 The most important commercial enterprise in the early part of the territorial era was the lucrative fur trade . At the beginning of the 19th century two British companies competed for dominance in the North American trade : Hudson 's Bay Company and the North West Company . The North West company had used Grand Portage as its western headquarters along with other smaller companies that operated in the area . Grand Portage was one of the four principal British trading and shipping points furs in North America . Following the Treaty of Paris , in 1783 , British operations at Grand Portage were technically illegal though the trade continued . However , beginning in 1801 the North West Company began re @-@ establishing its headquarters north of the border at the newly constructed Fort William in what is now Ontario . After 1804 Grand Portage had been reduced to a minor trading center and most traders eventually abandoned the area . In 1842 , the Hudson Bay Company , which had by then absorbed the North West Company , shipped out a final band of Ojibwe who were employed by the company . 
 The most important commercial enterprise in the early part of the territorial era was the lucrative fur trade . At the beginning of the 19th century two British companies competed for dominance in the North American trade : Hudson <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>Bay Company and the North West Company . The North West company <a href='been_done' title='2'><mark>had</mark></a> used Grand Portage as its western headquarters along with other smaller companies <a href='null_relcl' title='3'><mark>that</mark></a>operated in the area . Grand Portage was one of the four principal British trading and shipping points furs in North America . Following the Treaty of Paris , in 1783 , British operations at Grand Portage <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>were</mark></a> technically illegal though the trade continued . However , beginning in 1801 the North West Company began re @-@ establishing its headquarters north of the border at the newly constructed Fort William in what is now Ontario . After 1804 Grand Portage <a href='been_done' title='5'><mark>had</mark></a> been reduced to a minor trading center and most traders eventually abandoned the area . In 1842 , the Hudson Bay Company , which <a href='been_done' title='6'><mark>had</mark></a> by then absorbed the North West Company , shipped out a final band of Ojibwe <a href='null_relcl' title='7'><mark>who</mark></a><a href='uninflect' title='8'><mark>were</mark></a> employed by the company . 
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