Located on land given to Jean-Baptiste Lagimodière by Lord Selkirk, the park is located at the site of the first Francophone settlement in Western Canada. Lagimodière was given the land in appreciation for his efforts in preventing hostilities between the North West Company and the Hudson’s Bay Company. Together with his wife Marie-Anne Gaboury, they became the first couple of European descent to settle in Western Canada. Their original homestead later became the birthplace of their grandson Louis Riel.