Construction

The construction of Prince of Wales Fort was one of the most difficult and prolonged projects undertaken by the HBC. The design of the fort followed the popular European “star” shape, with four protruding bastions that allowed for overlapping fields of cannon fire, a defensive design aimed at protecting the fort from both land and sea attacks. Despite this sophisticated design, the fort’s massive size and the small crew available to build it meant that progress was slow.

The short summer building season was one of the major challenges facing the workers at the fort. With only a few months of thaw each year, construction had to stop during the long and brutal winters. Additionally, the men stationed at the fort had to spend much of their time simply surviving, hunting for food, chopping wood for fires, and hauling water from the river. These tasks, combined with the necessity of continuing trade with the Indigenous trappers and preparing furs for shipment, severely limited the time available for construction work.

The harsh winter conditions at Prince of Wales Fort were particularly difficult for the men stationed there. One governor in 1741 described the extreme cold inside the fort’s living quarters, noting that despite large fires being kept constantly in the stoves, everything inside the cabins would still freeze. Crews were even forced to hang red-hot cannonballs near the windows to thaw the frozen glass. Despite these difficulties, many men renewed their contracts with the HBC, as life at the fort, though harsh, offered better opportunities and pay than what they could expect back in Europe.



The Fort’s Final Design and Role By the time construction was completed in the mid-18th century, Prince of Wales Fort was an imposing structure. Its outer walls were 6.5 meters (21 feet) high and 11 meters (36 feet) thick, divided from the inner walls by an earthen rampart. Forty cannon were mounted along the parapet, giving the fort its “flanker fort” designation, as the cannons could be aimed in multiple directions to repel attackers. The main gate was protected by a ravelin, a stone structure designed to shield the entrance from direct assault.

The fort was intended to serve both as a trading post and a defensive stronghold. In the event of war, the HBC’s cargo ships could take shelter in the harbor, and their crews could assist in defending the fort. Despite its impressive defenses, however, Prince of Wales Fort was never seriously tested in battle, and it remained primarily a center for trade with the Dene, Cree, and Inuit peoples.

Life at Prince of Wales Fort

Life at Prince of Wales Fort was divided along hierarchical lines, with the fort’s residents grouped into three categories: officers, tradesmen, and laborers. Officers, including the governor, surgeon, and clerks, enjoyed higher pay and more comfortable living quarters, while tradesmen, such as blacksmiths, carpenters, and masons, carried out skilled work. Laborers, who made up the majority of the fort’s workforce, performed unskilled tasks such as loading and unloading ships, chopping wood, and hunting game.

Despite the harsh conditions, many men preferred life at a Hudson’s Bay Company post to the uncertain and often impoverished conditions they faced back in Europe. The fort offered a steady wage, regular meals, and a chance for advancement within the company.

Prince of Wales Fort stands as a testament to the challenges and ambitions of British colonial expansion in the subarctic regions of North America. Built to secure the HBC’s hold over the northern fur trade and to protect against French aggression, the fort played a crucial role in the company’s operations on Hudson Bay. Despite the difficulties of constructing such a massive fortress in the harsh environment of northern Manitoba, the HBC persevered, and the fort remained a focal point of British trade and defense for decades. Today, the ruins of Prince of Wales Fort serve as a reminder of the complex history of European colonization and Indigenous relations in Canada’s North.