St. Louis ( 2016 population: ) is a village in the Canadian province of

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a province in western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dak ...

within the Rural Municipality of St. Louis No. 431 and Census Division No. 15. It is south of the City of Prince Albert and northeast of Batoche. It was founded by Métis settlers in the late 19th century, and is the northernmost Southbranch Settlement, a series of communities which range from Fish Creek in the south along the

South Saskatchewan River The South Saskatchewan River is a major river in Canada that flows through the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. For the first half of the 20th century, the South Saskatchewan would completely freeze over during winter, creating spectacular ...

through Batoche and St. Laurent to St. Louis. The village is known also for the St. Louis light, a supposed

paranormal Paranormal events are purported phenomena described in popular culture, folk, and other non-scientific bodies of knowledge, whose existence within these contexts is described as being beyond the scope of normal scientific understanding. Not ...

anomaly.

History

St. Louis incorporated as a village on May 19, 1959. St. Louis is home to a large archaeological site of Indigenous artifacts predating those found at Wanuskewin near

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Yellowhead Highway, and has served as th ...

. Key discoveries at the site have included new species of wolf and buffalo approximately 25% larger than modern species and a bead that indicates decoration of clothing about 1000 years earlier than previously thought. St. Louis is just northeast of

South Branch House South Branch House (1785-1794, 1805-1870) was the only significant fur trading post on the South Saskatchewan River. Most trade was on the North Saskatchewan River which was closer to the wooded beaver country. West of the Saskatchewan River Forks ...

, one of many small trading posts from fur trading days; this post was attacked and burnt by the Atsina in the 18th century, in retaliation for the company's supplying their enemies the Cree and

Assiniboine The Assiniboine or Assiniboin people ( when singular, Assiniboines / Assiniboins when plural; Ojibwe: ''Asiniibwaan'', "stone Sioux"; also in plural Assiniboine or Assiniboin), also known as the Hohe and known by the endonym Nakota (or Nakod ...

with guns and goods.

Geography

The nearest community of size is Prince Albert, a twenty-seven-minute drive to the north. St. Louis is located near the intersection of Highway 2 north–south and Highway 25; Highway 2 used to run through the village, but now bypasses it several kilometres to the east. The grid road Highway 782 continues westerly along the

to arrive at Duck Lake.

Demographics

In the

2021 Census of Population The 2021 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population with a reference date of May 11, 2021. It follows the 2016 Canadian census, which recorded a population of 35,151,728. The overall response rate was 98%, which is sli ...

conducted by Statistics Canada, St. Louis had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021. In the 2016 Census of Population, the Village of St. Louis recorded a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change from its 2011 population of . With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2016.

Attractions

St. Louis is known also for its St. Louis light, a supposed

anomaly, the historic

St. Louis Bridge The St. Louis Bridge is a Canadian traffic bridge (and former railway bridge) that spans the South Saskatchewan River in St. Louis, Saskatchewan. It crosses the river from St. Louis into the Rural Municipality of Prince Albert No. 461. The br ...

and the picturesque beauty of the

. A large bison sculpture of an extinct species that was 25% larger than modern bison is on display. The sculpture was the last work of Ralph Berg, who created other monumental pieces in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Notable people

Howard Adams Howard Adams (September 8, 1921 – September 8, 2001) was a twentieth century Metis academic and activist. Life He was born in St. Louis, Saskatchewan, Canada, on September 8, 1921, the son of Olive Elizabeth McDougall, a French Métis mot ...

(1921–2001), academic and activist * John B. Boucher (1938–2010), politician * Maxime Lepine (1837–1897), politician and entrepreneur *

Rich Pilon Richard Brian Pilon (born April 30, 1968) is a Canadian former ice hockey player of Métis heritage. He was drafted 143rd overall in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders. Playing as a defenceman, Pilon played for the Islanders, New ...

(born 1968), former ice hockey player * Joey Tetarenko (born 1978), former ice hockey player * Louis Schmidt (1844–1935), politician

References

External links

* {{Authority control Villages in Saskatchewan St. Louis No. 431, Saskatchewan Division No. 15, Saskatchewan Populated places on the South Saskatchewan River