St. François Xavier was incorporated as a municipality in 1880, but its history dates back far before this time. St. François is a municipality steeped in rich native folklore and legends. The region is known locally as "White Horse Plain”, a name that was derived from a native legend. The area around St. François was home to tribes of famous First Nations such as the Cree and Sioux. The lands around St. François provided for a rich harvest of buffalo and other animals, used for food and furs for these tribes.