Downtown Victoria Tour
Wharf Street – 1100 Block / Fort Street – 500 Block

Fort Victoria National Historic Site of Canada

The City of Victoria grew from the Hudson’s Bay Company trading post of Fort Victoria, which was built on this site in 1843.

Fort Victoria was demolished in 1858 and the only remaining evidence of the Hudson’s Bay Company fort are mooring rings, used to moor ships along the waterfront. Fort Street is named for Fort Victoria.

This site was declared a National Historic Site of Canada in 1924

This mooring ring is one of the few remains of Fort Victoria, which stood on this site between 1843 and 1858. The site is now part of the Fort Victoria National Historic Site of Canada.

This mooring ring is one of the few remains of Fort Victoria, which stood on this site between 1843 and 1858. The site is now part of the Fort Victoria National Historic Site of Canada.

Another historic feature of this site is the retaining wall of the Hudson’s Bay Company warehouse, first built in 1858 and extended in 1883. These retaining walls (see photos below) can now be seen along the parking lot below the west side of the 1100 block of Wharf Street. The Hudson’s Bay Company warehouse was demolished in 1937.

Part of the Hudson's Bay Company warehouse retaining wall, built in 1858 and extended in 1883.

Part of the Hudson’s Bay Company warehouse retaining wall, built in 1858 and extended in 1883.

Part of the Hudson's Bay Company warehouse retaining wall, built in 1858 and extended in 1883.

Part of the Hudson’s Bay Company warehouse retaining wall, built in 1858 and extended in 1883.

In January 1884, the local newspaper described this retaining wall as follows:

“Hudson’s Bay Company – The retaining wall and new warehouses and offices on Wharf Street. The retaining wall is 220 feet long, 22 feet high, with a foundation 16 feet deep, laid in cement. The wall at the base is 5 feet tapering at the summit to 30 inches. The wall was completed at the end of November [1883] and the cost was $10,000.”

Here are links to some historic photos of the Hudson’s Bay Company warehouse which stood on this site between 1858 and 1937:

Here is a Google Street View image of the entrance to the Fort Victoria National Historic Site of Canada:

Here is a map showing the location of the Fort Victoria National Historic Site of Canada entrance, across from 1019 Wharf Street:

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