Joseph Lamoureux built this ferry in 1882, to link the tiny community of Lamoureux to Fort Saskatchewan across the river. Already in his forties, Joseph Lamoureux had travelled extensively before settling permanently in northern Alberta. Born in the province of Quebec in 1838, he left home at sixteen for Chicago. There he married Marie Provost, his sweetheart from Henryville. After homesteading there, they returned to Quebec. Soon Joseph was off again, lured by stories of gold in California. From there, he wandered through Oregon, Montana, Idaho, and Washington where he accidentally met his brother Frank. Together they made their way north to the country around Edmonton. It was in 1876 that he brought his whole family from Quebec to the little settlement on the Saskatchewan River. The Lamoureux family built a saw-mill and were pioneers in the use of agricultural machinery. Joseph Lamoureux died at the age of 70.
This photograph of the Lamoureux Ferry was taken in 1910. It includes members of the Lamoureux family and other pioneers of the region.
Courtesy: Le franco-albertain, 10 octobre 1973. Ernest Brown Collection, Photo: Provincial Museum and Archives of Alberta.
