The Metis River Falls by Alexander Henderson

The falls on the Metis River were a tourist attraction for generations of travellers visiting the region. One of the first “tourists” was Montréal photographer Alexander Henderson. He visited the region as a photographer for the Intercolonial Railway. He took photos of the railway while it was being built in the 1870s. His photos of the falls illustrate his photographic technique, which often allowed for long exposures, resulting in beautiful fluid images that evoke the majesty of the place and evoke its sounds and beauty.

Henderson’s images of the falls were picked up and reproduced as engravings in popular magazines. L’Opinion Publique and the Canadian Illustrated News both published articles in 1873 showing the falls and describing Metis and environs as a favourite watering hole for Montrealers and travellers through the region. They are among the earliest examples of travel writing about the region. When the Intercolonial opened to Ste-Flavie Station and Petit-Métis in 1876, the falls became a popular spot for tourists and travellers. They remained so for decades.