History of the Surrounding Forts
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Fort Livingstone
Located 7.3 km northwest of Pelly Saskatchewan, Fort Livingstone was built in 1874 and was used as the first post of the recently formed North West Mounted Police and was the headquarters until 1876. It was also the temporary seat of Government for the North West Territories while awaiting the government buildings in Battleford to be completed. The site of Fort Livingstone was designated a National Historic Site in 1923 and became a provincial protected area in 1986.
The landscape is forty eight and a half hectares with a cairn marking the forts original location. There are self guided rocky trails and picnic spots as well as a firepit in the area. With picturesque views of the the snake creek and surrounding forest.
200 yards from the monument in the Spring the garter snake "pit" is alive and well. usually toward the end of April into the beginning of May The Snakes emerge with the warm weather to begin mating. They then leave the the pit for summer foraging. Be sure to look up for the mating balls in the trees, its a sight to behold!
The landscape is forty eight and a half hectares with a cairn marking the forts original location. There are self guided rocky trails and picnic spots as well as a firepit in the area. With picturesque views of the the snake creek and surrounding forest.
200 yards from the monument in the Spring the garter snake "pit" is alive and well. usually toward the end of April into the beginning of May The Snakes emerge with the warm weather to begin mating. They then leave the the pit for summer foraging. Be sure to look up for the mating balls in the trees, its a sight to behold!
Fort Pelly
The first Fort Pelly was constructed in 1824 by the Hudson's Bay Company at the Northeast Elbow of the Assiniboine River, a convenient portage point between the Assiniboine e and Swan Rivers.
Fort Pelly I consisted of a dwelling house, multiple staff houses, a general store and stables. The Fort traded with many of the Cree and Salteaux First Nations People from the area. This Fort was destroyed by fire in 1842, then rebuilt by chief trade Cuthbert Cumming.
Fort Pelly II was moved quarter mile Southeast of the original placement in 1856. In 1870 Hudson's Bay Company surrendered their land to Canada, retaining some posts and land nearby. The Canadian railway was 6 miles North of the Fort in 1909 and the Fort was abandoned in 1912.
The site of Fort Pelly II was designated as a National Historic Site in 1953. The site of the first Fort was Designated an Historic Site by the Province of Saskatchewan in 1986.
Fort Pelly I consisted of a dwelling house, multiple staff houses, a general store and stables. The Fort traded with many of the Cree and Salteaux First Nations People from the area. This Fort was destroyed by fire in 1842, then rebuilt by chief trade Cuthbert Cumming.
Fort Pelly II was moved quarter mile Southeast of the original placement in 1856. In 1870 Hudson's Bay Company surrendered their land to Canada, retaining some posts and land nearby. The Canadian railway was 6 miles North of the Fort in 1909 and the Fort was abandoned in 1912.
The site of Fort Pelly II was designated as a National Historic Site in 1953. The site of the first Fort was Designated an Historic Site by the Province of Saskatchewan in 1986.