WDM Home   |   Contact   

Moose Jaw  -  North Battleford  -  Saskatoon  -  Yorkton

About the Museum

Winning the Prairie
Gamble Exhibits

Family History Album

Volunteers 

George Shepherd Library

Training Programs

Special Features

Remembrance

WDM Calliope

Links

Sitemap

www.ratethismuseum.com

WDM News

(NEW) February 1, 2012 - Celebrate Archives Week with the George Shepherd Library

Did you know that the WDM has a library and archives? The George Shepherd Library is named after George Shepherd, a pioneer homesteader who was also the curator of the museum for more than 20 years.

Today, the library contains over 3,200 reference books, more than 300 journal titles with 27 active subscriptions, 6,000 photographs, slides and negatives, over 20,000 agricultural manuals, parts lists, promotional materials, and mail order catalogues as well as other print material of research value. The collection is non-circulating, but is open to the public for research purposes

Find out more about the George Shepherd Library and Archives Week.

(NEW) January 31, 2012 - Advanced Blacksmithing course set for April

We are very pleased to be hosting Sandra Dunn and Steve White who will share their creative skills with other blacksmiths in Western Canada. Sandra and Steve operate Two Smiths in Kitchener, Ontario where Sandra’s blacksmith skills are combined with Steve’s coppersmith talents in creative and mindful ways.

This is not a beginner course and is restricted to graduates from the WDM Introduction to Blacksmithing course and those who have equivalent blacksmithing experience.

Find out more about the Advanced Blacksmithing course or other WDM Training courses.

January 23, 2012 - Employment Opportunity at the North Battleford WDM

January 23, 2012 -
Sparks Off the Anvil January-March 2012 (PDF)

January 9, 2012 - The Great Canadian Adventure Tour Visits the Saskatoon WDM

The folks from the Great Canadian Adventure Tour stopped by the Saskatoon WDM to experience Saskatchewan as it was in the past. Click the link to check out their blog and video post.

A Peek Back in Time - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

December 20, 2011 - WDM voted
2011 Best Museum in Saskatchewan by readers
of Prairies North Magazine.

http://www.prairiesnorth.com/

December 20, 2011 - WDM Holiday Hours

Moose Jaw WDM
December 24 - CLOSED at 3pm
December 25-26 - CLOSED
December 31 - CLOSED at 3pm
January 1 - CLOSED
January 2 -CLOSED - Monday closing begins

North Battleford WDM
December 24 - CLOSED at 3pm
December 25-January 2 - CLOSED

Saskatoon WDM
December 24 - CLOSED at 3pm
December 25-26 - CLOSED
December 27-30 - OPEN 9am-5pm
December 31 - CLOSED at 3pm
January 1 - CLOSED
January 2 - CLOSED - Monday closing begins

Yorkton WDM
December 24 - CLOSED
December 25-26 - CLOSED
December 27-30 - OPEN 9am-5pm
December 31 - CLOSED
January 1 - CLOSED - Monday closing begins

For dates outside this list, please check our Hours and Admission webpage. 

December 1, 2011 - It's beginning to look at lot like Christmas at the WDMs

Celebrate the holiday season with the WDM.

Moose Jaw
   November 19 - Kid's Secret Shopping Day
       Vote on your favourite
       Gingerbread Creation!

North Battleford WDM
   December 9 & 10 - Christmas Party
   December 16-18 - A Prairie Christmas


Saskatoon WDM
   November 1-January15, 2012 - Eaton's Christmas Display  
   November 1 - December 15 - Shaw Toy Tree
   November 20-26 - Festival of Trees
   December 18 - Carolling Sunday

Teachers: Be sure to check out our Education Website to find out about special seasonal school programs.

November 28, 2011 - Cancer Bomb Exhibit Opening and Panel Discussion

The original Cobalt-60 Beam Therapy Unit, also known as the cobalt bomb, will be on permanent display at the Saskatoon Western Development Museum (WDM) as the focal point of an exhibit titled Cancer Bomb. The WDM considers the cobalt bomb to be one of the most important artifacts in its collection. In 1951, the cobalt-60 “bomb” for treating cancer was built in Saskatoon by a dedicated team of scientists and machinists. This machine, and others like it, has saved the lives of millions of cancer patients around the world.

The cobalt bomb is a shining example of Saskatchewan’s innovation in health care research – an innovation that had a worldwide impact. Dr. Harold Johns and his colleagues at the University of Saskatchewan’s Department of Physics were the first in the world to build a machine that successfully treated a cancer patient with an accurately calibrated dose of cobalt-60 radiation.

