Russell Banner in Russell, Manitoba

Unveiling Russell History The Metis Link to Major Boulton

Historian Tyla Betke challenges long held Russell tales of Major Charles Boulton. She links local monuments to a broader history of Metis resistance and Red River settlement, revealing ties to Louis Riel and early Manitoba politics. Bets show earlier settlers and Indigenous communities shaped the 1860s Red River region before Canada bought the land in 1869. Boulton, born 1841 in Cobourg, joined the British forces, later captured by Riel during the 1870 Metis resistance and the ensuing power struggle.