▁It ▁was ▁shut ▁down ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 3 . ▁The ▁site ▁was ▁designated ▁a ▁National ▁Historic ▁Site ▁of ▁Canada ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 8 . P arks ▁Canada ▁- ▁Fort ▁St . ▁John ▁National ▁Historic ▁Site ▁of ▁Canada ▁ ▁After ▁a ▁lap se ▁of ▁nearly ▁forty ▁years , ▁Fort ▁St . ▁John ▁was ▁re open ed ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 0 ▁on ▁the ▁south ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁Peace ▁River , ▁directly ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁present ▁community . ▁It ▁was ▁moved ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 2 ▁by ▁Francis ▁Work ▁Beat ton ▁directly ▁across ▁the ▁river . ▁This ▁community ▁last ed ▁until ▁ 1 9 2 5 ▁when ▁the ▁river ▁ceased ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁main ▁a venue ▁of ▁transport ation ▁and ▁the ▁fort ▁was ▁moved ▁closer ▁to ▁where ▁sett lers ▁were ▁establish ing ▁hom est ead s . ▁The ▁new ▁town ▁was ▁constructed ▁at ▁Fish ▁Creek , ▁north west ▁of ▁the ▁present ▁community , ▁on ▁the ▁new ▁trail ▁to ▁Fort ▁Nelson . ▁It ▁did ▁not ▁shut ▁down ▁until ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 8 , ▁C . ▁M . ▁Fin ch ▁moved ▁his ▁general ▁store ▁to ▁two ▁qu arters ▁of ▁land ▁where ▁he ▁also ▁built ▁a ▁government ▁building ▁to ▁house ▁the ▁land , ▁te legraph ▁and ▁post ▁offices . ▁The ▁present ▁site ▁for ▁the ▁town ▁was ▁firm ly ▁established ▁after ▁he ▁don ated ▁five ▁acres ▁( 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁m ² ) ▁for ▁a ▁Roman ▁Catholic ▁Church ▁and ▁additional ▁land ▁for