The MOST DISTURBING Bigfoot Story Ever Told, Oak Island Theories: The William Phips Theory, Fort Museum of the North West Mounted Police, Fort Walsh National Historic Site Discovery Booklet. At the fort’s entrance, visitors are greeted by tour guides (many of them residents of nearby Maple Creek, Saskatchewan) dressed in period uniforms. Later, when the fort was converted into an RCMP remount ranch, the stable served to house the RCMP’s iconic black horses. Inside the fort is an orderly arrangement of ten buildings, including: 1) the Superintendent’s residence; 2) the Commissioner’s Residence; 3) the guardhouse; 4) the Non-Commissioned Officers’ barracks; 5) the Armourer’s workshop; 6) the workshop and sick horse stable; 7) the stable; 8) the bath house; 9) the courthouse; 10) the staff area. A picture of Battle Creek coulee just minutes before the storm rolled in (from behind). Learnt quite a few interesting historical facts. The site of the Cypress Hills Massacre, an 1873 tragedy in which a party of Montanan wolfers killed more than twenty Assiniboine Indians- most of them women, children and elderly men- is located about 2.5 kilometers south of Fort Walsh. Early morning departure from three excellent days of accommodation at Days Inn in Medicine Hat begins the drive southeast along the TransCanada Highway in Big Sky country across rolling, predominantly monotonous and soothing prairie landscape from … Enjoy a family-friendly atmosphere with a great view of Loch Leven, and a fun and fabulous summer patio. There are pathways down to the Fort and the buildings are wheelchair accessible. Off the top of my head, I have no idea. In the 1940’s, many of the charred buildings were rebuilt in a style similar to the originals by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (the NWMP’s iconic successors). Open May 18-June 30th: 11am-7pm Mon-Fri and 9am-7pm Sat/SunJuly 1st – August 31st: 9am-10pmSeptember: TBD. The grave is located in Fort Walsh’s NWMP cemetery. A good little tour. He was fairly recently honoured on the monument at the Regina Depot. After Sitting Bull’s return to the America, Fort Walsh immediately declined in importance. Fort Walsh has been rebuilt in it’s original location. It looked like a fort from the past! An interpretive guide giving a tour inside the McKay cabin. Fort Walsh’s nine-pound cannon being put to use on the drilling ground. They sought refuge near Wood Mountain, Saskatchewan, at which there was a NWMP outpost. The staff were friendly, well-educated, and keen. Might be dull for small kids. Relatively isolated, Fort Walsh can be accessed either by the Saskatchewan Highway #271 (which can be reached by taking the exit to Maple Creek off the #1 Trans-Canada (the Saskatchewan Highway 21)), or the scenic route, a circuitous (and bumpy) passage that begins in Elkwater, Alberta, and winds through the Cypress Hills. South of that fort is a small NWMP cemetery that is the final resting place of several Mounties, including Adjutant Edmund Dalrymple Clark and Constable Graburn. However, once there, I was fascinated by this fort. James Walsh, the Commanding Officer of Fort Walsh, accompanied by only a handful of Mounties (including Sergeant Robert McCutcheon (a future resident of Medicine Hat) and Metis translator Pierre Leveille), bravely rode into Sitting Bull’s camp and sought out the outlawed war chief, intending to welcome him to Canada and convince him to abide by Canadian law while north of the border. The fascinating stories and displays at the traders, Metis and Lakota cabins/tent (outside the stockade) are also incredibly interesting. I’ll keep an eye open for the date the next time I’m reading about him. Hotels near Fort Walsh National Historic Site, Maple Creek on Tripadvisor: Find 6,014 traveler reviews, 960 candid photos, and prices for 23 hotels near Fort Walsh National Historic Site in … If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Nevertheless, the fort was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1924. His staff is caring, talented and professional, you are greeted like an old friend. It's worth it! Sask. We were so glad that I made time in our cross-Canada drive plans to check out Maple Creek (Cypress Hills campground being all booked up) and Fort Walsh. For a very real experience with life in a fort and what the early years were like this destination feels like you have driven to the middle of nowhere, then into a valley to the high wood walls of a very large Fort, just like in the movies! Another piece of folk wisdom that came to mind as I trudged through the wet prairie grass, my hands clamped protectively around my camera, was that lightning has a tendency to strike the tallest object around. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Fort Walsh’s importance in the Sitting Bull affair prompted the Canadian government to make it the new headquarters of the North West Mounted Police in 1878. An assortment of real Canadian mysteries which I published on the website MysteriesOfCanada.com throughout 2018. On October 17, 1877, Major Walsh, NWMP Commissioner James Macleod, American Army General Alfred Terry, Sioux chiefs Sitting Bull and Spotted Eagle, and several other Canadian, American and Sioux officials met in Walsh’s office to discuss the terms and conditions of a potential Sioux surrender to the United States government. I refer family, friends and just about anyone in pain. It is well worth a visit. A wheel chair accessible shuttle is available to transport visitors from the parking area to the fort entrance. We believe that the affair began when my uncle (a man of violent temper) kicked an Indian who was begging near the camp. If I may, why do you ask? This is an excellent facility. You can feel the way the Northwest Mountain Police must of felt, the surroundings are beautiful almost beyond words! There are a number of nice walking areas too. If you are interested in joining our team on an hourly basis, please stop into one of our