THE SETTLING OF DOMINION CITY

“Dominion City dates back to 1874, the year that the first white settlers began to arrive. It had been known as Roseau Crossing because of an excellent ford over the Roseau River. This ford was very important to those who travelled via the old St. Mary’s Road, which ran along the east side of the Red River from Selkirk and St. Boniface to St. Vincent and Fort Pembina.

Most of the freighting was done by Red River ox carts on the route popularly known as the St. Paul Trail, which ran north from St. Paul, Minnesota, hitting the eastern shore of the Red River and then following this famous valley northward to Winnipeg. Many stretches of this old trail can still be seen today with the original ruts of the old cartwheels still remaining some six or seven inches deep.”

SOURCE: “Dominion City— Facts, Fiction & Hyperbole” by James Mckercher Waddell; December, 1970; printed by Derksen Printers Limited; Steinbach, Man.