The Official Exhibit Opening will be held on Sunday, December 4, 2011 at 1:00 pm at the Saskatoon Western Development Museum. Following the formal opening ceremony, the WDM has organized, in partnership with the University of Saskatchewan, a Panel Discussion by experts from the field of nuclear medicine on the legacy of the cobalt bomb. Speakers will include Dr. Paul Babyn and Dr. John Root from the U of S in Saskatoon, and Dr. David Pantalony from the Canada Science and Technology Museum, Ottawa.

November 21, 2011 -
Sparks Off the Anvil November-December 2011 (PDF)

November 16, 2011 - Saskatoon WDM Welcomes Festival of Trees November 20-26

The popular Festival of Trees takes place from Sunday, November 20 through Saturday, November 26, from 9 am to 9 pm daily. The Festival is the annual fundraiser for the Saskatoon City Hospital Foundation. This year’s proceeds will be used to support the Saskatchewan Clinical MS Research Program. The Boomtown Café will be open during the Festival and will be offering daily lunch and supper specials. For more information on the Festival of Trees, please contact the Festival office at (306) 384-9277, by email at festivaloftrees@sasktel.net or visit their website at www.festival-of-trees.com.

November 15, 2011 - National Philanthropy Day

Congratulations to Butler Byers Insurance, the WDM's 2011 Honoured Supporter Award Recipent.

As the 100th anniversary of Butler Byers Insurance approached, Drew Byers sought a legacy project that would both mark the occasion and make a difference in the community. The firm's roots in Saskatoon's early history led to a significant contribution to the Western Development Museum, creating Butler Byers Century Hall in Saskatoon. The Western Development Museum is grateful for this capacity-building support that honours the link between our community's past and its future.

November 14, 2011 - Introduction to Wheelwrighting Course

Offered annually in January at the WDM Curatorial Centre in Saskatoon, this one-week Introduction to Wheelwrighting course teaches the basics of repairing and rebuilding wooden wheels. The class is taught by two wheelwrights, Roy Musgrove of Saskatoon, and Doran Degenstein of Fort MacLeod, Alberta. It has attracted participants from across Canada, including other museum employees and horse-owners interested in restoring heritage horse-drawn equipment.

Course Dates: January 13-20, 2012

For more information, visit our Training Courses webpage.

November 14, 2011 - Buggy Seat Upholstery

The Buggy Seat Upholstery course is offered for three days each January following the Introduction to Wheelwrighting course.  The course teaches all aspects of buggy seat re-construction, padding and upholstering.  Tufted upholstery will be the style taught.  The class deals only with foam rubber padding, not springs. The class is designed to teach you how to repair, pad and upholster a standard buggy seat. 

Course Dates: January 11-13, 2012

For more information, visit our Training Courses webpage.

November 7, 2011 - Honouring Veterans' Week November 5-11, 2011













WDM Remembrance Day Hours:
    Moose Jaw WDM - OPEN 12 noon -5 pm
    North Battleford WDM - CLOSED
    Saskatoon WDM - CLOSED
    Yorkton - CLOSED

At the Moose Jaw WDM: For Veterans’ Week, November 5 to 11, the Moose Jaw WDM is offering free admission to veterans, peacekeepers and Department of National Defence personnel, with identification, as our grateful acknowledgement of service. The Moose Jaw WDM will not open until 12:00 noon. on November 11, to allow staff to attend Remembrance Day Services.

At the Saskatoon WDM:
Remembering WWII and the 1940s
A Collection of Artwork by Shirley Nygren
October 19-November 16, 2011

When studying stories and pouring over the amazing photographs from the war years, Nygren was inspired and moved by the dedication and perseverance among family, friends and community to work together to support those men and women who went to war.

November 3, 2011 - Canadian Science and Engineering Hall of Fame Exhibit comes to Moose Jaw WDM

Canada has a long and proud tradition of excellence in science, engineering and innovation. Come and visit the Canada Science and Engineering Hall of Fame travelling exhibit to learn more! Perhaps you will be inspired by the stories of these Canadians to become a scientist, engineer or innovator. Visit the Canadian Science and Technology Museums Corporation website for their Hall of Fame Web Exhibition.

The exhibit opens today and runs until January 15, 2012.

Canadian Science and Engineering Hall of Fame Media Release (PDF)

October 24, 2011 - Halloween at the WDMs


Looking for a safe, warm place for family fun this Halloween?

