What would become the Kamloops Indian Residential School was established in 1893, after initially opening in 1890 as the Kamloops Industrial School which had the aim of acculturating Indigenous children.[1] J.D. Ross of Kamloops was awarded the $10,000 contract to erect the initial set of industrial school buildings in April 1889.[5] Michel Hagan served as the industrial school's first principal, resigning in 1892, at which time the government charged the Oblates of Mary Immaculate with running the school.[2] The school continued as the Kamloops Indian Residential School until 1977, located on the traditional territory of the Secwepemc (Secwépemcúl'ecw).