A fur trade post at this site alongside the Souris River in what is now the Municipality of Grassland was established in 1836 by Joseph Desjarlais (1806-1876). A long log building and several smaller buildings were surrounded by a wooden palisade. At its height, the post was occupied by over seventy men. It operated for twenty years and is believed to have been destroyed by a prairie fire that swept through the region in 1856.
Sketch of Fort Desjarlais (no date)
Source: Larry Clarke
The former site of Fort Desjarlais alongside the Souris River (2016)
Source: Ken Storie
The former site of Fort Desjarlais alongside the Souris River (2016)
Source: Ken StorieSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.43678, W100.70975
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Fort Desjarlais by Bruce Wishart, VirtualManitoba, 2010.
Fort Desjarlais compiled by Lawrence Barkwell, Metis Museum.
We thank Larry Clarke, Alan McTavish, and Rick Proven for providing information used here.
This page was prepared by Ken Storie and Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 20 November 2025
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