DCHP-1 Online

Dawson route

• a road and water route from Fort William to Fort Garry, recommended by Simon J. Dawson, a Canadian engineer, after an exploration trip in 1857-9, the first leg of a proposed trans-Canada highway.

  • Surveying for this undertaking led to conflict with the Métis and was one of the incidents that triggered the Red River Insurrection of 1869-70.

  • 1885  In 1868, called upon by the Gov't to commence the construction of the route to Red River, now known as the "Dawson Route."
  • 1921  In the fall [of 1871] he was appointed to take charge of the North West Angle post. . . . This post had been established when the "Dawson Road" was opening as an immigration route from eastern Canada.
  • 1954  It was then the news came that two English surveyors, Snow and Mair, had obtained the necessary sum from the Canadian government for the construction of the Dawson highway, which was to cross the continent from one ocean to the other.