Listed as post no. 227 in Ernest Voorhis [1859–1933], “Historic Forts” [1] :

Originally this was a North West Co. fort on the north bank of Peace river at the mouth of Middle river. Built by Simon Fraser 1805 as a base for his British Columbia explorations. It was known as “Rocky Mountain House, or Fort,” also as “Old Hudson’s Hope,” and “Rocky Mountain Portage Fort.” This post was operated by the Hudson’s Bay Co. after the coalition of 1821. It was abandoned for a time in 1825 to punish the Indians for the massacre at St. John in 1823. New Hudson’s Hope was built about 1875 on the south bank about 12 miles further upstream from Old Hudson’s Hope, at the east end of the portage, near east end of Cañon at its foot. Sometime after 1880 this post was again moved to its present location on the north side. Harmon in his journal 1810, October 15th, calls Hudson’s Hope the “Rocky Mountain Portage Fort.” Cust’s House and an old Hudson’s Bay Co. post are shown on Arrowsmith map 1832 (No. 100) at the west end of the portage from Rocky Mountain House. The location of the original fort is shown on the Dawson map 1879 (No. 81) and marked “abandoned.”

The account of Daniel Williams Harmon [1778–1843]:

Sunday, February 21, 1813. Rocky Mountain Portage Fort. Here I arrived this afternoon, accompanied by five Canadians and one Carrier. We left Stuart’s Lake on the 6th inst. and are on our way to Dunvegan, where I am going to transact some business with Mr. John McGillivray, who is there. As the mountains, on both sides of the river, for the distance of seventy or eighty miles, are very lofty, there is generally a strong wind passing, either up or down the stream, which, at this season, renders it extremely cold and disagreeable travelling. On the 18th, we were in the heart of those mountains; and we had to encounter such a strong head wind, that my upper lip became very much frozen, without my having perceived it at the time. It is now much swollen, and very painful. We all caught severe colds, in consequence of a fall of snow upon us, to the depth of eight inches, after we had encamped and resigned ourselves to sleep, the second, night after leaving Stuart’s Lake ; and I have become unable to speak, excepting in a whisper. It requires indeed, a strong constitution, to conflict with the hardships, incident to our mode of life.

We here find no person, excepting two Canadians. Mr. A. R. McLeod, who has charge of this place, is now absent on a visit to his hunter’s tent, which is five days’ march from this. From such a distance, provisions are obtained for this post, as there are very few large animals at this season, in this vicinity, in consequence, I presume, of the great depth of snow, which always falls in places, so near the mountain, as this. The people who are here say, that the hunters had such difficulty in finding animals of any kind, the last fall, that they all passed five days, without any kind of food.[2]

Various theories for name: prospector with hopes of finding gold; Hudson’s hopes of finding northwest passage; “a small enclosed valley, esp. ‘a smaller opening branching out from the main dale, and running up to the mountain ranges; the upland part of a mountain valley’; a blind valley.” “an inlet, small bay, haven.” used until the late 19th century; place names ending in “hope” common in Scotland and northern EnglandvVarious theories for name: prospector with hopes of finding gold; Hudson’s hopes of finding northwest passage; “a small enclosed valley, esp. ‘a smaller opening branching out from the main dale, and running up to the mountain ranges; the upland part of a mountain valley’; a blind valley.” “an inlet, small bay, haven.” used until the late 19th century; place names ending in “hope” common in Scotland and northern England [3].

Post no. 3 in “Historic forts and trading posts” by Ernest Voorhis [1859–1933]:

The Hudson Bay Co. house adjoining the North West Co. house called Rocky Mountains House, on North Saskatchewan river near mouth of Clearwater river. Name Acton house was given to distinguish it from the North West Co. house, but it was generally called Rocky Mt. House [1].

Five fur trading posts were known as Rocky Mountain House near the same site as present-day Rocky Mountain House. Rocky Mountain House is post no. 467 in “Historic forts and trading posts” by Ernest Voorhis [1859–1933] :

North West Co. post on North Saskatchewan river, 1-1/4 miles above mouth of Clearwater river, 3 miles below Hangman’s tree (1790) on north bank of river, 70 yards from river’s edge. It stood on high bank, well adapted for defense as block-houses commanded the fort. Of exceptional strength being in territory of Blackfeet Indians. Hence it was sometimes called “Blackfeet post.” Built by John McDonald of Garth in 1802, although the first structure was erected in 1799. It was visited by David Thompson in 1800 and 1806 and by Alexander Henry Jr. in 1811. It was the uppermost permanent post of the North West Co. on the Saskatchewan river. Ruins were still visible in 1886. After union of the two companies it was occupied by the Hudson’s Bay Co. for many years and finally discontinued in 1875.

