John Jacob Astor's Pacific Fur Company arrived in the area, bringing competition from the Americans. The Astorians built their trading post near the already-established Spokane House for protection. The Americans called their post “Fort Spokan”. The Americans eventually learned that they were at war with Great Britain, and that their seaport (Fort Astor) was also destroyed so they could not sell their furs any longer. This forced them to sell their fortunes to the Northwest Company who moved into the larger “Fort Spokan” and renamed it the “Spokane House”.