Early settlement , c. 1910 to 1925 In 1872, the
Boundary Commission travelled through this area while surveying the Canada–United States border between Canada and the United States. During the 1874
March West trek of the
North-West Mounted Police, the force established its first camp (called Short Creek Camp) at this location. Short Creek is a tributary of the Souris River and it meets the river on the west side of Roche Percee. In 1890, the federal government opened a post office serving the Roche Percee area, under the name of "Coalfields". Renamed "Roche Percée" in 1896, it closed in 1897, but re-opened in 1905. It permanently closed in 1970. The community began being served by the
Soo Line in 1893, permitting the
coal mines in the region to become operational. Roche Percee incorporated as a village on January 12, 1909.
Rock formations La Roche Percee Provincial Historic Site is located nearby. Referred to by local residents as "the Rocks", it has large
sandstone deposits in which some caves have formed. The name of the village comes from the
Métis French name of the rock formations. Another similar formation
Percé Rock is in
Quebec. In 2010, the provincial government signed an agreement with Southeast Tour & Trails Inc. to restore Roche Percee Park after being closed for over a decade.
2011 Flood In 2011,
flooding on the Souris River inundated the village, forcing its residents to evacuate. Of the 64 homes in Roche Percee, 28 were damaged beyond repair, and had to be demolished. == Demographics ==