American Fur Company

The American Fur Company was a prominent fur trading company in the early 19th century, founded in 1808 by John Jacob Astor. It played a crucial role in the American frontier economy, particularly in the Great Lakes and Rocky Mountain regions, by trading fur, especially from beavers, which were in high demand for hat-making. The company helped expand U.S. interests in the West and influenced Native American trading practices. By the mid-1800s, changing markets and overhunting led to its decline, but it remains a significant part of U.S. economic and cultural history.