Strategically located at the junction of two major rivers which form part of a vast continental network, this spot known by the Cree name Nistawayak (“Three Points”) has witnessed many of the key events of western Canadian history. This was a traditional indigenous stopping place and, for this reason, La Vérendrye erected Fort Rouge near here in 1738.
The site has been a centre for trade and exploration, a focus for the first permanent European settlement in the Canadian West, cradle of the province of Manitoba, nucleus of the City of Winnipeg, a hub of rail and road transport, and the gateway for the settlement of the prairies. In 1974, a plaque was placed here by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.
Forks of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers commemorative plaque (2010)
Source: City of WinnipegSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.88908, W97.12817
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Nistawayak / Forks of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers (The Forks, Winnipeg)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Johnston Terminal Building (25 Forks Market Road, Winnipeg)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Northern Pacific and Manitoba Railway Repair Shop / Manitoba Children’s Museum (45 Forks Market Road, Winnipeg)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Canadian National Railway Power House (8 Forks Market Road, Winnipeg)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Canadian Museum for Human Rights (85 Israel Asper Way, Winnipeg)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Grand Trunk Pacific Railway Stable / Great Northern Railway Stable / Forks Market Building (1 Forks Market Road, Winnipeg)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Canadian Northern Railway Freight Lift Bridge (The Forks, Winnipeg)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Manitoba Plaques for Persons, Events and Sites of National Historic Significance
Historic Sites of Manitoba: York Avenue Underpass / The Forks Underpass (York Avenue, Winnipeg)
Information for this page was provided by The City of Winnipeg’s Planning, Property and Development Department, which acknowledges the contribution of the Government of Manitoba through its Heritage Grants Program.
“Archaeology unearths proof of huge 1285 meeting” by Niigaan Sinclair, Winnipeg Free Press, 25 November 2019.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 24 April 2022
Historic Sites of Manitoba
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