venues Monday thru Friday between 2:30pm and 5:30pm to fill out an application. Fort Walsh was the first NWMP fort and was constructed in 1875. Visitors to Fort Walsh are greeted by the Visitor Reception Centre, an interpretive centre which, from the outside, resembles a fort itself. The workshop was also used to store surplus firearms and ammunition, as well as the fort’s heavier artillery. Best Dining in Maple Creek, Saskatchewan: See 344 Tripadvisor traveler reviews of 16 Maple Creek restaurants and search by cuisine, price, location, and more. The fort has been rebuilt and the numerous helpful and informative staff are both very knowledgeable and dressed in period clothing. Fort Walsh was the first NWMP fort and was constructed in 1875. Sask. Inside, tourists can purchase their admission at the front desk before continuing on to the actual fort (located downhill of the Visitor Centre; visitors can reach the fort either by walking or taking a tour bus down the hill) or any of the Visitor Centre’s three divisions: 1) the museum; 2) the theatre; 3) the gift shop and café. Wow! I jumped in the driver’s seat, started the engine, cranked up the heat and drove north up the #271 Alberta Highway bound for the Trans-Canada, praying that I wouldn’t be pulled over by an R.C.M.P. Inside they explained us in a fun way all the historic events that happened here. We gained a vivid and inspirational gaze into Fort life. Need a custom fiddle track for your music project? Dogs are welcome to join you on the patio at the Lakeview Grill! “A ice spot for breakfast in Cypress Hills”, “I love to eat at Cypress Pizza and Chicken”, “Great place If you want to leave pissed...”, Hotels near Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, Hotels near Fort Walsh National Historic Site, Hotels near Jasper Cultural and Historical Centre, Hotels near S.W. A wheel chair accessible shuttle is available to transport visitors from the parking area to the fort entrance. They found over 100,000 artifacts have been found from fort walsh ,most came from the 1875-1883 police post. The grave of Captain Edmund Dalrymple Clark, a NWMP adjutant who succumbed to fever in 1880. Maddy is an excellent guide, truly bilingual. In 1880, when Macleod resigned from the Force in order to more actively pursue his career as a magistrate of the North West Territories, the residence became the home of newly-appointed Commissioner Acheson Irvine (the namesake of Irvine, Alberta) and remained so until the NWMP headquarters moved to Regina, Saskatchewan, in 1882. I do know that 1882 was the year the NWMP headquarters moved from Fort Walsh to Regina. About Search Results. Select souvenirs will be available within the fort. The are historic trails from fort walsh to places like wood mountain,fort Benton,fortmacleod,Qu’appel. Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour between Moose Jaw and Alberta, Ask 984murrays about Fort Walsh National Historic Site, Ask VenaScott about Fort Walsh National Historic Site, Ask 149daven about Fort Walsh National Historic Site, Ask wloo_andrew about Fort Walsh National Historic Site. A bit a drive to get there but worth a visit to anyone interested in the history. At the bottom of the hill is Fort Walsh itself, a square palisaded enclosure made from the long, straight trunks of local lodgepole pines. p. 306.662.4381 or 306 661.8958 e. joel.fitzpatrick@gmail.com. Absolutely drenched, I left the cover of the bush and made my way back to Fort Walsh, taking advantage of the relative safety of the coulee for as long as I could. The only known photo of Sitting Bull taken in Canada. The historian who gave our guided tour inside the Fort had a good sense of humour....she went on for an hour and a half!! As I left the Cypress Hills for the Saskatchewan prairies, my mind began to wander, as it usually does while I’m behind the wheel, and I recalled warmer and drier times, specifically my visit to Fort Walsh just several hours earlier. Very interesting with lots of info. The staff area, as its name suggests, is used exclusively by staff and is off limits to tourists. They acted as customs agents and border guards, and established mail and supply routes to Fort Benton, Montana; Wood Mountain, Saskatchewan; and Fort Macleod, Alberta. She did her role quite well. On a wind swept day in late August we arrived at the fort just after light rain and the temperature was a cool 14 degrees. Parking facilities hold 90 cars and at least 10 buses. Now, to give this story some more context, Fort Walsh and the site of the Cypress Hills Massacre is separated by one massive hill, the crest of which I happened to be atop when the storm materialized, effectually making me the tallest thing in the area. The cabin symbolic of the McKay residence. What ever you do, take a tour as the guides are exceedingly well versed in history. In what seemed like a matter of seconds, the pleasant hike back to my car, parked as it was in the Fort Walsh Visitor Centre parking lot, became dominated by torrential rain, deafening thunder and uncomfortably proximate lightning. more, This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC, Ways to Experience Fort Walsh National Historic Site. In the middle of the large square drilling/ parade ground to the left of the entrance is a flagpole bearing the British Union Jack. I took the pictures and was on my way to my car when the storm rolled in. Come back to the past. The building have been furnished to represent the timeframe of the 1870’s when the Cypress Hills Massacre occurred. Friendly staff. This was formerly a large region RCMP headquarters many years ago. However, the eccentric Mounty failed to persuade him to return to the United States. However, once there, I was fascinated by this fort. Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews. Fort Walsh National Historic Site: Day trip to Fort Walsh - See 136 traveler reviews, 124 candid photos, and great deals for Maple Creek, Canada, at Tripadvisor.