Before the hamlet of Brosseau was officially founded, the exact site was home to an important early Catholic mission. In 1865, the famous missionary Father Albert Lacombe established Saint-Paul-des-Cris, a Catholic mission intended for the local Cree population. The mission was designed to encourage the Cree to transition from a traditional nomadic lifestyle to a settled, agricultural one.

The project faced severe hurdles, including multiple crop failures, a devastating smallpox epidemic in 1870, and general reluctance among the Cree to abandon their traditional way of life. Coupled with a lack of consistent funding, the mission was ultimately abandoned in 1874. (Father Lacombe later attempted a similar settlement nearby at Saint-Paul-des-Métis in 1896).

Years after the mission closed, the area began attracting homesteaders and settlers. The hamlet gets its name from Edmond Brosseau, an early settler who established roots in the area. The community grew up alongside the North Saskatchewan River. The Post Office opened December 1, 1904. Directly across the river on the south bank sits its sister hamlet, Duvernay. For travelers moving through central Alberta, the location became an important geographic point.

Today, Brosseau sits right at the concurrency of Highway 29 and Highway 36, roughly 50 km southwest of the town of St. Paul. The town was named after the first postmaster, Edward Brosseau, who held the position until 1917.