St. François Xavier, Manitoba

For the rural municipality, see: Rural Municipality of St. François Xavier

St. François Xavier
St. François Xavier

Location of St. François Xavier in Manitoba

Coordinates: 49°54′46″N 97°32′30″W / 49.91278°N 97.54167°W / 49.91278; -97.54167Coordinates: 49°54′46″N 97°32′30″W / 49.91278°N 97.54167°W / 49.91278; -97.54167
Country  Canada
Province  Manitoba
Region Winnipeg Capital Region
Census Division No. 10
Founded 1824
Post office established 1871
Area
 • Total 3.37 km2 (1.30 sq mi)
Population [1]
 • Total 574
 • Density 170.2/km2 (441/sq mi)
Time zone CST (UTC−6)
 • Summer (DST) CDT (UTC−5)
Area code(s) 204

St. François Xavier is an unincorporated urban centre located in the southeastern part of the Rural Municipality of St. François Xavier in Manitoba, Canada. It is located about 25 km west of the city of Winnipeg on the Assiniboine River.

History

Métis drying buffalo meat at St. Francois Xavier (Painted in 1899 by William Armstrong)

St. François Xavier had various names including White Horse Plains (La Prairie du Cheval Blanc) and Grantown after its founder Cuthbert Grant. Cuthbert Grant arrived in 1824 and was soon joined by many Métis families.[2]

In 1851 Father Louis-François Richer Laflèche accompanied the Métis buffalo hunters from the parish of St. François Xavier on one of their annual hunts on the prairies. The hunting group, led by Jean Baptiste Falcon, son of Pierre Falcon,[3] was made up of 67 men, a number of women who came to prepare the meat, some small children and 200 carts. In North Dakota they encountered a band of Sioux. Lafleche dressed only in a black cassock, white surplice, and stole, directed with the camp commander Jean Baptiste Falcon a miraculous defence against 2,000 Sioux combatants, using a crucifix at the Battle of Grand Coteau (North Dakota). After a siege of two days (July 13 and 14), the Sioux withdrew, convinced that the Great Spirit protected the Métis.[4][5]

The St. François-Xavier post office was opened in 1871 and closed in 1975.[6]

Demographics

St. François Xavier is classified as an unincorporated urban centre and is a designated place in the Canada Census of 2011. It had a population of 574 in 2011 down 8.5% from 2006. The land area was 3.37 km2.[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2011 and 2006 censuses". Statistics Canada, 2011 Census. 2014-04-28. Retrieved 2014-08-02.
  2. ↑ "Memorable Manitobans: Cuthbert James Grant (1793-1854)". Manitoba Historical Society by William Morton. Retrieved 2014-04-27.
  3. ↑ Barkwell, Lawrence J. "Jean Baptiste "Che-ma-na" Falcon. (b.1826)". Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  4. ↑ "The Battle at the Grand Coteau: July 13 and 14, 1851". Manitoba Historical Society by William Morton. Retrieved 2013-10-04.
  5. ↑ "Battle of Grand Coteau: Letter by Father Lafleche". Published by Lawrence J. Barkwell. Retrieved 2013-10-04.
  6. ↑ National Archives, Archivia Net. "Post Offices and Postmasters (St. François-Xavier)". Retrieved 2013-04-27.
  7. ↑ "Canada Census 2011 (community profiles)". Retrieved 2013-10-18.
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