Northwest Company

The Northwest Company was a major fur trading business active from the late 18th to mid-19th century, primarily operating in North America. It played a key role in the fur trade, connecting Indigenous peoples, settlers, and European traders. The company established a vast network of trading posts across the Canadian and American frontier, trading goods like furs, textiles, and tools. It competed with other companies, notably the Hudson’s Bay Company, and was instrumental in shaping economic and territorial development in the region. Ultimately, the Northwest Company merged with Hudson’s Bay in 1821, forming one of the largest fur trading enterprises in North America.