Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - August 6, 2006, Winnipeg, Manitoba Freedom of Trade Liberty of religion Equality of civil rights b3 from newest Winnipeg free press sunday August 6, 2006and beyond Manitoba a history begins in upper fort Garry City by the Gate by Ruth Swan u per fort Garry was the Cen tre of political economic and social life in the red River settlement for most of the 19th Century the Hub of a bustling fur Trade and later the location of dramatic events that led to the creation of Manitoba. All that a left of that Rich history today is a single Gate on main Street near Broadway. Many Manitoban May be confused about the location and significance of the upper fort Garry Gate because there were actually two Hudson a Bay company forts by the same name. Most peo ple today Are familiar with lower fort Garry the Parks Canada site North of Lockport on the West Side of the red River. Few Are aware that upper fort Garry was located at the Forks of the red and Assiniboine Rivers and was the main depot and Headquarters for the Prairies and Northwest Region for 47 years. The upper fort Garry Gate at the North end of this walled Structure is the Only part remaining of the once substantial Post. When people hear fort Garry they do not usually realize that this Post was near the Forks West of main Street with its Southern Gate facing the Assiniboine River. The red River South of the Forks was called the upper red and the part North of the Forks was the lower red hence the names upper and lower fort Garry. Upper fort Garry was the Headquarters for the Northern department of the Hudson a Bay com Pany. This area extended West to Alberta North to the Arctic Ocean and East to Hudson Bay and James Bay. The staff at the fort organized the administration of the fur Trade in this vast Region As Well As other supporting industries such As an experimental farm and Buffalo Wool company. The buildings at the fort included living quarters and work rooms for the officers and warehouses for the Trade goods furs and Buffalo Robes. The servants or lower level employees who were French Metis or scots mixed bloods of Orkney background would sign up for their summer engagements and clerks kept track of their wages and accounts in company books. Most of these people lived on River lots in the red River settlement which extended along the red and Assiniboine Rivers in various parishes. They provided the labour to Man the heavy York boats that transported supplies to the Northern and Northwestern posts. In All its forts hic offi cers had to keep journals of daily events and these Post journals have survived through the hic archives located in Winnipeg in the Provin Cial archives of Manitoba. The top officer of the hic at upper fort Garry was the governor of Assiniboia who was also responsible for running the settlement. The Only appointed government was the Council of Assini Boia which made the Laws. It represented mainly the elite of the Colony such As hic officers affluent Farmers and the clergy. The Council also ran the Justice system and enforced its Laws through a court which held trials and gave out punishments to offenders. The close relationship Between the hic and the Council of Assiniboia led to resentment by the local inhabitants who agitated for a More democratic form of govern ment. The hic also organized the postal system and letters were addressed to fort Garry red River settlement. As a result the name fort Garry was commonly used for the whole Region of the settlement. Upper fort Garry was not the first fur Trade Post on this site. Pierre la Verendrye and his sons built fort Rouge just South of the Assiniboine in 1734 and another French officer named St. Pierre built a Post at the Forks in 1751, but these were Short lived. The Canadian North West company chose this location for its major depot fort Gibraltar in 1810. A confrontation Between the fur Trade Compa Nies in the fur Trade War from 1814 to 1817 ended with the consolidation of the two concerns in 1821. The Nowc Post fort Gibraltar at the Mouth of the Assiniboine not where the modern replica is located in St. Boniface was destroyed by hic governor Robert Semple in 1816 and the logs used to bolster the hic Post fort Douglas. After the consolidation the hic decided to move to the Forks from opposite Point Douglas to the preferred site of the destroyed fort Gibraltar Nowc and they built the first fort Garry in 1822 As the main hic Post in Winnipeg. This first Edi Tion of fort Garry had a wooden Palisade and was also known As fort Gibraltar after its Nowc predecessor. Being poorly constructed of wooden logs this first fort Garry suffered from the huge flood of 1826 and erosion along the Banks of the Assiniboine. Meanwhile in 1831, the hic built lower fort Garry North of the rapids on the red River. The red River flows North into Lake Winnipeg and this new Post would connect the depot on the red River with the hic transportation system Drain ing Hudson Bay. Upper and lower fort Garry had different functions. The lower fort was originally intended As the Headquarters for sir George Simpson but his non aboriginal wife did not enjoy the cold hard Manitoba Winters and her baby son died while they lived there. With his Young wife suffering from depression governor Simpson moved his family Back to Lachine Quebec the hic Headquarters near Montreal. Lower fort Garry became a Supply depot for the hic York boats which transported goods from York factory on Hudson Bay to Norway House red River and the Saskatchewan. It was difficult to drag the heavy York boats Over the rapids at St. Andrews so these huge boats were unloaded at the lower fort. Country provisions were collected and shipped to the Northern posts which needed fresh produce such As vegetables and