The Hudson’s Bay Co. constructed a fort nearby (about 114°59′ W. & 52°22′ N.) called Acton House or Rocky Mt. House, both names being given on some maps. [1]

Archaeologists at the Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site have identified four fur trade posts:

• Rocky Mountain House of the North West Company, built in 1799
• Acton House of the Hudson’s Bay Company, also built in 1799
• Rocky Mountain House, the HBC post of 1835-1861
• Rocky Mountain House, the HBC Post of 1868-1875

They searched for the fifth post, but it stood where the river runs now. The Hudson’s Bay Company built this temporary post around 1865 to 1868. It housed fur traders and their families until the last post was finished.

Voorhis notes that there was also a North West Company fort on the Mackenzie River called Rocky Mountain House, built in 1800 and soon abandoned.

The following forts were also called Rocky Mountain House: Jasper House (No. 245), Hudson’s Hope (No. 227), Acton House (No. 3), and Henry’s House (No. 218).

Listed as “Henry’s House (1),” post no. 218 in Ernest Voorhis [1859–1933], “Historic Forts” [1]

Post built by William Henry 1812 on upper Athabaska river near confluence of Snaring river, about 8 miles below Jasper House village of today and about 20 miles above the last site of Jasper House, about 8 miles below confluence of Miette river. It was used as an outpost of Jasper House and was deserted about 1861.

Former fur trade post on McLeod Lake, British Columbia.

In the autumn of 1805 Simon Fraser led a party of about twenty men up the Peace River and established a post at Rocky Mountain Portage, at the foot of the turbulent Peace River Canyon.

Having set most of his men to work on the building of Rocky Mountain Portage House, Fraser left Stuart in charge and pushed on with McDougall and La Malice to explore the upper reaches of the Peace River. In so doing he was following in the footsteps of his famous predecessor, Sir Alexander Mackenzie, and, like Mackenzie, when he reached Finlay Forks he turned to the left and followed the Parsnip River. A few days later he entered the smaller Pack River, which Mackenzie had failed to notice, and this led him to a lake known for a time as Trout Lake, but eventually named McLeod Lake. The natives thereabouts, which Fraser refers to as the Big Men, were a band of the Sekani Indians. They were friendly, and Fraser decided that the lake would be a good site for a trading-post. On its shores he built Trout Lake Post, later Fort McLeod, the first permanent settlement west of the Rocky Mountains in what iS now British Columbia. Leaving La Malice and two men to winter at the new post and trade with the Indians, Fraser and the rest of the party returned to Rocky Mountain Portage House.[1]

North West Co. fort at north end of lake McLeod, British Columbia, built by Simon Fraser for the Company in 1805. This is said to have been the first post erected in B.C. After the union of 1821 this post was operated by the Hudson’s Bay Co. to date.

— Ernest Voorhis [1859–1933], “Historic Forts” [2]

Fort McLeod Historic Park is the location of a former fur trading post located west of Highway 97 near the community of McLeod Lake in north central British Columbia. Situated in a clearing at the north end of McLeod Lake near the Upper Pack River, adjacent to the old Tsek’ehne village, the post consists of four small whitewashed log and wood-frame buildings (a main house, a warehouse, a workshop and an icehouse) and the remains of site features such as a saw pit, boat runs and fire pits. The former locations of additional site features including a fur farm, fences, gardens, boardwalks and flagpole have also been identified through historical and archaeological research. Fort McLeod was designated a National Historic Site in 1953 and designated by the Province of BC in 1999.

Fort McLeod Historic Park is valued as the oldest continuously-occupied Euro-Canadian site in British Columbia, as an important early centre of interaction between aboriginal and non-aboriginal cultures, and as a source of information about the fur trade in British Columbia. It is further valued as a picturesque recreation site.

Fort McLeod Historic Park established as a Provincial Historic Park per Order in Council #164, 19 January 1971, containing 6.72 acres more or less. Park status cancelled per Bill 86, Park Amendment Act 1999, Schedule A, effective 28 June 1999; the name remains the same but the property will be managed as a Provincial Heritage Property under the Heritage Conservation Act, per OIC #759, 2 July 1999 [3].

There is a Fort Macleod located west of Lethbridge in Alberta.

North West Co. fort at east end of Fraser lake, B.C., built by Simon Fraser 1806. It was burned, October 4, 1817 and afterwards rebuilt. It was taken over by the Hudson’s Bay Co. after the union of 1821 and was operated by the Company until about 1900. It appears on all the Lists of forts to 1894. This fort is said to be “The first settlement made in the so-called Oregon Territory by civilized man”.

— Ernest Voorhis [1859–1933], “Historic Forts” [1]