From Wood Mountain to the Whitemud : A Historical Survey of the Grasslands National Park Area

Excerpt from Author's Introduction, Page 11:

"The proposed Grasslands National Park consists of three small "core areas" situated along the International Boundary in southwestern Saskatchewan. Two of these are located in the Frenchman River valley, and one is found in the Rock Creek Badlands section of the Wood Mountain plateau. A total of 104.5 square miles of badlands, coulees and river valley are involved at the present time. These particular lands were selected by Parks Canada as being representative of the endangered natural grasslands of the southern Canadian plains - not because they contained features of historical interest. In point of fact, little has ever taken place within the core areas, memorable or otherwise. At the same time, however, the park has a strong historical element in its composition and character. To understand this apparent contradiction, it is necessary to go outside of Grasslands' narrow boundaries. The park does not take on its historical identity until seen in the larger context provided by the surrounding area. An examination of the human history of the Wood Mountain plateau and lower Frenchman River valley area shows that the historical significance of the proposed Grasslands National Park lies in what it represents, far more than in what it contains by way of sites and artifacts. Throughout its recorded history the area in which the proposed park is situated has been the last frontier of the Canadian prairie West. The Plains Indian tribes had long treated it as a no-man's-land, but changing circumstances made it the last refuge from the advance of white civilization for both Indians and Métis. The last of the northern buffalo herds were found here, and it was the last sector of the northwestern plains to be penetrated by fur traders, scientific explorers and land surveyors. The North West Mounted Police came early to foster and defend white settlement but had a long wait before the advent of intensive agricultural settlement and civil government relieved them of their border vigil. It was the last ranching frontier in the prairie West and, finally, the "Last, Best West" of prairie farmers." (11). 

The PDF is available through Parks Canada History