Lac Île-à-la-Crosse[2] is a Y-shaped lake in the north-central region of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan along the course of the Churchill River. At the centre of the "Y" is the town of Île-à-la-Crosse, the second oldest town in Saskatchewan. Situated at the confluence of the Churchill and Beaver Rivers, the lake was an important fur trading centre in the 18th and 19th centuries. The lake, and the community of Île-à-la-Crosse, are named after the game of Lacrosse as French voyageurs had witnessed local Indians playing the game on an island in the lake.
The Churchill River exits the north-east arm of Lac Île-à-la-Crosse and flows east to Hudson Bay through a series of lakes. The Churchill enters the lake at the north-west arm, which is called the Aubichon Arm or Deep River. Upstream, the Churchill River leads north-west to Athabasca Country passing through Churchill Lake, Peter Pond Lake, Lac La Loche and then on to the Methye Portage, which leads to Lake Athabasca.[7]
Given its strategic location, it was a natural stop for early canoe trade routes. Once trade was developed, pemmican was carried up the Beaver River from the buffalo country on the North Saskatchewan. In 1767 Louis Primeau, in the service of the Hudson's Bay Company, was reported on the Beaver River which means he must have passed through the lake. In 1776 Primeau, working for Thomas Frobisher of Montreal, built a post on the lake.[9]
In 1776-77, Peter Pond wintered here as did Thomas Frobisher. Around 1786, the Scottish explorer Alexander Mackenzie, working for Gregory & McLeod, competed with Patrick Small of the North West Company (NWC).[9] In 1787, William McGillivray was a clerk here. In 1782-85, there were three groups of independent traders but, by 1789, they were consolidated into the NWC. Around 1790, McGillivray managed the Churchill River Department of the NWC from here. Here, in 1799, David Thompson married a thirteen or fourteen-year-old Métis daughter of Patrick Small. Unlike most "country marriages" this lasted until his death.[10]
William Linklater of the HBC built a post in 1799. Peter Skene Ogden and Samuel Black of the NWC harassed it. In spring 1811, Peter Fidler was forced to abandon it and the Nor'westers burnt it to the ground. In 1814, the HBC built a new post at a different location. In 1817 or 1818, the NWC built a fence around it. The HBC built a third time and called its post Fort Superior. The two companies were merged in 1821. By around 1980, there was still an HBC warehouse. Most of the posts were located near the town of Île-à-la-Crosse, but either the NWC or the XY Company seems to have had a place on the west side of the mouth of the Beaver River.[9][11]
Farther north along South Bay's western Shore, and also accessed from Highway 155, is Pemmican Lodge. It has lake access, three cabins, and a campground.[15] Adjacent to the community of Île-à-la-Crosse is Northern Eagle Resort. It has a self-contained guest house, camping, and a boat launch.[16] On the eastern shore of Lac Île-à-la-Crosse, is Bearadise Bay Wilderness Camp. It is an outfitters and a "wilderness adventure camp focusing on bear hunting, fishing and wilderness experience".[17] Access is from Highway 918.[18]
^ abcMarchildon, Greg; Sid Robinson (2002). Canoeing the Churchill: A Practical Guide to the Historic Voyageur Highway. Regina: University of Regina. pp. 144–148. ISBN0-88977-148-0.
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