Thunder Bay – Fort William, Summer 2021, Part 4

I love Fort William, it’s extremely well done and if you like history, it’s really interesting! We have been here before and I would go again if it wasn’t over 1,500 kms from my house. One day I’ll get back to it, I love living history places. It has everything and it’s a huge property; 46 reconstructed buildings on 225 acres. Unfortunately due to Covid, they didn’t have the farm animals at the farm and you could not buy meals at their restaurant. We had a terrific lunch last time we were here so that was disappointing but we still spent over 4 hours wandering around. It has an interesting history with the North West Company and the fur trade and they do a reenactment of the Great Rendezvous in July when hundreds of period re-enactors from across Canada and the United States gather at the Fort to demonstrate the lively fur trade. We have not been there in July when that is going on, but I can only imagine. They still have period re-enactors all year round though and they will explain how First Nations lived or how to weave baskets, shoot a firearm, all kinds of interesting things. You enter through a building and think well this isn’t very big! But it certainly is.

You purchase your tickets and they have washrooms, a gift shop, displays and a movie then you exit out the back and walk for maybe 10-15 minutes through the forest to get to the entrance of the Fort. The Fort is set on the Kaministiquia River.

Before you reach the Fort entrance there are so many displays and actors showing how First Nations lived and you can ask questions and look around.

Then you enter the Fort and there are so many things to see and do. They have houses, a farm, armory, metal making etc.

We had a wonderful day wandering around this big old place. I do hope to get back. Next stop…. Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park!