Green Lake, Saskatchewan
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Green Lake () is a northern village in
Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada. It is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and to the south by the ...
, Canada. Its residents are predominantly
Métis people The Métis ( , , , ) are a mixed-race Indigenous people whose historical homelands include Canada's three Prairie Provinces extending into parts of Ontario, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and the northwest United States. They hav ...
. Green Lake is northeast of the city of Meadow Lake, and northwest of the town of Big River. It lies in the southern
boreal forest Taiga or tayga ( ; , ), also known as boreal forest or snow forest, is a biome characterized by pinophyta, coniferous forests consisting mostly of pines, spruces, and larches. The taiga, or boreal forest, is the world's largest land biome. I ...
at the northern end of Green Lake, where Green River flows out and to Beaver River. The village takes its name from the lake. Fishing, tourism, and farming, are the major industries.


History

The Northern Village of Green Lake dates back to 1782, when the
North West Company The North West Company was a Fur trade in Canada, Canadian fur trading business headquartered in Montreal from 1779 to 1821. It competed with increasing success against the Hudson's Bay Company in the regions that later became Western Canada a ...
(NWC) established a wintering post on Green Lake. In 1793 the NWC established a permanent post, and in 1810 the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) established itself on the lake. In 1816–1817, the NWC seized the HBC post and its men, however a HBC post was re-established by 1818, and in 1821 the two companies merged. Shortly after the merger, the Green Lake post was closed for several years, reopening in 1831, and continuing operation until 1973. The Green Lake post was an important post in north-central Saskatchewan, connecting many overland trails with the Churchill River. By the mid 19th century, missionaries had established the
Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
in Green Lake. In 1876,
Treaty 6 Treaty 6 is the sixth of the numbered treaties that were signed by the Canadian Crown and various First Nations between 1871 and 1877. It is one of a total of 11 numbered treaties signed between the Canadian Crown and First Nations. Specifi ...
was signed, and soon after settlers began moving into the area. Natives were allowed to join Treaty 6, or had the option of taking
scrip A scrip (or ''wikt:chit#Etymology 3, chit'' in India) is any substitute for legal tender. It is often a form of credit (finance), credit. Scrips have been created and used for a variety of reasons, including exploitative payment of employees un ...
. During the
North-West Rebellion The North-West Rebellion (), was an armed rebellion of Métis under Louis Riel and an associated uprising of Cree and Assiniboine mostly in the District of Saskatchewan, against the Government of Canada, Canadian government. Important events i ...
the HBC store in Green Lake was ransacked by
Cree The Cree, or nehinaw (, ), are a Indigenous peoples of the Americas, North American Indigenous people, numbering more than 350,000 in Canada, where they form one of the country's largest First Nations in Canada, First Nations. They live prim ...
from Frog Lake. In 1900, a telegraph service and post office were established, and a trail to Meadow Lake was opened. In 1901 a new church was built by the community. By 1939, the local Métis were subjected to a Government program called the Green Lake Metis Rehabilitation Program. A Government project created and designed to assimilate the people of Green Lake into mainstream society, southern Metis from the Regina area were introduced to the northern community as part of the rehabilitation program. The new arrivals were unable to adapt to the lifestyle and after a year began relocating en masse to
Prince Albert Prince Albert most commonly refers to: *Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1819–1861), consort of Queen Victoria *Albert II, Prince of Monaco (born 1958), present head of state of Monaco Prince Albert may also refer to: Royalty * Alb ...
or Meadow Lake. The provincial government set up Central Farm, a program of 99-year leases on plots. In addition, a new road was built to Meadow Lake and Île-à-la-Crosse. In 1940, an outpost hospital was built by the government and run by Sisters of the Presentation of Mary. The Sisters also oversaw the running of a cannery, carpentry, and sewing shops. By 1945 a Timber Board and Local Improvement District (LID) were established. A saw mill was opened under the Timber Board, which employed up to 100 men. Under the LID, the Central Farm was expanded, and the Silver Lake Farm was formed in 1965, consisting of mixed farming with an emphasis on cattle. In 1947, Highway 155 was established, replacing the existing bush trail, the "Old Bay Trail", connecting Green Lake to Beauval. The highway was completed in 1957, extending to the south side of the Buffalo Narrows Channel. A year-round ferry was set up at Buffalo Narrows. A
Royal Canadian Mounted Police The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP; , GRC) is the Law enforcement in Canada, national police service of Canada. The RCMP is an agency of the Government of Canada; it also provides police services under contract to 11 Provinces and terri ...
(RCMP) detachment and a
Red Cross The organized International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 16million volunteering, volunteers, members, and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ...
Nursing Station were established in 1953. In 1972, the LID was replaced by the Department of Northern Saskatchewan (DNS) with a Local Community Authority (LCA). Green Lake, and the area within a three-mile (4.8 km) radius from the centre of the community, became Northern Community Area 17. The first LCA members were elected in 1974. In 1974 a new sawmill was built, and in 1975–76, Highway 55 to Meadow Lake was completed, and a DNS funded sewer and water system is installed. In 1983, Green Lake was incorporated as a northern village. In 1992, the community-owned sawmill, Green Lake Metis Wood Products Limited, was incorporated. The mill signed agreements with
Weyerhaeuser The Weyerhaeuser Company ( ) is an American timberland company which owns nearly of timberlands in the U.S., and manages an additional of timberlands under long-term licenses in Canada. The company has manufactured wood products for over a c ...
, Norsask Forest Products, Mistik Management, and the Province of Saskatchewan, before burning down in 2000. The mill was rebuilt in 2002, only to close in 2003. In 1996, the Provincial Government gave Central Farm to the Northern Village of Green Lake, and in 2006 it obtained ownership of the Silver Lake Farm as well. In 1998, Green Lake Metis Farms Limited was incorporated, and the community operated the two farms with the aid of the board. Both farms are operated as community pasture. Central farm is , and Silver Lake is .


