Duck Lake is a small hamlet some fifty miles north of Saskatoon. Duck Lake along with Batoche and Fish Creek are famous sites involved in the Metis Rebellion or the NorthWest Rebellion of 1885.

Several years ago the hamlet of Duck Lake tried to counter a phenomenon only too familiar to many prairie towns and hamlets, the gradual decline from viable centers to mere shadows in the prairie landscape or their total disappearance. As many of the long time residents pass away and the young are attracted to the cities - for jobs, security, and entertainment- these small villages of the Canadian prairie begin to fade away. Gone are the Saturday night socials, the movie house, the poolroom, and in many ways the sense of community.

Well, in Duck Lake they have tried to attract people during the lengthy tourist season by trading on their uniqueness in Canadian prairie history. They have been able to maintain a community with a reasonable mixture of the old and the young, the Metis, the North American native, and a mixed stock spawned from European settlers. Their answer in part is an excellent museum and theatre and one of the most interesting craft and antique shops in central Saskatchewan founded by Glen Scrimshaw. In addition to the antique shop, museum and theatre, the walls of many village shops are now adorned with murals depicting scenes from early settlement, the signing of Treaty Number 6 at Fort Carlton, and the North West Rebellion. Coupled with these features are many socials, sports days and a rodeo that is a real pleasure to attend!

The pictures on this page provide a brief view of Duck Lake. The first image is the ubiquitous antique shop with an art gallery and its playground for the kids. At the gallery there is an artist in residence programme.

Leaving the gallery and proceeding west over the railway tracks to the main street, Front Street, there are more murals to view. The town office, originally a bank, has stylized portraits of the major cultures which have influenced the development of this hamlet: Metis, European and Native. On the north wall of the former hardware shop opposite the town office is a mural of Lieutenant-Governor Morris' encampment on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River at Fort Carlton. In addition to illustrating the government's camp, in the clouds above this encampment are the portraits of the three great Cree chiefs, Poundmaker, Star Blanket (Ahtahkakoop) and Big Child (Mistawasis) who signed a treaty with Morris. The Fort Carlton site is 18 miles to the north west of Duck Lake on Highway 212. Fort Carlton was a Hudson's Bay Post from 1810-1885, the restructed of the fort in now part of a provincial park

On the east side of Front Street the Family Center and Bus Station has an excellent mural depicting a train of Red River carts with outriders. This caravan of carts would bring various household and dry goods from Lower Fort Gary (Winnipeg). The carts measured approximately seven feet in height and five feet in width

with wooden spoked wheels in excess of five feet in diameter. On the north wall of a shop at the north end of the commercial section of Front Street is an excellent mural illustrating the diverse topography of the northern plains, and the aspen parkland, with herds of bison foraging on the rough fescue grasslands. Today these grasslands occupy only one percent of their former range, lost due to early agricultural activity. A similar efficiency to that of the bison hunters who eliminated the vast herds of bison that once occupied the Great Plains Basin from northern Alberta to Kansas. Several other murals grace buildings: one across from the bus depot illustrates canoeing, the common mode of early transportation, used in much of the early exploration of western Canada and the southern half of the Northwest Territories. A mural on the town's curling rink depicts the major political actors of the North West Rebellion: Sir John A. McDonald, the first prime minister of Canada; Louis Riel, the Metis school teacher and the local Metis leader, Gabriel Dumont.

Turning right at the end on Front Street, then travelling approximately a quarter mile to the east, one arrives at the Duck Lake Heritage Museum, Gallery and Theatre. This building as the photos below attest takes some of its design from prairie grain elevators which once graced the prairie skyline, now many of these elevators have disappeared.

In the early 1950's a movie was released called "NorthWest Mounted Police" (I believe), the star was Alan Ladd. This movie was an attempt to dramatize the North West Rebellion and the role of the North West Mounted Police (today the Royal Canadian Mounted Police). Although filmed in Saskatchewan, the filming location was in the southwest corner of Saskatchewan near Fort Walsh. Parks Canada refurbished the Fort during the 1970s; this Fort which lies nestled in the valley of Battle Creek within the Cypress Hills some 300 miles south west of the site of the rebellion. As a pre-teen I still remember vividly the scene where a gatling gun is demonstrated to the Natives and Metis. As it fired I dove under a theatre seat.

In 1973 the movie "Alien Thunder" was filmed at Duck Lake based on a story written by W.O. Mitchell. The cast included Donald Sutherland, Chief Dan George and Gordon Tootoosie. For Gordon Tootoosie, a native of Poundmaker Reserve, this was his first film appearance. Neither W.O Mitchell nor the lead actor Donald Sutherland were happy with the production. The small gaol (jail) used in the film is preserved on the grounds of the old museum located at the southern edge of Duck Lake.

A final note in regard to Middleton and the North West Field Force. One of those who served with General Middleton was a relative of mine. This I learned from a cousin several years ago who was researching and writing our family history.

Within easy driving distance of Duck Lake are two other sites where the police action took place during the rebellion. These sites are managed and protected by Historic Sites Branch, Parks Canada. Drive east from Rosthern on Highway 312 you will cross the South Saskatchewan River on the Gabriel Dumont bridge. Next turn right on to a grid road at the junction of highways 312 and 225 to reach the Fish Creek hamlet which is approximately 2 miles south.

Here there is an interesting graveyard to the east side of the road. Approximately four miles south of the church and a mile to the west lies Fish Creek battlefield. Several historic markers and graves are present. From here you have excellent view of valley of the South Saskatchewan River.

North six miles from the junction of Highways 312 and 225 is the Batoche National Historic site, Parks Canada. Here you will find an excellent museum; the original church and manse; the cemetery which includes the graves of Metis, North West Field Force, and the quiet leader of the Metis, Gabriel Dumont. Authentic Metis food is served at the museum and many more interesting items and displays await the vistor. The museum provides a spectacular presentation in audio-visual format which reviews the history of the uprising. The Historic Branch staff use 12 projectors and several tape recorders to bring the events of the rebellion to life.