Pembina Trail facts for kids

The Pembina Trail was an important path in the 1800s. It was used by the Métis people and European settlers. They traveled between Fort Garry (which is now Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) and Fort Pembina in North Dakota, United States. This trail followed the west side of the Red River.

The Pembina Trail was part of a larger group of paths called the Red River Trails. While the original trail isn't used for travel today, parts of it have become modern roads like the Lord Selkirk and Pembina Highways in Manitoba.

Why Was the Pembina Trail Important?

The Pembina Trail and the other Red River Trails were used regularly starting around 1823. As towns and communities grew along the Red River between Fort Garry and Pembina, people traveled more often. They visited churches, traded goods, and connected with other communities.

The Pembina Trail was not just for traveling between Fort Garry and Pembina. It was also a main way to reach other parts of the Red River Trails network. This connection was very important because it helped groups of Métis and settlers find bison on the prairies. Bison were a key resource for food and supplies.

Where Did the Trail Go?

The trail started at Fort Garry and headed south. It crossed the 49th parallel North, which is the border between Canada and the United States today.

Sometimes, the Métis had different relationships with other Indigenous peoples groups. Because of this, the trail would often change slightly to avoid meeting any groups they might have had conflicts with.

There was another reason why settlers and Métis might travel to Pembina. A letter from Father Joseph Provencher shows that some people went there to escape the very cold winters at Fort Garry. Life was sometimes easier in Pembina.

Mr. Dumoulin is on the prairies about Pembina. He is following the bois brules [Métis], who almost entirely abandon the post when they leave for the hunt, being obliged to go in large bands to protect themselves from the insults of the Sioux, who had not done any harm since I wrote last. He is busy instructing them how to prepare the infants for baptism; he also says Mass on Sundays. I have not yet made the trip to Pembina. The journey is not without danger; perhaps I shall spend the winter, or part of it, there. Life is easier there (Nute 1942:373).

How Did People Connect on the Trail?

The trails were places where different cultures met and mixed. These routes passed through many Indigenous and settler communities. As groups traveled, they would meet, build relationships, and trade. This was very important for their communities to succeed.

Because different groups were involved, records about the trails were sometimes written from a Métis or Indigenous point of view. However, most records were written by settlers. This gives us different ways to understand the history of the trails.

What Other Trails Could Travelers Access?

Once travelers reached Pembina, they could access three main routes of the Red River Trails network:

• The East Plains Trail
• The West Plains Trail
• The Woods Trail

The Woods Trail is sometimes confused with the Pembina Trail, but they were actually part of two different trail systems.

Today, a more direct version of the Pembina Trail is a four-lane paved road. It serves as the Lord Selkirk Highway (Highway 75) and Pembina Highway. These roads run along the Red River between Winnipeg and the Canada–United States border near Pembina.