John Whalika
Who was John Whalika? He was one of my great-great-grandfather’s First Nations slaves — a Haida man who James Birnie rescued from the Indian slave trade that flourished up and…
Read moreJames Birnie Retires
James Birnie was a big man; a broad-shouldered and deep-chested man who stood six feet tall, according to Irene Martin, who wrote the book Beach of Heaven. He spoke in…
Read more1858 Brigade Trails
It is interesting to see how the packers who followed the HBC trails into the upper district travelled up and down what they called “the Old Brigade Trail” to…
Read moreNorth Saskatchewan Posts
The posts on the North Saskatchewan River had a much more confusing history than those on the Saskatchewan, having to close or change locations many times over the years! Again,…
Read moreSaskatchewan River
As the York Factory Express men rushed down the flooding Saskatchewan River in their boats and canoes, they passed historic posts almost without noticing them. On their way upriver, they…
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