Green Lake House and Essex House

In 1782, the
North West Company The North West Company was a Fur trade in Canada, Canadian fur trading business headquartered in Montreal from 1779 to 1821. It competed with increasing success against the Hudson's Bay Company in the regions that later became Western Canada a ...
established Green Lake House on the southwest shore of the lake. As of 1790, it was only occupied in winter and was an outpost of
Lac Île-à-la-Crosse Lac Île-à-la-Crosse is a Y-shaped lake in the north-central region of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan along the course of the Churchill River (Hudson Bay), Churchill River. At the centre of the "Y" ...
. When
William McGillivray Lt.-Colonel The Hon. William McGillivray (1764 – 16 October 1825), of Chateau St. Antoine, Montreal, was a Scottish-born fur trader who succeeded his uncle Simon McTavish as the last chief partner of the North West Company until a merger be ...
at
Lac Île-à-la-Crosse Lac Île-à-la-Crosse is a Y-shaped lake in the north-central region of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan along the course of the Churchill River (Hudson Bay), Churchill River. At the centre of the "Y" ...
was in charge of the Churchill River department he arranged for
pemmican Pemmican () (also pemican in older sources) is a mixture of tallow, dried meat, and sometimes dried berries. A calorie-rich food, it can be used as a key component in prepared meals or eaten raw. Historically, it was an important part of indigeno ...
to be shipped north from the Saskatchewan to the northern posts. In 1795 the men at Green Lake House were near starvation when a pemmican supply arrived from Fort George. In 1798, David Thompson passed through. He sent his canoes on up the Beaver River toward Lac La Biche while he went on horseback to Fort George on the Saskatchewan before returning to his canoes. In 1799 the Hudson's Bay Company sent William Auld to build Essex House on the northwest shore of the lake near its outlet. The NWC moved its post up the lake directly across from its rival. By the next winter the NWC had 30 men and the HBC 11. The whole Île à la Crosse region produced 12,000 made beaver for the NWC and 1,800 for the HBC. In 1806 the Nor'Westers burnt down the HBC post. In 1810 Robert Sutherland rebuilt the post.
Samuel Black Samuel Black (May 3, 1780 – February 8, 1841) was a Scottish fur trader and explorer, a clerk in the New North Nest Company (XYC) and Wintering Partner in the North West Company (NWC), and later clerk, chief trader, and chief factor in the Hu ...
of the NWC only had to send one man to threaten the Indians away. The Nor'Westers burned the post in 1811. In 1815, it was rebuilt. From 1814,
Peter Skene Ogden Peter Skene Ogden (alternately Skeene, Skein, or Skeen; baptised 12 February 1790 – 27 September 1854) was a British-Canadian fur trader and an early explorer of what is now British Columbia and the Western United States. During his many exped ...
was in charge of the NWC post. He executed or murdered an Indian for the crime of trading with the HBC. When the HBC got a Montreal warrant for him in 1818 the NWC transferred him to the
Columbia District The Columbia District was a fur-trading district in the Pacific Northwest region of North America, in both the United States and British North America in the 19th century. Much of its territory overlapped with the temporarily jointly occupi ...
where he became very important. Around 1817, Ogden and Samuel Black plundered the post and arrested its officers. It was back in operation in 1818. In 1820, Sir
John Franklin Sir John Franklin (16 April 1786 – 11 June 1847) was a British Royal Navy officer, explorer and colonial administrator. After serving in the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812, he led two expeditions into the Northern Canada, Canadia ...
visited Essex House. In 1821 the two companies merged and HBC operations were moved to Green Lake House which used that name under the HBC. It became increasingly important for supplies moving north from the Saskatchewan. In 1875–76 an ox-cart road was cut north from
Fort Carlton Fort Carlton was a Hudson's Bay Company fur trading post from 1795 until 1885. It was located along the North Saskatchewan River not far from Duck Lake, Saskatchewan, Duck Lake, in what is now the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The fort wa ...
. The HBC closed its store in 1973.


