's
Coppermine Expedition map of 1819–1822 showing the
fur trade route from
Île-à-la-Crosse to
Methye Portage Buffalo Narrows or
Détroit du Boeuf as it was called in French was founded in the early 20th century as trapping, mink ranching and fishing settlement by Scandinavian traders. The community developed around an earlier
Dene settlement.
John Macoun, who was travelling the
fur trade route from
Methye Portage to
Lac Île-à-la-Crosse visited the "Narrows" in September 1875. He described his visit to this old community in the following lines: "After sunrise, a headwind sprang up with which we battled all day and reached the "Narrows", that connect Buffalo and Clearwater lakes, before dark. "Chipewyan House" is situated at the eastern end of the "Narrows", and at the head of Clearwater Lake. Here the
Chipewyans have built themselves several houses." Chipewyan House where Macoun stayed for about four days was probably a small outpost of the
Hudson's Bay Company much like Buffalo House at
Dillon and Bull's House on the
La Loche River. Clearwater Lake (or Clear Lake) was renamed Churchill Lake in 1944 and Buffalo Lake was renamed Peter Pond Lake in 1932.
1969 axe massacre On 30 January 1969, the community was the site of the killing of the Pedersen family, and their friend John Herman. Seven people were killed by 19-year-old
Métis labourer Frederick Moses McCallum (b. 1949), who was arrested, diagnosed with
schizophrenia and found not guilty by reason of insanity. As of February 2019, he lives in Ontario. == Demographics ==