Fort Battleford National Historic Site of Canada

On-line Guided Tour

Cannon demonstration
© Parks Canada

In 1885, armed conflict broke out on the prairies when Métis and First Nations took up arms in defiance of the federal government during the North West Rebellion. First Nations in the Battleford area decided to converge on the post in large numbers in hopes that the local Indian agent would deal with them more favourably. Unfortunately, news of their approach arrived at the same time as news of fighting at Duck Lake. For a month, Fort Battleford sheltered more than 500 townspeople who expected a First Nations attack.