Astor Expedition

The Pacific Fur Company (PFC) was an American fur trading company that operated in the Pacific Northwest. The venture was wholly owned and funded by John Jacob Astor of New York City. Created as a subsidiary of the American Fur Company in 1810, the PFC was part of Astor's dream to build a global network linking by trade locations in the Atlantic and Pacific. Fur trappers were sent both overland and by the sea to open trading posts on the Pacific coast. The company's base of operations was Fort Astoria, constructed in 1811 at the mouth of the Columbia River. The present-day Astoria, Oregon is now located there. Additional locations were later opened in the interior, including Fort Okanogan.