12/23/2025
The Northwest Fur Trade Historians will hold the annual Winter Quarters event again this January 10, 2026 from 11:30-4:30. Come check it out!
The post was also located on a traditional meeting ground of the Spokane area Native American tribes, making it an excellent spot in which to trade for furs.
This page is for the purpose of exploring research and educational events related to the history of the fur trade in the Inland and Pacific Northwest of the United States around the early to mid 19th century. In April 1810, explorer and fur trader David Thompson engaged Jacques (Jaco) Finlay, a Metis free hunter, as a clerk and sent him to Spokane country with orders to build a small trading post at the confluence of the Spokane and Little Spokane Rivers.
12/23/2025
The Northwest Fur Trade Historians will hold the annual Winter Quarters event again this January 10, 2026 from 11:30-4:30. Come check it out!
06/18/2025
Kettle Falls Salmon Ceremony this Saturday at 10:00 am. More information can be found at www.sxwnitkw.com
04/07/2025
Come visit the Kettle Falls Historical Center May 17th & 18th. This weekend will commemorate the 200th anniversary of the construction of Fort Colvile. This will also be the grand reopening of the Kettle Falls Historical Center which was remodeled after water damage that occurred 3 years ago. The Northwest Fur Trade Historians will be holding a fur trade history encampment on the museum grounds all weekend. This is a family friendly event and a great opportunity to learn about life in the year 1825 at Kettle Falls.
12/30/2024
Come see our Winter Quarters event at the Museum of Art and Culture in Spokane on January 11, 2025 from 12:30-4:00. This free, family friendly event is a great way to spend a dreary winter day learning about the early fur trade history of Spokane House.
07/12/2024
Come visit the Spokane House Interpretive Center tomorrow, Saturday July 13th 2024 for an open house event from 9:00am - 2:00pm. The Northwest Fur Trade Historians will be giving presentations on the early 19th century fur trade that took place at Spokane House and the Inland Northwest. Explore the interpretive center and the murals outside.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fcjq0Z-Mn8
01/11/2024
Just a reminder of our Winter Quarters event this Sunday, January 14 at the Museum of Art & Culture (MAC) 2316 1st Ave. in Spokane.
Starts at 12:30pm and goes to 4:30pm.
Event activities include:
-A brief history of the Spokane House Trading Post.
-A sign language story of “The Coming of the White Men”.
-A reading from the 1822-1823 Spokane House Journal on winter activities at the trading post.
-Live fiddle music of the fur trade era.
-Winter with the Spokan Tribe with Warren Seyler.
The event is free, and the Riverside Park Foundation will be serving free hot chocolate and apple cider. There will also be a display of artifacts from the early fur trade era.
Sponsored by the Northwest Fur Trade Historians (formerly FOSH), the MAC and the Riverside State Park Foundation.
06/16/2023
A selection of photos from the Spokane House Fur Trade Encampment last weekend. Thanks to all who attended! On Saturday there was a talk by Warren Seyler about the Spokane Tribal history of the site, fiddle music of the time period by Foy DeMoss and an awesome mural dedication event organized by Washington State Parks with drummers from the Spokane Tribe and a guided tour of the murals with the artist, Shaun Deller.
NOTICE ON TIME CHANGE: We had to make a time change for the Fur Trade History Symposium on Saturday due to one of our presenters getting sick. The new schedule will start with a presentation on Spokane Tribal History at 11:00. Fiddle music of the time period starting at noon. Mural Dedication Ceremony is still at 1:00. Sorry for any confusion. The Fur Trade Encampment will still be open as planned from 10-5:00 Saturday and 11-4:00 Sunday.
HEAR YE! HEAR YE! An update on times for the Spokane House Fur Trade Encampment events this Saturday June 10th 2023.
Our Symposium starts at 10:00am with fiddle player, Foy Demoss, playing music of the early 19th century.
At 11:00 Spokane tribal member, Warren Seyler, will speak about the historical significance of this location for the Spokane Tribe.
At noon fur trade historian, Mark Weadick, will speak about the Metís free-hunters of the fur trade.
At 1:00 Washington State Parks will hold a Mural Dedication Ceremony for the new murals that were painted on the Spokane House Interpretive Center over the past two years.
Visitors can walk through the living history encampment between 10:00-5:00 on Saturday and 11:00-4:00 on Sunday. We hope to see you there!
05/19/2023
June 10th and 11th 2023 The Friends of Spokane House will be holding our annual Fur Trade Encampment at the Spokane House Historic Site. The event is from 10:00-5:00 both days and this is a "Free Day" for parking at Washington State Parks (no Discovery Pass required). On Saturday morning there will be a dedication event at the Interpretive Center for the new murals that were completed last summer. On Saturday afternoon there will be a fur trade symposium with guest speakers and live fiddle music of the time period. This will be a fun, family friendly event for all to learn about what life was like at Spokane House circa 1810-1826. Don't miss it! For more information and a downloadable event flyer, please visit FriendsofSpokaneHouse.com.
04/25/2023
May 13th, 2023 the Friends of Spokane House will hold a Fur Trade History Encampment at the https://www.kettlefallshistoricalcenter.com in Kettle Falls, WA. The event will be from 10:00-4:00. Also, mark your calendars for the Annual Fur Trade Encampment at Spokane House, June 10th and 11th.