What roles did the North West Company and Hudson’s Bay Company play in the Columbia River region?

In the Columbia River region, the North West Company and the Hudson’s Bay Company were instrumental in the expansion of the fur trade and the establishment of early European presence.

The North West Company

The North West Company aggressively expanded into the Pacific Northwest, with explorers like David Thompson mapping much of the Columbia River basin between 1807 and 1811. The company established various trading posts, including Fort Walla Walla in 1818, to secure its interests in the region.1

The Hudson’s Bay Company

Following the 1821 merger of the two companies under the Hudson’s Bay Company name, the latter took control of the fur trade across the Pacific slope, including the Oregon Country. The company established Fort Vancouver in 1825, which served as a major hub for its operations. Under the leadership of figures like John McLoughlin, the Hudson’s Bay Company dominated the region's economy and political influence for over two decades, maintaining control over the British portion of the Oregon Country until 1858.2314