North Saskatchewan River Stories

The North Saskatchewan River effected our entire region long before any development took place in our area both south and north of the river. Fort sites for the HBC and the NWC were built on the North side of the river because that location did not draw the companies into the conflicts which were going on in the plains from the 1750s on. The River also effected where new settlers decided to settle because until the 1920s the north side did not have railways to collect farm produce whereas the south side was much closer to the railway which arrived to Vermilion in 1905. Similarly areas north of the river had to use ferries until bridges were made in the 1940s and 1950s.  So this page will lead to interesting information we find about the River and it effects on the entire area.