Portage la Prairie, Manitoba

detail of The Portage, by Robert Griffing

1,387 miles

Feb 8 - This area was inhabited by Assiniboine people, French, and Metis fur traders.  In 1738, a fur trading post, Fort La Reine, was built to provide a base, from which adventurers could explore farther into Western Canada.

Portage is a French word which means to carry a canoe overland between waterways.  In this case, the "portage" was between the Assiniboine River and Lake Manitoba, over the prairie.  

The full name of the town is a bit much for modern tongues, so it is often called just “Portage” or “P. la P.”.

Crescent Lake & Assiniboine River management

In 1851, ambitious settlers began to buy land in the area from the local Assiniboine people.  A new town grew around the oxbow-shaped slough that used to be part of the wandering Assiniboine River (now cleaned up & called Crescent Lake).  As settlers moved in from the east, a school was built, followed by a church and numerous new businesses.  Settlers discovered the fertile soil of the frequently-flooded area, and started growing crops and gardens on their new land.   Freight and supplies were transported by ox-cart and steamboat until the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) in 1881.   Portage la Prairie serves as a regional hub for agriculture, retail, manufacturing, and transportation.

Island Park at Crescent Lake

I discovered another travel blog about a Chinese traveler’s experiences here, simply called “Manitoba Trip”.  I enjoyed the fresh perspective s/he brought to seeing this town, comparing parts to Chinese towns and parts to Disneyland.  Also a pic & a comment on the town’s giant Coke can made from an old water tower.  (Again, the Canadians keep building giant replicas of ordinary things, in hopes of drawing tourists.  Nutty.) 

image: detail of “The Portage”, by Robert Griffing:  www.kalamazooshow.com

map image: Google Earth View

Manitoba Trip blog:  http://manitobatripruikaiwismer.blogspot.com/