A meeting place for millennia
The Forks, so named because of its position where the Assiniboine River flows into the Red River, has a rich history of early Indigenous trade and meeting, the fur trade, the advent of the railway, waves of immigration, and the Industrial Age.
The following timeline details the successful rebirth of the site as one of Winnipeg’s most important landmarks and illustrates the changes at The Forks over the years.
The Forks 6,000 years ago
Extensive archaeological investigations align with oral history that speaks to Indigenous peoples' activity at The Forks site thousands of years ago. Between 1989 and 1994, a series of archaeological digs were carried out at The Forks that evidenced that seasonal camps of Indigenous bison hunters flourished here. A 6,000-year-old hearth was unearthed, yielding catfish bones and stone tool flakes, as well as numerous later campsites. These recovered items provided a rich record of Indigenous occupations up to the time of the fur trade when Nakoda (Assiniboine), Cree and Anishinaabe (Ojibwa) and Dakota visited the site.
The Forks during the fur trade 1738-1880
The first Europeans came via canoe in 1738, when La Vérendrye erected Fort Rouge, the first of many forts and trading posts erected in the area. Known as the Red River Colony, the forts were close to The Forks because of its significance as an Indigenous meeting place. The region provided rich food resources along an important transportation route including fish, waterfowl, game and, most importantly, bison. The Forks was the hub of the fur trade until the 1880s, when grain production became western Canada’s principal industry.
The Forks and immigration 1870-1920
In the late 1800s, the Canadian government began actively promoting immigration, settlement and railway development across the Prairies. Winnipeg became known as the “Gateway to the Canadian West” because the Canadian government erected two immigration sheds at The Forks, each accommodating up to 500 people. Legions of immigrants came through the site ultimately changing the physical and cultural landscape of the city and all western Canada.
The Forks and the railway 1886-1923
Beginning in 1886, The Forks emerged as one of the key sites of early railroad development on the Prairies. The rail yards of the Northern Pacific and Manitoba Railway Company, the Canadian Northern, the Grand Trunk Pacific Railroad and the Canadian National Railway dominated the site. Many of the buildings now seen at The Forks date from this time. The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway stable and the Great Northern Railway stable were joined together to fashion The Forks Market, and the National Cartage Building is now known as the Johnston Terminal. Northern Pacific and Manitoba Railway Company’s Buildings and Bridges Buildings (B & B) now houses The Manitoba Children’s Museum, while Union Station (built by Warren and Wetmore, the same architects who designed New York City’s Grand Central Station) is still in operation.
The Forks today
Today, The Forks is a vibrant downtown Winnipeg public space where people gather for celebrations, recreation and, much like early Indigenous Peoples, to meet one another. It encompasses revitalized historic and new buildings housing many local independent businesses, a skatepark, historic port, cultural institutions, and hosts hundreds of outdoor and indoor events and attractions year-round. With about four million visitors each year, The Forks is one of the province's top tourist attractions.