Musée Historique de St. Paul Historical Museum
St. Paul has a rich history; this area was important to First Nations groups and fur traders. The important Winnipeg Trail from Fort Winnipeg to Fort Edmonton passed through here; Father Lacombe established a Metis settlement on the shore of our local lake in 1896. The Metis settlement was opened up to homesteaders in 1909, most of whom came from Quebec, which made St. Paul a predominantly French town. This well-researched story is eloquently told through a series of displays representing each time period, and illustrated with beautiful artifacts.
Saint-Paul a une histoire très riche, car cette région fut très importante pour les peuples des Premières nations et les marchands de fourrures. L’importante route de Winnipeg, reliant Fort Winnipeg à Fort Edmonton, passait ici, ce qui a amené le Père Lacombe à installer un établissement métis sur la berge de notre lac local en 1896. L’établissement métis a été rendu disponible aux homesteaders en 1909, dont la majorité provenait du Québec, ce qui a grandement contribué à faire de Saint-Paul un village majoritairement français. Cette histoire bien documentée est racontée avec beaucoup d’éloquence à travers une série de vitrines représentant différentes périodes du temps, le tout illustré avec de magnifiques artefacts.
Two Museums in One!
Musée Historique de St. Paul Historical Museum
Showcasing the rich history of St. Paul, Alberta:
- First Nations use of this area
- Winnipeg Trail
- Fur Trade
- Father Lacombe and the original Metis colony between 1896 and 1909
- Homesteading and development of the town
- Yearly special displays
Peoples’ Museum Society of/de St. Paul & District
Interactive displays featuring the agricultural traditions of rural northeastern Alberta, including:
- Farm machinery
- Model of a 1939 sawmill
- Displays related to blacksmithing, milk processing, veterinary medicine, beekeeping, and shipping grain crops.
- Restored 1914 log home built by the Destrube family of Rife, Alberta