It all began in 1870 when the Mtis came to Willow Bunch to settle with their families. At that time, the little Saskatchewan town was called "Talle-des-Saules" in honour of the bark from the abundant willow trees in the area used for smoking.
Months later, it was Jean-Louis Lgar's turn, an important fur trader in the region, to arrive in Willow Bunch. The French-Canadian erected a building which served as both a house and general store. He is now recognized as the Willow Bunch founder because he had a strong leadership in the community and also succeeded in uniting people from Quebec, New England and Europe under a common spirit.