Buffalo Narrows Photos

Buffalo Narrows in 1936

Dillon Photos

Dillon before 1937

Ile a la Crosse Mission

The forts of Ile a la Crosse in 1820 by George Back. The HBC fort has a flag flying. The NWC fort is on the right.

A section of  Sir John Franklin's map of 1819-1820 from Ile a la Crosse to the Methye Portage/Portage La Loche. Sir George Back who accompanied Franklin on this expedition sketched scenes of the country. ....view Franklin's map

Three Grey Nuns arrived at Ile a la Crosse in 1860 to staff the new school and  hospital.  (Sketch of Ile a la Crosse Mission as it may have looked like in circa 1860.)

Dene arriving at Ile a la Crosse 1898 to take part in a "mission". These "missions" were organized by the Oblates. A mission lasted from a few days to a few weeks and consisted of religious instruction, sermons, masses and processions. These missions were held several times a year until the 1950's. (photo credit John and Mary Hanson of Buffalo Narrows)

...read about the "missions" at La Loche

Ile a la Crosse in 1911 during the first visit of Bishop Ovide Charlebois. Charlebois was bishop of the new Apostolic Vicariate of Keewatin formed in 1910.

Ile a la Crosse in 1914.

This Ile a la Crosse hospital burned in 1926.

Hospital of Ile a la Crosse 1939.

Mission of Ile a la Crosse in 1946.

La Loche Cemeteries

Evening sun over the cemetery on La Loche Avenue

Descharme Lake

Descharme Lake began as a Dene
winter hunting camp centuries ago.

Vicariate of Keewatin 1910

Diocese of Keewatin-The Pas with place names in French. 

West La Loche

The home of Aime Janvier at West La Loche in 1945.

West La Loche is considered by many to be the first permanent village built on Lac La Loche. 

It may have begun as a few houses in the late 1700's or the early 1800's.

Dene Syllabic Prayer Book

Prayers, Catechism, Hymns by Father Penard O.M.I
For the use of the Chipewyan of the Vicariate of Keewatin  
1923
Published by the Cree Journal  Hobbema, Alberta.

A rare 1923 Dene syllabic prayer book found in La Loche is published on the web.

English River District

---

The Hudson's Bay Company Districts of 1830 ........Map Source

---

The English River District of the Hudson's Bay Company

---

Dene or Chipewyan teepees

This photo from Canada Archives of Dene teepees and the Revillon Freres Post in La Loche was taken between June 30-July 2, 1918 by the Franklin Kitto Expedition.  Franklin Kitto's men wanted to attend the services after stopping at the HBC post at West La Loche. Mr. Kitto worked for " Natural Resources Intelligence Branch" Ottawa. He writes the following description:

"at the Mission adjoining Revillon's post on the east side of the lake"

"Arriving at the Mission we found that a couple of priests from Lac la Plonge were conducting a series of services extending over a period of two weeks, and the Indians from the country-side to the extent of two or three hundred were gathered in attendance. Row after row of tepees lined the beach and clustered about the few wooden buildings of the post. The entire families had come from far and near bringing all their worldly possessions with them and the place was alive with children and dogs." ...link

Father Petitot visited a Dene teepee village at Portage La Loche in 1862.
This Dene tent village of 150 may have had 20 to 30 tents.

Portage La Loche in 1862

'canot du nord'  This type of H.B.C. freighter canoe brought Governor Dallas to the Portage in 1862.

The people at the Portage in 1862:

More than 150 people were living on Lac La Loche in 1862. 

They had houses at La Loche, West La Loche and scattered around the lake. 

In 1862 most were gathered in tents at the Portage as they did every year to trade and to work with the brigades.

This year they awaited the visit of Bishop Grandin and the new governor of the Hudson's Bay Company.

Patuanak, Saskatchewan

Father Moraud saying mass in a tent near Patuanak in 1939.
Chagona was the name used for the Patuanak Mission.

The village of Clearwater River, Saskatchewan

The shoreline of Lac La Loche looking towards the Clearwater River
Dene Nation where the village of Clearwater River is located.

Flags flown in La Loche.

The Canadian flag at the R.C.M.P. station in La Loche. It flies at half mast when the R.C.M.P. loses a member in the line of duty or a major political figure or a member of the Royal family dies. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half-staff

The Dene Villages of the Upper Churchill

Bike parade on Canada Day in La Loche

The Dene spent the winters in caribou hunting camps north of the Clearwater River and returned every summer to the lakes south of the Clearwater. On Lac La Loche, Garson Lake, Turnor Lake, Peter Pond Lake, Churchill Lake and Lac Ile a la Crosse many Dene summer camps became permanent settlements. La Loche was 
one of these summer camps.

Epidemics in northwest Saskatchewan

Old cemetery on La Loche Avenue. The La Loche victims of the 1936 influenza epidemic are buried here.

---

Epidemics at Portage La Loche, Ile a la Crosse, Beauval and Buffalo River.

Beauval Residential School in north-west Saskatchewan.

Beauval Residential School in 1924. The boys dormitory was on the top floor.
....see this school in 1908

The fire of 1927 in Beauval.
The epidemic of 1936 in Beauval.

Methye Portage/Portage La Loche

"Vale of the Clearwater River from the Methye Portage" An 1828 etching based on Sir George Back's 1825 watercolor.

The Lost Village of Swan Lake

Boreal forest in northern Saskatchewan (Lac La Loche)

The Dene spent the winters in caribou hunting camps
north of the Clearwater River and returned every summer to the lakes south of the Clearwater.
On Lac La Loche, Garson Lake, Turnor Lake, Peter Pond Lake, Churchill Lake and Lac Ile a la Crosse many Dene summer camps became permanent settlements. La Loche was one of these summer camps.

Swan Lake was the main winter hunting camp for the residents of La Loche in 1895. 
It no longer exists and its location on Swan Lake  (previously thought to be on Careen Lake) is unknown. 

The location of Swan Lake has been found. See below.

The Portage La Loche Brigade

"The greatest and most important of the brigades organized at Red River Settlement is that commonly know as the Portage La Loche Brigade. The chief objects of this organization are to convey inland the English manufactures intended for barter with the Indians in the remote and valuable districts of Athabasca and Mackenzie River...""Red river" by Hargrave 1871 (page 160)

Violence in La Loche

The La Loche Hospital Riot of 2011

Violence in La Loche 

Patuanak's Cross Island

The Patuanak Cross of 1885

Father Moraud and Dene men from Patuanak will be replacing the cross on Cross Island in this series of photos taken in 1939.  The cross was transported by canoe.

La Loche 2031

La Loche Population in 2031