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Doc's Town Heritage Village depicts a small prairie
town in the early days of the twentieth century. Several
original buildings, thousands of original artifacts
and many "volunteer" staff provide visitors with a
fascinating glimpse of "the way it was!" |
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Turnhill School operated from 1914 to 1959, on the NW
quarter - 30-18-1 l-W3rd. It was the third school in the
district, having replaced the first that served from 1900 to
1912, and the second, which was build in 1913 but destroyed
by fire in 1914.
Records show that lumber to build the school cost $792.00.
For another $293.00, the school was supplied with
twenty-four desks, one map case, four maps, one globe, a
hand-bell for $1.00, a desk-bell for $0.50, and a hand strap
for $0.20. Ratepayers shared the hauling of gravel and
lumber for construction, by team and wagon. In 1917, a
telephone line and phone were installed
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The first settlers to come to the Leinan area arrived about
1906, being mainly of Scandinavian origin and having in
common the Lutheran faith. In 1915, the Norwegian Lutheran
Church of America sent a mission pastor - Pastor O.R. Stove.
On May 9, 1915, West Prairie Congregation was formed,
alternating services between Buena Vista School and Northway
Hall. Mr. A.B. Terry donated two acres of land on the comer
of section 18, to be used as a cemetery.
The first meeting to organize the West Prairie Lutheran
Ladies' Aid was held on July 7,1915 at the home of Mrs L.H.
Lovestone, with the main goal of building a church.
In 1915, the pastor's salary was $106.00, and was increased
to $200.00 in 1916. Pastor OJ. Marken came in 1919 for a
salary of $500.00. In 1924, it was reduced to $150.00 and by
1928 to $100.00. Pastor Marken stayed until 1936. Pastor K.
Beergsagel came in 1936, and until 1942 guided the
congregation to great spiritual and physical growth.
The first couple to be married in the new church were
Orville and Jesse Grant, who also celebrated their
anniversary fifty years later in the same church.
In keeping with the arrangements made upon the donation of
the church, it continues to be used as a occasional place of
worship, and is the location for weddings over the course of
the summer.
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Andrew McLatchie came to Canada from Scotland in 1906-07 to
the Balgonie Area, where his brother had a farm. Andy
returned to Scotland for a visit in 1918 and became ill with
the Great Flu of that era. His sister Mary, who was a
registered nurse returned with him to Canada in 1919 to
nurse him, intending to stay one year. She never returned to
the homeland.
The McLatchies built this impressive prairie farm home, on a
farm in the Tuberose area, in 1919, just prior to the
"Roaring Twenties". All dimensional material in the "Aladdin
Home" is made of cedar. The house was one of seventy
buildings on the farm. Pictures of the farmstead hang on the
wall in the kitchen.
The house was the centre of a farming operation that at one
time encompassed 29 quarter sections (4,640 acres) of land
and had seventy buildings. That was a very large farm in
those times. 18 teams were harnessed every workday morning.
One of the upstairs bedrooms in the house was designated as
the "borning room". In her capacity of nurse and midwife,
Mary is estimated to have "birthed" over one hundred babies,
the majority of them in that room.
Somewhat larger and more elegant than the typical early
prairie farmhouse, the McLatchie house was a major social
centre in the Tuberose district.
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Mhyr & Wallace Implements is a building in transition. Built
in 1999, it currently houses several artifacts, inducting
our restored gasoline "Bowser" and our operating 1914 Garr -
Scott steam traction engine.
Plans call for partitioning off the front area for
development of an early farm implement dealership
showroom/parts counter, as a tribute to the many such
dealerships that supplied the agricultural communities'
equipment needs, repair parts, and information on the latest
farming technology. We have some, and are looking for more
artifacts pertaining to local area farm equipment
dealerships. Advertising materials, display racks and
stands, calendars, equipment owner and repair manuals, parts
and tools will be used to tell the story of the important
role such dealerships played in the development of prairie
agriculture.
Phase two, if realized, will be a "lean-to" addition on one
side to house a firefighting exhibit, in co-operation with
Swift Current Firefighters and phase three, another lean-to,
will serve as a shop area for volunteers to repair and
restore artifacts, and to do general work that always needs
to be done to maintain a place like Doc's Town.
It was named to recognize Peder Myhr and Bill Wallace, who
have been contributing their time, energy and enthusiasm to
Doc's Town since before it became a reality!
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Northway Co-op Hall had it's beginnings at a meeting early
in 1912, in the Leinan store and Post Office. At that time,
the Leinan Entertainment Association was formed, and the
first project undertaken by the new group was the
construction of a hall.
Axel Leinan spearheaded the selling of shares at the cost of
$5.00 each. With 94 1/2 shares sold for cash and an
additional 19 shares exchanged for labour, funds were in
place and construction began. Located on land belonging to
Axel and Ebba Leinan, it was completed in 1912, having
already been used while just a shell with the rafters still
visible. In 1926, the association was re-organized as the
Northway Co-operative Association Limited. Again shares were
offered at $5.00 each, this time selling 115 shares. Later
the hall was moved across the road, and after the railroad
came to Leinan, the hall was moved once more into the hamlet
in 1929.
