Saint Joseph's Mission (Williams Lake)

St. Joseph's Mission
Location
Map
Williams Lake, British Columbia

Canada
Coordinates52°03′41″N 121°57′06″W / 52.061337°N 121.951556°W / 52.061337; -121.951556
Information
Other nameSt. Joseph's Indian Residential School
Former nameSt. Joseph's, Williams Lake Industrial School, Cariboo Indian Industrial School, Cariboo Indian Student Residence, Cariboo Industrial School, Cariboo Student Residence, Caribou Residential School, St. Joseph's Indian residential School, St. Joseph's Industrial School, St. Joseph's Mission School, St. Joseph's Residential School[1]
TypeResidential School
Religious affiliation(s)Roman Catholic Church, Oblates of Mary Immaculate, Sisters of Saint Anne
EstablishedJuly 5, 1867
FounderJames Maria McGuckin
Closed1981

St. Joseph's Mission was a Roman Catholic mission established near Williams Lake, British Columbia in 1867. The mission was operated by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. It is primarily known for the notorious[2] St. Joseph's Indian Residential School located on the property, a part of the Canadian Indian residential school system that operated on the Mission from 1891 to 1981.

During the school's history, many student deaths were recorded which resulted in multiple public inquiries into conditions at the school, as early as 1902. After the school closed, several of its staff members were imprisoned for sexual abuse. A school reunion in 2013 resulted in the creation of Orange Shirt Day, which later became a Canadian statutory holiday.

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  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Esther was invoked but never defined (see the help page).