The village of Lac Ste.
Anne is one of the first permanent Metis communities in what later became Alberta and the first Catholic mission.

Lac Ste.
Anne (the original name is known as Manito-Sakahigan, Spirit Lake) was visited by Father Jean-Baptiste Thibault in 1842.
Two year later in 1844 he established the Mission of Lac Ste.
Anne.
There were 30 French Métis families living here, who had come there in the 1830s, and the church served the Metis and First Nations of the area who had been converted to Catholicism.
He renamed the lake Lac Ste.
Anne, honouring Saint Anne.
Lac Ste.
Anne was in a central location with good fertile fields, tall trees for lumber, and plenty of fish and wildlife.
It was also far away from the Hudson's Bay Company politics in Fort Edmonton.

The missionaries began the teachings of the Church, and also taught the people how to farm.
The people in the area could see the buffalo was declining and the missionaries wanted to make the Metis people into farmers.
By 1859 the mission boasted it had 17 fat and fine cows, 15 horses, 10 dogs, 10 cats, and a garden with flowerbeds.
Pigs and sheep were not raised because of the dogs and wild predators.
Crops included wheat, barley, potatoes, cabbage, onions, and turnips.

In 1859 three Grey Nuns made the journey from Montreal to the Mission, on September 24 Lac Ste.
Anne welcomed the nuns.
The Sisters began their lives in Lac Ste.
Anne by learning the Cree language, starting a school, helping in the gardens and painting the windows of the church so that worshippers would not be distracted during services.

The Mission grew until there were over two thousand people.
A Hudson's Bay Company post, a separate school, an orphanage retreat, a North-West Mounted Police barracks, a dance hall, a post office,  several stores, saloons and hotels moved into the area complementing the church, rectory and convent.

At one time the mission was larger in population and commerce than Fort Edmonton.

Father Lacombe, who arrived in 1852, left Lac Ste.
Anne in 1861 to build a new mission at St. Albert.
When he left the mission of Lac Ste.
Anne it was almost deserted by pastors and followers of the church.
All that was left were a few families, the church, the rectory and the Grey Nun's residence.
The village of Lac Ste. Anne is one of the first permanent Metis communities in what later became Alberta and the first Catholic mission.
Lac Ste. Anne (the original name is known as Manito-Sakahigan, Spirit Lake) was visited by Father Jean-Baptiste Thibault in 1842. Two year later in 1844 he established the Mission of Lac Ste. Anne. There were 30 French Métis families living here, who had come there in the 1830s, and the church served the Metis and First Nations of the area who had been converted to Catholicism. He renamed the lake Lac Ste. Anne, honouring Saint Anne. Lac Ste. Anne was in a central location with good fertile fields, tall trees for lumber, and plenty of fish and wildlife. It was also far away from the Hudson's Bay Company politics in Fort Edmonton.
The missionaries began the teachings of the Church, and also taught the people how to farm. The people in the area could see the buffalo was declining and the missionaries wanted to make the Metis people into farmers. By 1859 the mission boasted it had 17 fat and fine cows, 15 horses, 10 dogs, 10 cats, and a garden with flowerbeds. Pigs and sheep were not raised because of the dogs and wild predators. Crops included wheat, barley, potatoes, cabbage, onions, and turnips.
In 1859 three Grey Nuns made the journey from Montreal to the Mission, on September 24 Lac Ste. Anne welcomed the nuns. The Sisters began their lives in Lac Ste. Anne by learning the Cree language, starting a school, helping in the gardens and painting the windows of the church so that worshippers would not be distracted during services.
The Mission grew until there were over two thousand people. A Hudson's Bay Company post, a separate school, an orphanage retreat, a North-West Mounted Police barracks, a dance hall, a post office,  several stores, saloons and hotels moved into the area complementing the church, rectory and convent.
At one time the mission was larger in population and commerce than Fort Edmonton.
Father Lacombe, who arrived in 1852, left Lac Ste. Anne in 1861 to build a new mission at St. Albert. When he left the mission of Lac Ste. Anne it was almost deserted by pastors and followers of the church. All that was left were a few families, the church, the rectory and the Grey Nun's residence.
Lac Ste. Anne (Alberta)