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In 1845, Father Bourassa, the first missionary at Peace River, arrived for a visit to "preach to the Aboriginal peoples and minister to the bourgeois of the fort." Father Lacombe visited in 1855. In 1866, Father Tessier arrived to found St. Charles Mission which became one of the main decisions of the Athabasca Diocese of the Catholic Church. Father Tessier spent 13 years working alone at Dunvegan. He was replaced by Father Grouard in 1883.

When Father Grouard had first visited the community in 1855, he was welcomed by the office in charge, a Mr. Bourassa. Bourassa’s son, John Bourassa, had carried the mail for many years between Dunvegan and Fort Chipewyan. His son, Louis Bourassa, carried the government mail from Peace River to Vermilion. After his death, he was replaced by his son, John Bourassa, who carried the mail until it was taken over by the air service.

Father Grouard, then Bishop Grouard, wrote a book on the history of the area: "Souvenir de mes Soixante Ans d’Apostolet dans L’Athasbaska-Mackenzie." The book illustrates some of his experiences such as building the church and having to wait until the river thawed to have access to the logs they had cut in the fall, and about painting a picture on moose hide for behind the altar.

In 1891, the Beaver First Nation was not using the mission, and so the Catholic Mission of St. Charles was closed and transferred to St. Augustine’s in Shaftesbury Settlement, between Dunvegan and the Forks.

Dunvegan had one of the first Anglican missions in the north country. The mission was established by Reverend J. Gough Brick in 1882. It is interesting to note that Mr. Garrioch, one of the first Protestant missionaries at Dunvegan, was a grandson of Colin Campbell, chief trader in charge of Dunvegan in 1828, and a great grandson of John McGillivray, wintering partner with the NWC, stationed at Dunvegan in 1812.

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Life as a Mission

Life as historic site