Fort Gibraltar, Winnipeg

Fort Gibraltar was founded in 1809 by Alexander Macdonell of Greenfield in present-day Manitoba. It was located at the junction of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near The Forks in Winnipeg. Originally called Fort Gibraltar, it was later renamed Fort Garry after the merger of the North West Company and the Hudson's Bay Company in 1821. In 1835, it became Upper Fort Garry.

During the early 19th century, fur trading dominated Western Canada's economy. Two prominent companies, the London-based Hudson's Bay Company, and the Montreal-based North West Company, engaged in fierce competition over the trade. The Hudson's Bay Company had an English cultural influence, while the North West Company represented a blend of French, Scottish, and First Nations cultures.

The North West Company's fur traders camped in the Forks region and created temporary settlements. This led to the establishment of Winnipeg. In 1809, Fort Gibraltar was built by the North West Company, while Fort Douglas was constructed by the Selkirk settlers and Hudson's Bay Company employees in 1813-1815. Tensions between the Scottish Hudson's Bay employees and French-Canadian and Métis North West Company employees led to conflicts, including the Pemmican War.

In 1816, Robert Semple, the new Governor of Red River Colony, seized and demolished Fort Gibraltar. Yet, British authorities declared it unlawful, allowing the North West Company to rebuild it in 1817. Later, on March 26, 1821, the North West Company merged with its competitor, creating the Hudson's Bay Company.

Recognizing its historical significance, the fort's site was designated a National Historic Site in 1924 as part of the "Forts Rouge, Garry, and Gibraltar National Historic Site of Canada."