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The current wooden structure is the latest in a long time of company headquarters located at or near the site. The first company headquarters on the bay, Fort Nelson, was established at the mouth of the nearby Nelson RiverThe Nelson River is a river of north-central North America, in the Canadian province of Manitoba. The river, 664 km long, drains Lake Winnipeg and its watershed into Hudson Bay. The river flows through the Canadian Shield out of Playgreen Lake at the nort in 1682Events March 11 Chelsea hospital for soldiers is founded in England May 6 Louis XIV of France moves his court to Versailles. First black slaves arrive in Germany French court moves to Versailles Halley's comet makes an appearance, and is observed by Edmon. The establishment of the fort provoked a quick response from FranceThe French Republic or France ( French: Republique francaise or France is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents., which sent a naval force to Hudson Bay to capture and destory the fort in 1684Events France under Louis XIV makes Truce of Ratisbon separately with the Empire and Spain. Pope Innocent XI forms a Holy League with the Habsburg Empire, Venice and Poland to liberate Europe from the Ottoman Turkish rule. Japanese Chief Minister Hotta Ma. The company buitl a second fort on the site, naming it after the Duke of YorkJames II of England and VII of Scotland ( 14 October 1633 16 September 1701) became King of England, Scotland and Ireland from 6 February 1685. He would prove to be the last Catholic monarch to reign over England, Scotland or Ireland. His subjects distrus. In 1697Events September 20 The Treaty of Ryswick December 2 St Paul's Cathedral opened in London Peter the Great travels in Europe officially incognito as "artilleryman Pjotr Mikhailov" Use of palanquins increases in Europe Christopher Polhem starts Sweden's fir, after the largest ArcticThe Arctic is the area around the Earth's North Pole. The Arctic includes parts of Russia, Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Lapland, and Norway (including Svalbard), as well as the Arctic Ocean. The 10°C (50°F) July isotherm is commonly used to define the borde naval battle in North America, the French captured the fort and renamed it Fort Bourbon. The French force had suffered greatly in the naval battle with three British warships and the depleted force had captured the fort through a ruse, laying siege while giving the appearance of being a much stronger force. The fort was returned to the British in 1713 as part of the Treaty of Utrecht. After 1713, the headquarters was relocated to the current site on the mouth of the Hayes River.
Between 1788 and 1795 the company constructed an octagonal star fort of stone and brick on the site. The choice of material was poor, however, as the stone and brick could not stand up to heaving permafrost, and in 1831 the stone fort was razed. The three-story center section of the current compound was completed that same year, with the two-story wings finished within the two years that followed.
During its first century, the depot operated by drawing First Nations traders to the post, rather than sending its own traders out into the field. Its position at the mouth of the Nelson allowed access by canoe from the watersheds of the Saskatchewan and Red rivers.
In the late 18th century, the centralized nature of the company's operation from the depot began to become a disadantage against the more nimble voyageurs of the North West Company, who traveled among the First Nations on the vast water network of laks and rivers. In response the company began sending out its own traders from the depot and eventually established its inland posts, first along the Saskatchewan River, then streching as far as the Oregon Country.
The depot remained in company hands after the acquisition of Rupert's Land by the Dominion of Canada in the 1870. It is currently staffed by Parks Canada from June 1 to mid-September. Archaeological expeditions of the 18th century "octagon" have been conducted since 1991.