Ile-a-la-Crosse Hoping for Historic Site Status

Thursday, December 02, 2004 at 14:45

Northern Saskatchewan’s MP feels its time the northern village of Ile-a-la-Crosse be recognized as a national historic site.

Jeremy Harrison has sent a letter to Heritage Minister Liza Frulla to that effect.

Ile-a-la-Crosse made the application for national historic site status nearly four years ago.

Heritage department officials visited the community and examined sites of interest, but nothing has come of their visit so far.

Harrison says there are a lot of compelling arguments for the northern village to be given that status — including the fact the community is the second-oldest in Saskatchewan, having been founded in 1779 by a Hudson’s Bay Company trader.

Harrison also notes that the father of Metis leader Louis Riel was born in Ile-a-la-Crosse, and Riel’s sister is buried there.