Summer Village of Ross Haven and Lac Ste. Anne Area - Our
History
The Summer Village of Ross Haven was officially established on
January 1, 1962 and currently has a permanent population of
approximately 198 residents and a seasonal population of 600.
The Summer Village of Ross Haven is located approximately 80 kms
northwest of Edmonton on the north shore of Lac Ste. Anne in the
County of Lac Ste. Anne. The Summer Village is both a rural
residence for working families and retired persons and a four
season recreational centre destination. There is a mixture of young
families, working couples and retired seniors who make Ross Haven
their permanent home. As well, there are numerous part time
seasonal residents who come from all over the Province to enjoy the
benefits of Lac Ste. Anne with their point of entry being the
Summer Village of Ross Haven.
Since the early 1900s, Alberta's lakeshore property has been
purchased for cottage use with public beaches being developed along
road and rail routes accessible from larger urban centres.
Traditionally, summer villages evolved from cottage resort areas
where seasonal residents desired a role in local government.
Lac Ste. Anne
People from all over the world have found a haven along the
shores of Lac Ste. Anne. To the south, coal mines generate power
and employment. Recreational businesses have flourished because of
the lake. Agriculture is still a main stay and the area is known
for its ability to grow some of the best oat crops in Canada.
Lac Ste. Anne enjoys a long human history before the lake was
ever considered for recreational purposes. Lac Ste. Anne has a long
history related to the first European settlements in Alberta.
It was first called Wakamne, or God's Lake by the
Nakota Sioux, and Manitou Sakhahigan (Lake of the Spirit)
by the Cree first nations before the arrival of the
settlers.
The legend goes that the Indians hunted buffalo, and fished in
the lake called Manitou Sakhahigan. Indian legend told of a large
monster that lived in the lake, and as it moved it would create
dangerous and unpredictable currents, which could easily capsize a
canoe. Very few people saw the monster but when the priests came
they renamed the lake Devil's Lake in reference to the reported
lake monster.
Elders of Alexis Reserve remember their Grandparents telling of
how as children they would go out on the lake and peer down through
the then clear water to the lake bottom in search of the monster.
They would hope and fear that they might actually see its legendary
form.
The Lac Ste. Anne Mission
In 1842 a Roman Catholic priest, Father Thibault, decided to
create a permanent mission for the Métis people. Devil's Lake was a
central location with good fertile fields, tall trees for lumber,
and plenty of fish and wildlife. It was also far enough away from
the Hudson's Bay politics found in Fort Edmonton. On September 8,
1842, Father Thibault renamed the lake to Lac Ste. Anne, honoring
his promise to the patron saint, Ste. Anne. He and another priest,
Father Bourassa, moved into a newly constructed home without doors
or windows, and with a dirt floor. The building would also serve as
the church until one could be constructed (completed in 1843).