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 The
Battlefords
by Jerry W. Bird
Hollywood's epic John
Wayne westerns and Mountie movies pale by
comparison to the real McCoy , and Fort Battleford
National Historic Site is a shining example. Here
on the Battle River, Chief Poundmaker's Cree
ransacked Battleford, then capital of the Northwest
Territories, sending 400 settlers scurrying to the
fort's sanctuary. Colonel Otter's force took off in
hot pursuit. Government House, the main stockade,
and several original buildings remain. Centennial
Park is the city's hub for recreation and
indoor-outdoor sport activities. Other popular
attractions include the Lake Country, Battlefords
Provincial Park, Jackfish Lodge and scenic beaches.
Finlayson Island on the scenic North Saskatchewan
River is popular, and Table Mountain Regional Park
is home of Saskatchewan's finest downhill ski
resort. Communities in the area on the Trans Canada
Yellowhead HIghway include the town of Radisson is
named after the famous French Canadian explorer,
Pierre Radisson, who with his partner Grossiliers
blazed some important land and water routes. Other
centres are:
RM of Paynton
A few minutes west of the historic Battlefords,
is the Rural Municipality of Paynton, soon to
celebrate its centennial. Following the Northwest
Rebellion , a modern settlement took root. Looking
back in time, the first mail box in Payton was
installed in 1903; the first was opened in 1904,
and the railway arrived in 1905, bringing settlers,
tradesmen and entrepreneurs from afar, giving birth
to what is now an active rural
community.
Maidstone
Located in the Rural Municipality of Eldon, the
Town of Maidstone was founded after the railroad
was constructed, and currently has a population of
close to 1,000.
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