Fort Walsh is a Canadian National Historic Site that was originally built and operated by the North-West Mounted Police (NWMP) in the late 19th century. The fort played a significant role in Canada’s westward expansion, including the government’s response to the Cypress Hills Massacre and Treaty 4 negotiations. The fort also helped establish Canadian law and order in the Northwest Territories (modern-day Alberta/Saskatchewan).



The origins of Fort Walsh can be traced back to the Cypress Hills Massacre of 1873, a violent incident that exposed the lawlessness and instability of the western frontier. The massacre occurred when a group of American wolf hunters attacked a camp of Assiniboine people near the Cypress Hills, killing at least 13 of them, and possibly up to 30. The incident sparked outrage and fear among the First Nations and Métis people. The Canadian government felt as if this attack threatened to undermine the peace and security of the region.
The massacre highlighted the need for a stronger Canadian presence and authority in the West to combat American influence and expansionism. To address these issues, Prime Minister John A. Macdonald established the North-West Mounted Police in 1873, a paramilitary force that would enforce Canadian law and sovereignty in the West.




When the NWMP arrived in present-day Alberta in 1874, one of their first tasks was to investigate the Cypress Hills Massacre, find those involved, and bring them to justice. However, they faced many difficulties and obstacles, such as the lack of cooperation from the American authorities, the hostility of some of the First Nations, and the harshness of the terrain and climate.
The NWMP also had to deal with the illegal whisky trade, which was rampant in the region and caused social and health problems among the First Nations and the settlers. Whisky traders, who operated from fortified posts such as Fort Whoop-Up, often bribed or intimidated the locals. The NWMP sought to eliminate the whisky trade and establish friendly relations with the First Nations and the Métis, who were the original inhabitants of the land.



James Morrow Walsh, who founded Fort Walsh in 1875, was one of the NWMP officers who was instrumental in achieving these goals. Walsh chose a strategic location for the fort, near the site of the Cypress Hills Massacre, which is right near the border of present-day Saskatchewan and Alberta. The fort was built as a log stockade, with stables, barracks, offices, and a jail. The fort served many purposes including as a base for the NWMP patrols, a trading post, a refuge for the settlers, and a meeting place for the First Nations. Walsh was known as a charismatic and compassionate leader, who earned the respect and trust of the First Nations, including the Lakota chief Sitting Bull, who sought asylum in Canada after the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876.



Walsh also played a key role in the Treaty 4 negotiations, which were held at the fort in 1877. Treaty 4 was one of the numbered treaties the Canadian government signed with the First Nations, in exchange for their land and rights. The treaty promised the First Nations reserves, education, health care, farming assistance, and annuities. However, the treaty also imposed many restrictions and obligations on the First Nations, such as the prohibition of hunting and fishing outside the reserves, the requirement of loyalty to the Crown, and the acceptance of the NWMP authority.
Fort Walsh became the national headquarters of the NWMP in 1878 and remained so until 1882 when it was moved to Regina. During this period, the fort witnessed many changes and challenges, such as the arrival of more settlers, the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway, the outbreak of the North-West Rebellion, and the decline of the buffalo population. These events had a profound impact on the lives and cultures of the First Nations and the Métis, who faced displacement, starvation, oppression, and resistance.
In 1883, Fort Walsh was considered no longer needed and was closed and dismantled. Four decades later, in 1924, the site of the fort was designated a Canadian National Historic Site and was eventually reconstructed in the 1940s to breed horses for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.



Today Fort Walsh is now a symbol of Canadian law and order in the West, but also a reminder of the complexity and diversity of Canada’s Western history and heritage. The fort was a place of conflict and cooperation, of violence and peace, of oppression and justice, and of change and continuity. The fort reflects the aspirations and challenges of Canada’s nation-building project in the West, as well as the struggles and achievements of the First Nations, the Métis, and the settlers. Fort Walsh, which is a reminder of the past, can also be a source of inspiration for the future.