The roots of our city and our province stretch back to the banks of the Red River of two centuries ago. The first Métis families settled here shortly after the Selkirk Settlers arrived in 1812. Since 1822, the nutrient-rich soil of what is now Henteleff Park was the ideal setting for the farms of several Métis families. The river provided the water for their crops, the fish to supplement their diets, and the transportation to move their harvest.

The Frobisher, Lacoste and Normand families thrived along the riverbank. The market garden community was a diverse ethnic mix of nationalities, in addition to the Métis families and the Henteleffs. Métis farms were the foundation of the Market Gardeners’ Society, formed in 1903.