An exhibit at the Okotoks Museum and Archives explores the history of the Dunbow Industrial School, otherwise known as St. Joseph's Residential School.
The Dunbow Industrial School was one of the first three of three residential schools established in Canada.
Built where the Highwood River flows into the Bow River in 1884, the school saw an estimated 430 indigenous children that were taken from their families and institutionalized during its existence.
The school may have closed in 1922, but in its relatively short existence, 73 children were known to have died while in attendance.
A documentary from 2014 called Little Moccasins shares the story of St. Joseph's Residential School.
"We have been putting that video and a small exhibit on display ever since, sort of off and on," explains Kathy Coutts, who is the Museum and Archive Specialist with the Okotoks Museum and Archives. "But it wasn't until 2021 that we turned it into a permanent exhibit so that it runs all the time."
Now the exhibit has grown beyond just the documentary.
"It includes panels about the history of the Dunbow, also known as St. Joseph's Residential School. And it also includes some of the shoes from that 2021 memorial that was setup in front of the Okotoks Municipal Centre," says Coutts. "So, it's certainly grown over the years to help tell that story and to continue the conversation."
What made them decide to make this a permanent exhibit?
"Because the conversation should never end. So, it won't come down, because we need to continue the conversation so that we can begin to reconcile with what happened," Coutts explains. "First we need to know the truth and that is what this exhibit shares."
The museum has free admission to check out their exhibits.
They are open Monday-Saturday until Christmas and Tuesday-Saturday come January.
For more information, check out their website.
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