Moose Jaw WDM: Happy Halloween

North Battleford WDM: Great Pumpkin Masquerade

Saskatoon WDM: Boo Town 2011

October 24, 2011 - Last Day of Saskatchewan Library Week: Historical Prices at the WDM George Shepherd Library

If you would like to know the prices of various household, agricultural and hardware items, take a look in the Ashdown’s and Marshall-Wells catalogues in the Library. These catalogues illustrate and describe the product, as well as listing the price. These wholesalers from Winnipeg supplied local hardware stores in Saskatchewan towns and cities. We also have Eaton’s and Simpson’s catalogues that illustrate clothes, furniture, and many other items, along with their prices. As well as these catalogues, we also have specialized price lists in our Library. Included are the prices of home milk delivery (1972 and 1975), school textbooks (1941 to 1947), grocery stores (1934, 1940 and 1957), among others. If you want to know when a particular item was available, and what it cost, check out our George Shepherd Library.

More information about the George Shepherd Library and its collections has been posted below throughout Saskatchewan Library Week 2011.

October 20, 2011 - Planet S Magazine readers vote for Saskatoon WDM

Readers of Planet S Magazine have voted Saskatoon WDM as one of the "best places to take an out-of-towner." According to the Magazine:
"Whether it’s River Landing, Meewasin Valley trails, the weir or any number of riverside parks, riverside is the place to impress by far. But what’s also impressive is the incredible variety of places our voters favour to make an impression — there just isn’t the room to list them all, so here are the runners-up: Berry Barn, Broadway Avenue, Western Development Museum and downtown. Way to go, civic pride!"

Read more of Planet S Magazine's "Best of Saskatoon" list.

October 20, 2011 - Celebrate Saskatchewan Library Week: Books & Magazines

The Library began collecting books about 60 years ago. The strength of the book collection is the local histories, the earliest of which date from the 1920s. We have reference books on dolls, furniture, fashion, the Canadian military, railways, city directories (Regina and Saskatoon with a few from Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, and Yorkton), cookbooks, aircraft, toys and dolls and games, musical instruments, scientific instruments, harness equipment, barns, and Saskatchewan history. The magazine collection contains current publications and ones that are out of print. The holdings reflect the interests and work of the Museum, including Prairie Forum, Saskatchewan History, Gas Engine Magazine, Nor’-West Farmer, Motor in Canada, Canadian National Railways Magazine, Western Home Monthly, and Chatelaine. As well as articles on various subjects, some of these magazines contain advertisements that are a rich source of information.

More information about the George Shepherd Library and its collections will be posted throughout the week.

October 19, 2011 - Celebrate Saskatchewan Library Week: Automotive Pamphlets

The WDM George Shepherd Library has a collection of automobile pamphlets, arranged alphabetically by company name and, within company, chronologically by date of publication. Companies represented include current manufacturers like Chrysler, General Motors, Ford, Toyota, Nissan, and Volkswagen. Also represented are companies that have disappeared like American Motors, Diamond T, Studebaker and Reo. There are sale brochures, operators’ manuals, parts books, and service manuals. Supplementing these pamphlets is other material produced for the automobile and truck market, including carburetor manuals, gasket guides and accessory catalogues. If you want information for a restoration or just what to know more about a particular car, check with us; we may have what you need.

More information about the George Shepherd Library and its collections will be posted throughout the week.

October 18, 2011 - Persons Day in Canada

Did you know that today is Persons Day in Canada? Persons Day recognizes the court decision on Oct. 18, 1929 that women were to be considered "persons" for all purposes under the British North America Act. Henrietta Muir Edwards, Nellie McClung, Louise McKinney, Emily Murphy and Irene Parlby are known as the "famous five" women behind the Persons Case. The wedding dress worn by one of the women is in the Western Development Museum collection.

October 18, 2011 - Celebrate Saskatchewan Library Week with the WDM: Agricultural Machinery Pamphlets

Advance-Rumely, J. I. Case Threshing Machine Co., Massey-Ferguson, Nichols & Shepard, Minneapolis-Moline, Cockshutt, George White & Sons—these are some of the companies represented in the WDM George Shepherd Library’s collection of agricultural machinery pamphlets. The largest single holding is International Harvester. Arranged alphabetically by manufacturer’s name, these pamphlets occupy 65 m of shelf space. The earliest material dates to the 1860s. Included are sales brochures, operators’ manuals, parts books, service manuals, and price lists. If you are trying to identify a plow, have a question about a clutch on a tractor, want the specifications of a threshing machine or combine, give us a call.

More information about the George Shepherd Library and its collections will be posted throughout the week.

October 17, 2011 - Celebrate Saskatchewan Library Week with the WDM: A Treasure, the George Shepherd Library

Within the Curatorial Centre of the Western Development Museum in Saskatoon you will find the George Shepherd Library. Named after a curator of the Museum in its early years, the Library is filled with material on history, agricultural machinery, tools and equipment, cars and trucks, clothes and jewellery, radios and televisions, among other subjects. It is a reference non-lending library, open Monday to Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Research staff will answer your inquiries made in person, by phone, by fax, or by email. The Library is a treasure trove of information—what question can we answer for you?