Looting of Green Lake House

At the time of the North-West Rebellion in 1885, the
Hudson's Bay Company The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), originally the Governor and Company of Adventurers of England Trading Into Hudson’s Bay, is a Canadian holding company of department stores, and the oldest corporation in North America. It was the owner of the ...
post in Green Lake was waiting for the ice to break on the northern lakes and rivers so that the stockpile of goods in their warehouses could be safely sent up the Beaver River to posts further north including the Athabasca and
Mackenzie River The Mackenzie River (French: ; Slavey language, Slavey: ' èh tʃʰò literally ''big river''; Inuvialuktun: ' uːkpɑk literally ''great river'') is a river in the Canadian Canadian boreal forest, boreal forest and tundra. It forms, ...
Districts. Within these warehouses were a year's supply of goods for these northern posts. On April 25, 1885, James Sinclair — the factor of the post having been forewarned by Father Mélasyppe Paquette OMI of approaching rebels — immediately gave the order to submerge into the lake all the lead balls and shot. He loaded four York boats with 246 barrels of powder and 200 rifles, along with a large quantity of stock and sent the boats that night towards Île-à-la-Crosse. The next morning on April 26, he loaded the rest of his men and their families along with the missionary and his companions on another boat. As they were ready to leave the shore 25 Cree from Loon Lake stopped them. Sinclair was taken prisoner, but the others were let go to continue on their way. From Sinclair they demanded food saying they were starving, but their demands did not stop there. They started breaking boxes, opening bales, slashing open bags of sugar and flour with their knives taking whatever pleased them and destroying the rest. While the post was being looted, Sinclair managed to slip away from his guards and fled by canoe with two Métis men from Fort Carlton. Sinclair was able to rejoin the boats and while they camped on the side of the river, his wife gave birth to a healthy girl who was immediately baptized by Father Paquette.


Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by
Statistics Canada Statistics Canada (StatCan; ), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. It is headquartered in ...
, Green Lake 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.


See also

*
List of communities in Saskatchewan Communities in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada, include Incorporation (municipal government), incorporated municipalities, Unincorporated area#Canada, unincorporated communities and First Nations in Canada, First Nations communities. Types ...
*
List of villages in Saskatchewan A village is a type of incorporated urban municipality in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. A village is created from an organized hamlet by the Minister of Municipal Affairs by ministerial order via section 51 of ''The Municipalities Act'' i ...


References

* Elizabeth Brown Losey,"Let Them be Remembered",The Story of the Fur Trade Forts",1999


External links

* {{Authority control Division No. 18, Saskatchewan Métis in Saskatchewan North West Company forts Northern villages in Saskatchewan