Fort Nisqually - Tacoma, WA
Posted by: 
Hikenutty
N 47° 18.211 W 122° 31.987
10T E 535293 N 5238999
At Fort Nisqually, scheduled reenactments of what life in a trading fort was like take place on a regular basis. Reenactments are staged by volunteers and include things like blacksmithing, weaving, etc., as well as foods that would be typical.
Waymark Code: WM2XQH
Location: Washington, United States
Date Posted: 01/06/2008
Views: 79
The following excerpt is from the Tacoma section of "Washington: A Guide to the Evergreen State":
FORT NESQUALLY was moved to its present site and restored in 1934. In 1833 Archibald McDonald of the Hudson's Bay Company established the post in a 15-by-20-foot house of hand-hewn logs, on the beach near what is now Dupont, about 17 miles south of Tacoma. Moved to higher ground soon afterward, it bacame the center of trade with the Indians and, ultimately, between American settlers and the British. After the arrival of the Beaver [see waymark WM2R3M]in 1836, the fort's commercial importance grew swiftly. Dr. William Frazier Tolmie, surgeon and scientist, became factor in 1843 and moved the trading post still farther inland. A stockade, 250 feet square, was built in 1847 as protection against Indian attack. Trouble came suddenly in 1849, whe the Indians, seeing their way of life threatened, made a vigorous but futile attack under the leadership of Chief Patkanim. Troops dispatched by Governor Joseph Lane from Fort Vancouver[see waymark WMAQC] remained at adjacent Fort Steilacoom [see waymark WM18WX.] Controversy over ownership centered around Fort Nessqually until the Hudson's Bay Company was awarded $650,000 for its holdings on September 10, 1869. The original door hinges and latches, hammered from scrap iron, are used in the restored building.
Back when this was written only the Factor's house and the granary were on display at Point Defiance Park. Today, the fort is being rebuilt as it looked in 1855. The stockade has been built with two watchtowers and inside the stockade. The granary, oldest building on the Puget Sound, is open as well as a blacksmith shop and laborer's dwellings. According to the Park department's Website "the current Capital Campaign will soon allow construction of a new Men's Dwelling House, staff offices, a research library, and curatorial storage rooms."
The area is now called the "Fort Nisqually Living History Museum," and regular historic reenactments take place to demonstrate what life was like in a Hudson's Bay fort in the 1850's.
For visiting information check their Website for information. A calendar of events is available on the Website.
A note: the fort was named for the Nisqually Tribe of Native Americans, a local coastal Indian tribe. In the past "Nesqually" was the most common spelling, however now "Nisqually" is most accepted. The Nisqually glacier on Mt. Rainier and the Nisqually River are also named for the tribe.