Like all halls of the time, it served the community as
meeting place, recreation facility, entertainment centre,
polling booth, movie theatre and even did duty as a school.
It's walls have reverberated with hot political debate,
music and laughter, and the sadness of the loss of passing
citizens.
Now, in it's fourth location and with it's third name, the
Country Pleasures Tea Room, it continues in it's role as the
focal point of social life here in Doc's Town. The laughter
and debate continue un-abated, shared in good fellowship.
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The Seed Grain Elevator
Prairie elevators are falling like so many dominoes across
the landscape. In the dust of the fallen sentinel, we lament
the loss and wonder how our children, grandchildren and
future generations will come to know the role of the
elevator in our prairie heritage.
Constructed in 1932 for the Dominion Experimental Station
(later known as the Semiarid Prairie Agriculture Research
Centre), the Seed Grain Elevator played a significant role
in the ongoing research in seed grain development,
continuing to place Swift Current on the world stage of
agriculture research.
Technology has seen the use of the Seed Grain Elevator
dwindle to the point of it being decommissioned and
scheduled for demolition. The Doc's Town Committee saw this
opportunity to take a leadership role in preserving not only
a Swift Current landmark, but also a symbol to represent the
lost elevators of all communities across the prairies.
The committee envisions the elevator to be an ongoing live
and educational display at Doc's Town. The opportunities are
endless, from incorporating the elevator with the present
Threshing Days, to revamping the present mill to produce
historic flour, seeded, harvested and processed in a
historical manner, providing a unique Swift Current product
and souvenir.
Phase 1, Relocation, of a three part series is complete; the
moving of the elevator to Doc's Town Heritage Village at
Kinetic Exhibition Park. The next two phases, Restoration
and Establishment of Elevator Guild and Interpretive Centre
are now underway.
Seed Grain Elevator Specifications
Constructed in 1932
17 bins, total capacity 7580 bushels by volume
50' main elevator leg cup size 7" x 4½"
35' small elevator leg cup size 5" x 4"
4" rain water conductor pipe used for spouting grain
50 odd elbows at 60° & 90°
Clipper Super 29 D - Cleaner
Carter Disc
Power required for seed cleaning equipment as a group 7½ H.P.
Click here to see more photos
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The building which now houses the store was part of the
former Administration building of the Swift Current
Agricultural and Exhibition Association. It was moved to
this site in 1991, remodeled and opened in 1992.
The late Rose Wilson of White Bear, conceived the idea for
the store in Doc's Town, with artifacts donated from the
White Bear store. The White Bear store, which had been
started by Mr. & Mrs G.M. Driscoll, Rose Wilson's parents,
was built in 1925, and gave service to the community for
fifty-five years.
Since the store itself was in no condition to be moved, the
old Administration building was adapted, and a great many
original items from the store were transferred to the "new"
Driscoll's General Store. The ceiling, the ic6 box, string
and paper dispensers, some of the stock, tags and cash
register are all from the original store.
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The building which now houses the professional offices was
formerly the Administration building of the Swift Current
Agricultural and Exhibition Association. It was moved to
Doc's Town in 1991, remodeled, and opened in 1992. At
present, the Professional Building includes:
· Law Office
· Barbershop
· Post Office/Telephone Office
· Optometrist Office
· Dentist Office
· Pharmacy
· Doctor’s Office
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William R. (Billie) Ball was born in Corsham, Wilshire,
England in 1886. He learned the blacksmith trade in the shop
of his grandfather and father. He served three years
apprenticeship to a farrier (horseshoer) and had been
employed for three years at this trade when he came to
Canada in 1911. After one and one-half years at Central
Butte, he set up this shop at Valjean.
Mr. Ball was employed in Regina by Dominion P.F.R.A., from
1937- 42, making brands, corral gate hinges, etc. He retired
in 1958, and passed away in 1963.
The blacksmith shop was donated by Bob Ball of Valjean in
memory of his father, the late Bill Ball, in 1981.
We are told that Ball's Blacksmith Shop is one of the few original, operational blacksmith shop in Saskatchewan. All
the equipment in the shop still works. The single cylinder
engine that drives the Une shaft is a 1917 Alpha with 3.5
horsepower, sold by the Lava! Separator Company. The
hand-driven forge with tongs and tools still operates.
'Demonstrations are done by local members of the Western
Canadian Blacksmith Guild. The coal for the forge comes from
Alberta. It is specifically for forging and is a coal with
low sulphur and ash content, and high heat content.
Temperature of the flame is approximately 2300 degrees.
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Original art created by Dianne Trytten.
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Kinetic Exhibition Park
17th Ave. S.E. and South Railway St.
PO Box 146
Swift Current, Saskatchewan
S9H 3V5Hours
of Operation
Doc's Town is Open
Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holiday
Mondays from July until Labour Day.
2:00pm - 6:00pm
Contact Information
Phone: (306) 773-2944
Email:
swiftcurrentex@sasktel.net
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