(...) 'Twas indeed a crown corporation, if not in the sense you're thinking... it was officially sanctioned and granted exclusive rights within it's crown-delineated turf in 1670. The hbc.com site has quite a bit of historic info - not entirely (...) (25 years ago, 8-Mar-00, to lugnet.market.shopping, lugnet.loc.ca)
(...) "Hudson's Bay Company" I think... Am I right, Canadian trivia buffs? Originally a Crown Corporation?? (25 years ago, 8-Mar-00, to lugnet.market.shopping, lugnet.loc.ca)