Collingwood's NWMP Plaque
The North-West Mounted Police Sailed From Collingwood in 1873
The NWMP - The North-West Mounted Police
In 1873, Canada's national police force, the North-West Mounted Police, was officially created (though not officially named). Today we know the force as the RCMP, which stands for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, or "Mounties".
As the name indicates, the NWMP was formed as a police force for what was then called the North-West Territories, and what today we know as the prairie provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, as well as all of Canada's North and much of northern Ontario and northern Quebec. In particular, the Canadian government was concerned to establish and maintain law and order in the sparsely-populated prairies and to combat the spread of the whiskey trade.
Formation and Recruitment
The original plan was to begin recruiting 300 NWMP members in the spring of 1874. This plan was changed abruptly in September 1873 because of the Cypress Hills Massacre. Suddenly, 150 members were hastily recruited in Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes. They travelled to Collingwood where the train line ended at the port.
Collingwood in 1874
The town of Collingwood, with its excellent harbour, was a logical place for goods and people to transfer from the train to ships for the journey west to Prince Arthur's Landing (today's Thunder Bay). Incorporated in 1858, Collingwood was an established town by the time the NWMP passed through. In fact, some accounts speak of the anticipation of the local merchants - hoping the NWMP would stay long enough to spend some money in Collingwood.
It appears the commanders kept the men on a tight schedule, or perhaps a tight leash, as the expected windfall didn't materialize.
The Ships
On October 4, 1873, the 150 recruits had all reached Collingwood. They departed in stages on board three ships, the Cumberland, the Chicora, and the Frances Smith. These were side-wheel steamers, running on the Lake Superior Line, or the Pioneer Route. These ships had interesting histories of their own. The transporting of the NWMP was but one event in their maritime lives.
The Plaque
In the year 2000, a plaque was erected near the grain elevator at Collingwood Harbour, commemorating the departure of the NWMP back in 1873.
The plaque is at the tip of the peninsula and is easy to reach by car or on foot. The view of Blue Mountain and Nottawasaga Bay from there is pleasant. It is also a good place to have an up close look at the grain elevator, which is much larger than it appears from a distance.
NWMP After Leaving Collingwood
The NWMP's journey up the Great Lakes was reportedly a rough sailing. The railway connecting Thunder Bay and Winnipeg was not opened until 1875. The NWMP travelled from Thunder Bay to Lower Fort Garry (modern Winnipeg), where they spent the winter in training.
In the spring of 1874, the NWMP began the epic journey which has come to be known as the Great March West. This took its toll on man and beast, but through this and many other tests, the Mounties have survived and succeeded to become a Canadian icon.
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