Settlement at Victoria Pakan
Many people began to settle around the missions. In 1865
between 25 - 35 Metis families from the Red River settlement moved to Victoria
Settlement. Church attendance was recorded as being as high as 250 people in
1871 - 72, although the population of the settlement was very fluid and people
would constantly be moving in and out.
The settlement changed and grew over time. Agriculture became more important, with the Hudson's Bay opening a grist mill in 1873 and Magnus Cromarty bringing the first horse-powered thresher to the area. In 1884 the land was surveyed, giving legal recognition to the river lot method of distributing land.
A telegraph office was opened in 1886 and postal service started in 1887 with delivery coming every fortnight. Reverend J. A. McLachlan was the first postmaster, and the post office was named Pakan, after the Cree chief who kept his people from joining the 1885 Rebellion. What had begun as a Methodist mission and a Hudson's Bay Company post was quickly becoming a rural community.
More information on early town life:
Early Families, people and stories:
 | River Lot Three |
| Howse and Livingstone |
| Magnus Cromarty |
| Perry and Anne Snyder (nee Cromarty) |
| John A. Mitchell |
| The Mitchell Family |
| Frank Mitchell |
Records, Clippings and such:
| Records of the North West Mounted Police, 1874 |
| Clipping from the Saskatchewan Herald, 1879 |
| Map of Victoria Settlement 1878 |
| Edmonton Bulletin, note about land purchase, 1882 |
| wedding announcement from 1884 |
| Survey Map of 1884. |
| clipping from the Edmonton Bulletin, Feb. 19, 1887 |
| clipping from the Edmonton Bulletin, Feb. 15, 1890 |
| Pakan listings in the Henderson's Gazatteer, 1914 |
Pictures:
| a picture of Pakan at about 1900 |
| a picture of a farmer heading into town |
| Pakan Football Team, 1915, with Frank Mitchell |
| Pictures of the Ferry and Landing |
| Picture of the Pakan Saw Mill |
| Picture of the Flour Mill |
(The Genealogical Society of Alberta has a listing of Pakan residents from the 1902 census.)
The turn of the century saw an increase in Ukrainian
immigration to the area. A second Methodist mission was opened up near the
first, this one aimed at converting the Ukrainians. It was lead by Dr. Charles
Lawford, who was both a missionary and a medical doctor. He petitioned to have
the George McDougall Hospital built in 1907.
More information on the Ukrainian settlement:
| List of the Ukrainian settlers, from 1899 - 1905 |
| Traditional Ukrainian Weddings |
| Ukrainian Churches |
| Ukrainian Culture |
| Methodist Missions to the Ukrainians |
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