Fort William, on the north shore of Lake Superior, became an important gathering location within the historic fur trade when the North West Company relocated their Lake Superior district headquarters there in 1803.
Annual gatherings at Fort William brought together North West Company employees from across its vast geographic network. These gatherings at Fort William became known as the ‘Great Rendezvous’.
The Rendezvous was an important part of the annual fur trade cycle. It was an opportunity to discuss business and renew relationships. Many would deliver and exchange furs and other supplies from throughout the North West Company’s network. There was also ample time for music, dancing, and games.
While many Métis passed through Fort William to attend the Great Rendezvous between 1803 and 1821, the merger of the North West Company and the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1821 brought a more permanent, year-round Métis community at the fort.
Today, rendezvous remain an important annual celebration in many Métis communities, including the contemporary Métis community in Thunder Bay.
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