meat. Lower fort Garry had Little to do with fur trading except with local trappers and Fisher men and was unimportant in the hic manage ment of the fur Trade and the Buffalo Robe Trade in the Southern Region As originally intended by Simpson. In 1835, the second and final upper fort Garry was built by governor Alexander Christie. The lithograph above shows it was a substantial fort. It was 240 by 280 feet with a Stone Wall four round bastions at the Corners and numerous buildings. The South Gate opened to the Assini Boine River where goods were unloaded with sup plies for the red River settlement and for shipment to the Plains. Before the hic imported goods brought by rail steamboats and carts through Minnesota in 1860, they imported sup plies mainly by ship from England through York factory on Hudson Bay. Goods were also unloaded at the lower fort and transported by red River carts from St. Andrews to the Forks. The upper fort was a major collection and distribution depot like fort Gibraltar had been. It was also the location of Many important historical events from its erection in 1835 to its demolition in 1882. The Village of Winnipeg became the transportation Hub for the railways in the 1870s, not Selkirk. Because of its location in Winnipeg upper fort Garry played a role in Many historic events during its 47 years the most Well known being the resistance of 1869-70 led by Louis Riel which led to Manitoba becoming a province in Canada. Eventually the land that upper fort Garry occupied became More valuable As town lots than As a fort. The fort was demolished in 1882 to make Way for main Street and Only the North Gate was maintained As a reminder of this important Centre of fur Trade and political life at the Forks. Ruth Swan is a Winnipeg scholar. In May 1870, her great great Uncle Robert Davis met Louis Riel at upper fort Garry on his arrival from Quebec. Davis would become the second Premier of Manitoba 1874-78. Historic site must remain in Public hands by Peter Liba t he property at 100 main Street is an Inte Gral part of the historic site of upper fort Garry. Upper fort Garry is our most important ? and neglected ? historic site the very Birthplace of Winnipeg. Owned by the City but no longer in use the property was declared surplus and made Avail Able for Sale by City Council on june 30, 2006. The group known As friends of upper fort Garry Hopes to convince Council that it would be a trav esty to sell the site to private interests. In 2002, a project funded by the Winnipeg foun Dation and the Thomas Sill foundation resulted in a design concept and a comprehensive vision for revitalization of the site encompassing ideas for physical design programming and funding. It would change this major heritage site from an embarrassment to a major destination attraction. This is a once in a lifetime Opportunity to develop the property As a major tourist attraction and education Centre by recreating part of the fort some of its main buildings its history and life As it existed Here in the 19th Century. If the property is sold the Opportunity will be lost for Ever. Construction of upper fort Garry by the Hud sons Bay company began in 1835 and it was expanded in 1852 located South of Broadway As it now exists to the Assiniboine River Between main and fort streets. From this impressive Stone fort and settlement Winnipeg was born and the province of Manitoba was created in 1870. The governors Gate All that remains of the fort and the land was donated to the City by the Hudson a Bay company in 1897 to be used As a Public Park in 1912, a plan was developed for a proposed memorial and museum on the site of upper fort Garry. The Park never happened. Instead the City sold All but a narrow strip of property sur rounding the Gate to commercial interests. The property at 100 main Street returned to Public ownership in 1961 when it was purchased by the metropolitan corporation of Winnipeg As its Headquarters and Council building. With the amalgamation of greater Winnipeg municipalities 100 main Street has been owned by the City and used As office space until being declared surplus on june 30. Friends of upper fort Garry respectfully Sug Gest that 100 main should continue to be owned by the City and that the Public property should be rezoned Parkland. This would allow the site to be consolidated with the existing Park space at upper fort Garry Gate and Bonnycastle Park on the Assiniboine River near the Junction of the red River and we could reclaim our heritage at the place where settlement Commerce and government of Winnipeg began. The reality is that 100 main May not be attractive for private Sale because As a historic site any purchaser would be required to undertake an archaeological dig. This Means it could be several years before the land could be developed for commercial purposes. Moreover Sale of the prop erty would destroy the window that exists to recreate the Birthplace of Winnipeg. We believe there is a great Opportunity now for Council to create a lasting and significant legacy for the enjoyment of future generations by endorsing this exciting project and working in conjunction with business and Community Lead ers to develop the concept. The honorary patrons steering committee and advisory Council of friends of upper fort Garry reflect the considerable interest in this project and support by a Broad Cross Section of business and Community leaders. Upper fort Garry can be a fantastic partner ship project linking other historic tourist Sites such As the Forks St. Boniface the Exchange District Broadway and York boat Day trips from upper fort Garry to lower fort Garry. The key to it All is 100 main Street. Peter Liba is a former lieutenant governor of Mani Toba and chair of the steering committee of friends of upper fort Garry ;