A section of the North-West Mounted Police camped near Rat Creek on their way to establish themselves at Edmonton in 1874, moving to Fort Saskatchewan the following year.

Almost 20 years later, the NWMP contingent at Fort Saskatchewan were rushed into Edmonton to suppress the so-called "Rat Creek Rebellion."

To settle the situation, the government backed down to the extent of maintaining a land titles office in Edmonton - but starting another one at the end-of-steel in southside Old Strathcona.

Later, the city decided to fill the creek in and pave it over, gaining more land for development and avoiding the cost of building bridges over it.

The lower reaches of Rat Creek are still visible in Kinnaird Ravine, and it is now fed by storm drain culverts.