Loving Washington State: Fort Nisqually Living History Museum

Built in 1833, Fort Nisqually was the first European settlement on Puget Sound, and it was a Hudson's Bay Company trading post that operated between the years 1833 and 1869. The original site was located above the Nisqually River delta in the present town of DuPont, Washington. Today Fort Nisqually is located inside Tacoma's Point Defiance Park.

Bastions and Pickets were constructed in 1848. The primary purpose was for defense of the fort.

The two remaining buildings, the Factor's House and the Granary, were re-located to Point Defiance Park in the early 1930s and other buildings were reconstructed to make the Fort appear as it would have in the mid 1850s.

Factor's House was constructed 1855. This original building was built for Dr. Tolmie and his family:

William FraserTolmie, surgeon, fur trader, and politician, came to the NorthWest in 1833 as Chief Factor of the Hudson's Bay Company. He was in charge of trading and farming operations at Fort Nisqually on Puget Sound, 1843-57.

Dr. Tolmie and his wife Jane:

Inside the Factor's House:

Granary was constructed in 1850. It is an original Hudson's Bay Company building, and it is the oldest building on Puget Sound.

The Granary was constructed as a storage facility for the large annual harvests of the fort's produce and grain.

Sale shop was originally constructed in 1848. This building contained a wide range of goods traded to Native Americans. The early American settlers also came to purchase food and supplies.

Store House #2 was originally constructed in 1846. This building was historically used for the storage of goods; it is currently used as a working blacksmith shop demonstrating how tools and hardware were made for company use and trade.

Large Store was originally constructed in 1844. The building stored supplies and trade goods imported form Britain before distribution to other HBC forts throughout the region. It also stored agricultural products and bales of furs for export.

Kitchen (the building in front) and Wash House (the building behind):

Kitchen was originally constructed in 1851. The kitchen contained a large cooking stove and served meals to fort workers as well as the Tolmie family and visitors.