More information about the George Shepherd Library and its collections will be posted throughout the week.

October 3, 2011 - Rug Hooking Workshop at Moose Jaw WDM

On October 15 and 16, from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm each day, the Moose Jaw WDM will be hosting a Rug Hooking Workshop. This is a beginners class. Kits will be available at an additional cost or bring your current project and have an expert give you a hand. Experts from Heritage Rug Hookers of Saskatoon will lead the workshop and assist beginners to the craft.

September 28, 2011 - Culture Days at the WDM


Culture Days was launched in 2010 as a way to promote heritage and culture across Canada. In celebration of Canadian culture, enjoy a FREE visit to a WDM on:


Friday September 30, 9am-5pm at North Battleford WDM: Come see us on Culture Day to see Ukrainian, Scottish and First Nation dancers. Ethnic societies in the Battlefords are pitching in to share their traditions, including tasty recipes for cooks and playthings for the young-hearted. Enjoy storytelling, self-guided tours, and a host of activities that celebrate our lives in Canada today.
Sunday October 1, noon-5pm at Yorkton WDM:  This year we are encouraging children to bring someone along from an older generation – a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or even a neighbour – to work together on a “Tell Me About the Good Old Days” activity book. . Also part of the event will be screenings of videos from the Yorkton Film Festival.  Members of the Yorkton Threshermen’s Club will have muffins, cookies and refreshments for sale to round out an enjoyable afternoon at the Museum.

Sunday October 2, 9am-5pm at Moose Jaw WDM: From 1:00-4:00 pm we will offer a variety of activities and demonstrations to highlight the Saskatchewan culture. Olga & Friends will perform at 2pm. Author Marie Donais Calder will be on hand to sign copies of her works.

Sunday October 2, 9am-5pm at Saskatoon WDM: We will be offering special programming such as pioneer demonstrations and wagon rides. We are pleased to be hosting the Saskatoon Area Archives Group and their speakers who will be discussing “breweriana” and various aspects of brewing. The Hub City Square and Round Dancers will also be demonstrating their skills and they invite you to join them.

Visit the Culture Days website for more information about the nation-wide initiative.

September 22, 2011 - Blacksmithing Course Dates and Information Posted

The Introduction to Blacksmithing course is offered in a weekend format during the winter season. It is held at the WDM Curatorial Centre in Saskatoon. Basic forging techniques are taught, including flattening, squaring, splitting, binding and welding.

2011-2012 Course Dates:
     December 9-11, 2011
     January 6-8, 2012
     February 10-12, 2012
     March 2-4, 2012

September 22, 2011 - Celebrating National Forest Week

Did you know...Saskatchewan's tallest tree is in Prince Albert National Park on the Treebeard Hiking Trail? The tree is a white spruce that is just over 36.6 metres (120 feet) tall. The tree with the widest girth is on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River south of Blaine Lake. It is a cross between a plains cottonwood and a balsam poplar. It measures more than 4.88 metres (16 feet) around.

Click the photo above for a look a white spruce tree along the Treebeard Hiking Trail.

September 21, 2011 - Celebrating National Forest Week

Did you know...there is a Saskatchewan community that calls itself the Caragana Capital of Canada? Conquest is located southwest of Saskatoon. During the 1930s, farmers planted miles of caraganas as shelterbelts to help control wind erosion.

September 20, 2011 - Celebrating National Forest Week

Did you know...half of the province of Saskatchewan (23.7 million hectares) is covered in forested land? 

Click the picture to the left for a better look at a trail through a Saskatchewan's forest near Waskesiu.

September 19, 2011 -
Sparks Off the Anvil September - October 2011 (PDF)

September 19, 2011 - Celebrate National Forest Week |September 18-24 with Saskatchewan forest facts.
 
Did you know...Saskatchewan's provincial tree is the White Birch? Click the picture on the left for a better view of a white birch tree.

Check back tomorrow for another forest related tid-bit.

Visit the Canadian Forestry Association website for more information about National Forest Week.

September 14, 2011 - WDM Contributes Artifacts for Exhibit at Wanuskewin Heritage Park

On September 13, Governor General David Johnston officially opened Mistatim - I Honour You, an exhibit that explores the place of the horse in the culture of First Nations people of the northern plains.

