Grand Rapids, Manitoba

Grand Rapids was on the main canoe route toward the West, where Fort Bourbon once stood. It is also across the river from the Misipawistik Cree Nation.

In 1894 fire destroyed a number of buildings in the Grand Rapids docks. The steamboat Colvile also caught fire and was destroyed.

History

The first Fort Bourbon was built here in 1741 but was soon moved. Grand Rapids was the only significant obstacle on the Saskatchewan-North Saskatchewan between the Rocky Mountains and Lake Winnipeg. Going downstream the rapids were usually run demi-chargé using the south channel. Upstream the boats were pulled by towlines. In the 1780s the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) began to use York boats on the river. A log road was constructed so that these large boats could be hauled on rollers. Here in June 1819, in retaliation for the Battle of Seven Oaks HBC governor William Williams captured a number of North West Company men. The next year the Nor'Westers captured some HBC men at the same spot. See Pemmican War

In the 1870s the railroad reached Lake Winnipeg and steamboats appeared on the lake and river. In 1877 a 4.8-kilometre-long (3 mi) narrow-gauge railway using horse-drawn tramcars was built around the rapids. The spread of railways made the tramway obsolete and the HBC closed it in 1909. It was used for tourist excursions for the next forty years. By the 1980s remains were still visible and parts of the trail were still in use.

From 1882 to 1905, Grand Rapids was located in the District of Saskatchewan, a subdivision of the North-West Territories (NWT). After Saskatchewan was established as province in 1905, the portion of the old district east of the new provincial border, including Grand Rapids, became part of the Keewatin District of the NWT. In 1912, Grand Rapids became part of Manitoba because of the Manitoba Boundaries Extension Act.