Henry Kelsey was the first inland explorer for the Hudson's Bay Company.

Henry Kelsey: A Short Biography
In 1689 a young employee of the Hudson's Bay Company named Henry Kelsey was sent into the barren lands west of Hudson Bay to look for customers among the northern tribes. Kelsey, who enjoyed life in the wilderness, soon learned the language of the Native People and gained an understanding of their ways.

During a journey to the prairies in 1690, he kept a journal of his adventures in which he gave accurate descriptions of the country, the Native People and the animals. No accurate maps have been made of his travels, but we have a general idea of his explorations. His journeys caused a number of new tribes to visit York Factory. He was the first European known to have seen the prairies, the great buffalo herds, the grizzly bears, and the many Plains tribes.

In later years, he became the governor of all The Company's posts on Hudson Bay. The Company recalled him to England in 1722 after nearly forty years in its service. Our school was named in memory of Henry Kelsey.