13,000 BC to 1700s AD

13,000 BC. As the last ice age has ended, a vast glacial lake now covers all of the Grande Prairie. The lake is drained by the emerging Peace–Smoky–Wapiti River System.

10,000 BC. As the water of Glacial Lake Grande Prairie continues to recede, islands in the lake begin to emerge. These are today the tops of such hills as Saskatoon Mountain, and Mercer, Richmond, Kleskun and North Kleskun Hills. The undulations one encounters when ascending these hills were at various times shorelines of the ever receding glacial lake.

7,500 BC. Recent archaeological investigations have revealed evidence of human inhabitation atop Saskatoon Mountain at this early date. During the centuries that followed, vast migrations of people occurred throughout the district.

Developed for and copyrighted to the Heritage Resource Management Branch of Alberta Community Development by David W. Leonard November 30, 2003.