Moose Jaw Western Development Museum
History of Transportation
There is a special quality which defines Saskatchewan, a spirit of community which the people of the province have forged through poverty and plenty. Identity is an intangible quality, difficult to pinpoint or define. However, people in Saskatchewan perceive a shared sense of who they are whether or not they can define it precisely. The spirit of Saskatchewan is unique, built upon the foundation of our shared past, sustained by our people today, vital to the future of this province.
Winning the Prairie Gamble: The Saskatchewan Story is the theme of outstanding new centennial exhibits through which the WDM will celebrate the Saskatchewan experience, strengthen our sense of identity and pass it on to new generations. The WDM will achieve a new exhibit standard worthy of the 21st century.
At the WDM History of Transportation in Moose Jaw you will discover Saskatchewan like you've never seen it before! A multi-dimensional interactive experience sets the stage for adventure into Saskatchewan's past. Visual presentations of the province's rich and varied landscape, known for centuries to aboriginal peoples, along with the structure of settlement imposed upon the land--the regular pattern of the survey grid, the web of railways and roads, towns and villages that dot the map, the country elevator system--will greet you.
A walk through the gallery will be a walk through time, a trail wending through the exhibit, rich with artifacts and images depicting events that have shaped our province. We will celebrate achievements that have put Saskatchewan on the world stage.
The new 2005 centennial exhibit will explore the way our extreme climate has influenced how we live, work and play in Saskatchewan. We have to be tough to survive here and adapt to the challenges of Mother Nature. You will see the fruits of inventive minds like that of Karl Lorch of Spy Hill who applied his talents to building a snowplane, a streamlined, enclosed, propeller-driven sled which helped to overcome the challenge of weather and distance until all-weather roads made car travel possible in the 1950s. You will also discover stories of struggle and survival like the brutal winter of 1906-07 which claimed the lives of nearly 70% of the cattle in southwestern Saskatchewan.
Stories of health care innovations in Saskatchewan will offer visitors an opportunity to gain new appreciation for the milestones that have been achieved right here in our own province. Most Canadians know that Saskatchewan was the birthplace of Medicare, but few realize that Saskatchewan was a world leader in the study and treatment of tuberculosis, or that we had the first non-military air ambulance service in North America.
In a province where newcomers faced the isolation of their 160 acre homesteads, contact with neighbours, community and the rest of the world was vitally important. You will learn about the development of communication technology and discover how Saskatchewan has found its own solutions to its unique challenges. From fence line telephone to fibre-optic network, ingenuity and inventiveness have characterized our approach to solving problems.
 Saskatchewan's people hold dearly the value of education. At one time thousands of one-room country schools dotted the prairies. From humble beginnings, many a Saskatchewan school boy or girl has gone on to make a mark on the national or international scene. You will learn how the school system was designed to "make Canadians" of children of non-British background. You will learn about the government's ill-fated attempts to assimilate Indian children in residential schools. And you will take pride in the leadership role that the University of Saskatchewan has played in research and development at home and on the world stage.
Exhibits will draw from the WDM's diverse artifact collection, acquired through more than 50 years of collecting. You will have fun as you discover unique stories of Saskatchewan's past told in the words of people who lived them.
The WDM Family History Album will hold a special place in the exhibit, a place where you can share your family story. Your gift of $500 and your family story will help to create a lasting legacy--exhibits which will present Saskatchewan's history in a dynamic, innovative way and an electronic Family History Album filled with stories and images of living in Saskatchewan. A Heritage Site within the exhibit will provide computer access to your story and images and your name will be permanently inscribed for all to see.
Moose Jaw - transportation
North Battleford - agriculture
Saskatoon - farm life
Yorkton - immigration
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