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For most people living in Alberton, and the Rainy River District in general,
it would be difficult to imagine going through what their ancestors, the
first settlers of the region, had to endure.
Settlement here started in earnest in the late 1890's, although several
groups visited before then. Gunhilda Scott, one of the first teachers in
he district was also one of the first to arrive.
In a 1940 essay, she recalled her first impressions of Fort Frances on March
9, 1873. Although the two communities are separate today, in that earlier
era, the Fort was a small part of the large Alberton municipality.
Scott travelled to the Fort, named after Lady Frances Simpson- wife of then
governor general Sir George Simpson, by dog-team from Fort Garry, Man. Unlike
today's highway or air travel, the group, which included four men, Mrs.
Scott and the dogs, made the trip in a record nine and a half days.
The only white residents to greet them were three white clerks and the indian
for the district, one R.J.N. Pither, who resided in a base of operations
on a small point overlooking Rainy Lake.
There was, however, a large Indian settlement in the region, to whom Mrs.
Scott said the settlers owed much of their settling success.
"I tell you we folks learned a lot from the indian and we benefited
from their knowledge. I do not think we should belittle the indian at all-even
their knowledge of herbs, which they used as medicine, was good."
Ever present to cheer the spirits of the settlers was that early fixture
of every small Canadian Hamlet, the Hudson's Bay Company. Akthough they
had a large base at Sioux Lookout, the shrewd company men recognized the
value of the virgin land around Rainy Lake and built a base opposite the
Alberton (Couchiching) Falls in 1821.
But "the company" as it was then known wasn't the first group
to arrive in Alberton. The Northwest Company built Rainy Lake House down
stream from the falls at what is currently the foot of Fairies Avenue.
The Northwest Company didn't fool around. Their education their encampment
included 10-15 buildings, whith 20-400 men employed depending on the season.
When the Northwest Company and Hudson's bay amalgamatedin 18221, the site
was moved to the falls.
When the Simpsons made their famous journey to Fort Garry in 1830 and passed
through Alberton, Lady Frances' son was enamoured of the area.
"The establishment is delightfully situated on the east bank of the
river, overlooking a beautiful waterfall to the south, also the american
post, on the opposite side, and a long reach of this noble stream to the
north."
The American post is also notable, because it was founded by one of the
great U.S. financial tycoons and robber barrons of the 1800's-John Jacob
Astor.
While Astor saw great profits in the fur business, he did not realize that
his American Fur Company (1821-1833) would have little chance of realizing
a profit in the Hudson's Bay stronghold. It was one of the few mistakes
in his giant financial career. Eventually, the Hudson's Bay Company brought
out Astor's post by making annuall payments to his Yankee traders.
Within a decade of Mrs. Scott's arrival, people started to realize the immense
benefits of living in the region-if one could stand the harsh winters. The
early settler came by Red River cart or Dog Team, but when the numbers started
to swell, paddle steamers started to make the trip a little easier.
Coinciding with the enormous number of immigrants who entered Canada in
the early 1890's was the real settlement of what is now the Rainy River
District. Fort museum curator Darryl Allan writes that while many settled
on the prairies, some decided to settle en route, in this regoin, many because
of a pamphlet extolling the virtues of the agriculture, mining and forestry
advantages.
By 1891, the population in the municipality of Alberton swelled to about
1,400, paving the way for thousands to follow.
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