| Fort Battleford | |
|---|---|
| At the confluence of theNorth Saskatchewan and the Battle rivers inBattleford, Saskatchewan, Canada | |
 Fort Battleford National Historic Site | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Fort |
| Controlled by |  Canada |
 | |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1876 |
| In use | 1876-1924 |
| Materials | Wood |
| Battles/wars | North-West Rebellion |
| Official name | Fort Battleford National Historic Site of Canada |
| Designated | 1923 |
| Garrison information | |
| Garrison | North-West Mounted Police |
Fort Battleford was the sixthNorth-West Mounted Police fort to be established in theNorth-West Territories of Canada, and played a central role in the events of theNorth-West Rebellion of 1885. It was here ChiefPoundmaker was arrested, and where sixCree and twoStoney men were hanged for murders committed in theFrog Lake Massacre and theLooting of Battleford.
Its location near the confluence of theNorth Saskatchewan and theBattle rivers offered access to fresh water, as it was many years before an on-site well was made available; and offered an alternative means of transportation to theRed River cart. As the site was on a plateau, the fort was easily defensible, and offered clear lines of sight for the surrounding area and to Government Ridge – thus providing warning against possible attacks. The fort sheltered around 500 people, and they helped to fortify Battleford.
Battleford being designatedcapital of the North-West Territories played a substantial role in the decision to locate the fort there. The government's belief was that the presence of the NWMP would act as a civilizing influence on theFirst Nations in the area and help them to transition from theirnomadic lifestyle to a more stationary one, modelled on European societies. They also hoped that the NWMP would assist settlers in their homesteading efforts and their presence in the area would encourage the people to respect the law.
The difficulties that had plaguedNative American–government relations in theUnited States, along with the highAboriginal population in the Battleford area, further prompted the federal government to establish a strong NWMP presence. Both the Canadian government and the First Nations were quite aware of what had transpired south of the "Medicine Line" and sought to follow a different path.
The originalCanadian Pacific Railway route was also to pass through Battleford, along the Qu'Appelle route, but it was eventually built on a more southerly route, which resulted in the moving of the capital of the North-West Territories from Battleford toRegina, then known as Pile o' Bones.
In the spring of 2008, Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport MinisterChristine Tell proclaimed in Duck Lake that "the 125th commemoration, in 2010, of the 1885 Northwest Resistance is an excellent opportunity to tell the story of the prairie Métis and First Nations peoples' struggle with Government forces and how it has shaped Canada today."[1]
Fort Otter was constructed atBattleford's government house located at the capital of theNorth-West Territories (1876 and 1883). Thelargest Canadian mass hanging occurred here when eight First Nations men were executed for murders they committed in theFrog Lake Massacre.
The fort was designated anational historic site of Canada in 1923, known asFort Battleford National Historic Site, to commemorate its role as military base of operations for Cut Knife Hill, Fort Pitt, as a refuge for 500 area settlers and its role in theSiege of Battleford.[2][3][4][5][6]
National Historic Sites of Canada by location | |
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| Provinces | |
| Territories | |
| Other countries | |
52°43′38″N108°17′46″W / 52.72722°N 108.29611°W /52.72722; -108.29611
