This building which housed the first group of Grey Nuns to come to the Red River settlement is the oldest structure in Winnipeg and was constructed between 1845 and 1851. As a mission house it provided facilities for the Nuns' various works of education and charity, which included caring for the aged and orphans, treating the sick and instructing children. The convent was built of white oaken logs and subsequently repaired and enlarged to meet changing needs. It is an outstanding example of early Red River frame construction.

The building now serves as a museum and showcase of Métis and French-Canadian history and is located in the heart of old Saint-Boniface.

Réal Bérard, a Franco-Manitoban artist who has long been fascinated by and involved with the Métis, designed the bust of Louis Riel, which is situated in front of the museum. Cast in bronze by William Epp's foundry in Saskatoon using a "lost wax" process, the bust measures 1.67 metres and weighs 317 kgs. It sits on a pedestal measuring about 2 metres made of reinforced concrete. The official unveiling took place on October 22, 1989, on the one hundred and forty-fifth anniversary of Riel's birth.

Also on display by the front entrance of the museum are stones from the gristmill of Louis Riel's father. (See Page 1 for photo of mill stones.)

On the main floor of the museum, one whole section is devoted to the life and career of Louis Riel. I found this to be a very interesting and fascinating tour. Various glass display cases contain personal articles which Riel used during his life. One display case was of a very somber nature in that it held the hood pulled over his head and a piece of the rope used to hang him. There was also a small white headless statue of St. Joseph, Riel's favorite saint. A popular story surrounding this statue states that Riel prayed to it frequently while in prison awaiting trial. One day he dropped it and the head broke off. It was a very sinister omen and at this juncture Riel began to realize that matters would not go well for him.

Other cases display Riel's suspenders, shaving kit, a pair of moccasins, a lock of his hair, his revolver, and a travel trunk (which he used when he journeyed from Red River to Montreal to attend school in 1858). His last will and testament, penned just ten days before his execution, is also under glass. Another area features the iron bars from his prison cell in Regina and a rude wooden casket, which transported his body from Regina to Winnipeg by train after his execution. For his burial, Riel was transferred to a casket of rosewood.

There is a very interesting story behind the wooden casket. The Riel family initially put it in their front parlor and stored Riel's pictures and his many writings in it. Eventually, it was donated to Saint-Boniface Cathedral Basilica where it was stored in the basement. When the Basilica was destroyed by fire in July 1968, the foot end of the casket was burnt but the casket was able to be salvaged. Once Riel House became a National Historic Site, it went back there for display. A few years ago, Riel House donated it to the Saint-Boniface Museum.

Various display panels outline the major events of Riel's career and feature many photographs of him and his family.

Red River Cart

The main method of transportation for the Red River Métis was the Red River cart. Built entirely of wood with no iron fastenings of any kind, the cart was very strong and could carry a half-ton load. The cart was balanced on two large wheels about five feet in diameter, which were bound with long strips of roughly tanned hide. The body of the cart was held together by means of wooden pegs and wedges. When a group of Red River carts were in motion, the loud shrill creaking and shrieking of the wheels could be heard over many miles of prairie.

When Louis Riel and his little family answered the call to help the Saskatchewan Métis, they traveled over seven hundred miles in a Red River cart from St. Peter's Mission in Montana to Batoche, Saskatchewan. They made camp at night and slept out in the open.

Upper Fort Garry Gate

The gate, the only remnant remaining of Upper Fort Garry has always been associated with the fur-trade, the Red River settlement and the beginnings of the city of Winnipeg. There is also a Lower Fort Garry, which is located twenty miles downstream along the Red River. Upper Fort Garry was built in 1822, rebuilt in 1835 and again in 1850. It was the first stone building erected in the Northwest. It was here that Louis Riel headquartered his provisional government during the Red River Resistance of 1869-70 and where the Métis executed Thomas Scott. The history of the site (on display panels) also describes the role Ambroise Didyme Lepine played in the Red River Resistance as Riel's lieutenant and adjutant-general.

Louis Riel Statue

Created by sculptor Miguel Joyal and commissioned by the Manitoba Métis Federation, this gigantic statue of Louis Riel is located on the south grounds of the Legislative Building facing the Assiniboine River. This statue commemorates Riel's achievement in bringing the province of Manitoba into Confederation.