The lower
Qu’Appelle Valley held an important role from 1787-1820 in the fur trade of the
Northwest.
In June, 1884
Hugh McKay a Presbyterian Missionary, pitched a tent on the one of the spots
where a trading post was located.
He built a
three room mission house and a stable and began to hold church services for the
people who lived in the surrounding area. He then realized that he must teach
all the children in the area. During the warm months the children were given a
midday meal and sent home at night. When the weather turned cold the children
stayed at the mission house. From the effort that McKay took to educate the
children came the Round Lake Indian Residential Mission School.
