1

Map with coordinates of the mission and trade post on Pigeon Lake, as recorded by J.B. Tyrrell.
1886
Pigeon Lake, Alberta

2

Very few records are left of the old Hudson's Bay Company post at Pigeon Lake. If it were not for hearsay, Gerald Hutchinson would never have started to dig and find the few scant records that do verify the veracity of these rumours: a few letters and a deeply buried page in the notebook of J.B.Tyrrell.

3

Floor plan of the Pigeon Lake trade post of Hudson's Bay Company.
1874
Pigeon Lake, Alberta

Credits:
Glenbow Archives M 477/569

4

However, the pattern is clear: wherever people gather, there is money to be made. Hudson's Bay Company was in the practice of establishing itself close to the action. Initially that was often near a rival trade post, such as a Northwest Company fort, later that also included mission posts. John McDougall refers to the Hudsons Bay Company post at Pigeon Lake in his book In the Days of the Red River Rebellion, while describing the events of 1869.

5

Letter from Hbc Post Master Francis Whitford to Fort Edmonton.
14 November 1872
Pigeon Lake, Alberta

Credits:
Glenbow Archives M-477-222-p1,p2

6

Francis Whitford, one of its post masters, was already at Pigeon Lake in 1866, helping John McDougall build the mission church. John and Francis seem to have been together on numerous hunting parties. Francis was part of the group of people living in the vicinity of the mission during the winter of 1866-67. There are letters dealing with shipments of furs to Fort Edmonton and orders of goods for the Pigeon Lake trade post, written by Francis Whitford in 1872. Francis appears on the roll of Hbc as Postmaster at Pigeon Lake from 1871 to 1876.

7

Donald and Peggy Whitford, possibly at the occasion of their wedding in 1870.
1870
?

8

Also at Pigeon Lake was Donald Whitford, who lived from ca. 1840-1927, and was at the Pigeon Lake trade post at least during 1876, the date on his correspondence. He was born in Red River Settlement, Manitoba and moved with his family to the Edmonton area of Alberta in the 1850s. He married Peggy Cayen, (born in 1853?) in 1870 and they had twelve children. He spoke five languages and worked with the Hudson's Bay Company as an interpreter. He also freighted furs between Edmonton and Winnipeg. At the time of the 1885 Riel Rebellion (North West Rebellion) he was living "west of Hobbema" at a logging camp. Most logging camps were around Battle Lake and Pigeon Lake, so it appears that, after the Pigeon Lake post closed he remained in the area.

9

First census of the Pigeon Lake community.
1874
Pigeon Lake, Alberta

Credits:
Glenbow Archives M 477/565

10

The community at the north end of Pigeon Lake, in the vicinity of the trade post and the mission, grew steadily. The census of 1874 mentions: "The number of them all" as 55. When Treaty #6 was signed in 1876 , many of the Aboriginal people moved to the reserves. Some of the Métis people remained at the north shore of Pigeon Lake.

11

Members of J.B. Tyrrell's survey party.
1887
Central Alberta

Credits:
National Library and Archives of Canada PA-038576

12

Though in 1882 the mission activity was moved to the other side of the lake, some of the residents continued living in the vicinity of the trade post. J.B. Tyrell came down the Edmonton trail to Pigeon Lake. His notes for October 9th, 1886, read:

The banks are high and in all directions rise to hills which are 100-300 ft high and are thickly wooded with aspen + spruce which run down to the edge of the water. Although here + there are a few clearings on which comfortable little shanties are built.

The coordinates given by Tyrrell mark the "Lucas houses" (see 1874 census), the "old Fort" and the mission buildings.

13

Men and dog teams working for the Hudson's Bay Company - Hbc Sled No. A9, between 1903-1923
1903
?

14

Among the people Tyrrell met on the north shore were Simon and Sophie Fraser. Simon was the son of Colin Fraser, a Scotsman who was the official piper of Hudson's Bay Company at fort Edmonton. The Frasers came to the lake in 1879. Their oldest daughter, Sarah, then 7 years old, remembered the Hudson's Bay post as well as the mission buildings and the church on top of the hill. "Hudson Bay bought fish at the place which is now called Fisher Home in a log building. The Hudson Bay hauled the fish by dog team to the Hudson Bay post in Edmonton."