Fort Dufferin

Fort Dufferin

Fort Dufferin was built as a base and the main supply depot for the Boundary Commission in 1872. Named for the Governor General of the time, it consisted of a Hudson's Bay Company post, several saloons and about a dozen other buildings.

The second contingent of NWMP arrived at Fort Dufferin on June 19, 1874. The first contingent, also made up of three divisions, had already trekked there from Lower Fort Garry. This was the only time that the entire force was together in one place.

Artist and writer Henri Julien was not terribly impressed by what he saw: "The place is not much to look at, consisting of only a few frame houses standing close together and partially shadowed with trees; but the importance of the site is unquestionable… In time it will be the chief frontier town of Manitoba, and a port of entry both for river and railway merchandise."

After a few weeks of training and preparing for the March West, the force left. A small force remained at Fort Dufferin under the command of Paymaster Sub-Inspector Edmund Dalrymple Clark.

Commissioner French, along with D Division and part of E Division returned to Fort Dufferin for the winter of 1874-75.

Today, the town of Emerson preserves the memory of Fort Dufferin but no buildings remain.