The WDM is pleased to lend artifacts for the exhibit featured in Wanuskewin's Great Hall until July, 2012. A miniature farm wagon and bob sleigh, miniature tipi decorated with horse figures, miniature log cabin, pack saddle, nose guard, bit, horseshoe, hobbles and a reproduction of a Jackfish Lake rodeo poster are showcased among paintings and artifacts lent by other institutions.

Above: Governor General David Johnston and his wife Sharon view a pack saddle, one of the artifacts loaned by the WDM.

September 11, 2011 - Break and Entry at North Battleford WDM

The North Battleford Western Development Museum was the scene of a break and entry Friday night, September 10, 2011. A number of Village Heritage Buildings and artifacts were vandalized. If you wish to help, please contact Joyce Smith at 306-445-8033.

Thank you.
Joyce Smith, Manager
Western Development Museum
P.O. Box 183 North Battleford, SK S9A 2Y1

September 8, 2011 - Happy International Literacy Day!

Did you know...in 1937 Professor Wilson, then head of the English department at the University of Saskatchewan, published "Birth of Language"? The book achieved worldwide acclaim. George Bernard Shaw said of the work, "I learned that it was at Saskatoon, a place of which I had never heard, and that his [Wilson’s] university was that of Saskatchewan, which was connected in my imagination with ochred and feathered Indians rather than with a university apparently half a century ahead of Cambridge in science and of Oxford in common sense."

Celebrate International Literacy Day by curling up with a work written by a Governor General’s Award winning author from Saskatchewan. Need some suggestions? Fred Wah, Robert Calder, Guy Vanderhaeghe, Arthur Slade, and Allen Sapp are just a few of the many wonderful authors and illustrators to come out of our province.

(NEW) September 8, 2011 - WDM volunteers in parades across Saskatchewan

Members of the Saskatchewan Pleasure Driving Association (SPDA) and their horses made appearances in parades across the province this summer. Watch out for them as they visit Dundurn on September 10th. Parade dates and more information are available on the SPDA webpage.

August 31, 2011 - Joan Champ Highlighted in Saskatoon Express


Read the article "Champ Natural for WDM Position" by  Ned Powers in Saskatoon Express August 29, 2011 (page 3) to learn more about the WDM's new Executive Director.

August 30, 2011 - Season Ends for WDM Short Line 101

It’s only been a few short weeks since the WDM Short Line 101 returned to the Western Development Museum - Moose Jaw and the last run of the 2011 season is already here. The last days in 2011 that the Short Line will be on Sunday, September 4th and Monday, September 5th. Trips start at 12 noon and continue every 20 minutes with the last trip leaving the station at 3:40 pm (weather permitting). Tickets are available at the Museum and are only $2.00 per person aged two and up.

The funds raised through tickets sales go to maintaining the Short Line and track and to repaying the loan to replace the boiler. Only 15,000 people need to ride the train to repay our loan fully! Railway ties are still available for $100.00 and can be used to mark any special occasion.

The Short Line is run and maintained by the volunteers of the Moose Jaw Steam and Rail Association, in 2012 the Short Line will run most weekends from the Victoria Day weekend through the Labour Day weekend, weather permitting., Operating the Short Line requires a special licence, the Limited Power Engineer (Traction) Licence. If you are interested in volunteering or in taking classes to get your licence please call Kathy Fitton at 693-5989.

You can also read about the Short Line 101 in the August 25, 2011 Moose Jaw Times Herald article "Short Line 101 season ending soon" by Carter Haydu.

August 24, 2011 - Employment Opportunity - Moose Jaw WDM hiring Visitor Services Casual/On-Call

August 15, 2011 - WDM Wins Parade Awards

The WDM Yukon Stage (with volunteers Roy Musgrove and Paul Carson and their horses Lana & Blue) won the Heavy Horse category of the Prince Albert Exhibition Parade on August 1. They carried Mayor Jim Scarrow and his grandkids along the parade route. Volunteer Myron Middleton, with horses Queenie, Sadie and little foal, Snip, also attended the parade. They had the honour of carrying MLA Nadine Wilson in the WDM vis-à-vis. View photos of the Prince Albert parade on the PA Now website.

The WDM was well represented in the Saskatoon Exhibition Parade on August 9, with the WDM Calliope, WDM Yukon Stage (driven by volunteer Myron Middleton), Museum Monkey, and WDM Outriders, WDM stagecoach, WDM vis-à-vis, a buggy, and a Ford Model A Phaeton all taking part. The horse drawn vehicles were operated by volunteers from the Saskatoon Pleasure Driving Association and they carried various dignitaries. The Ford Model A also carried dignitaries and was driven by members of the Pioneer Threshermen's Club. The WDM Yukon Stage won the Harness Team category. The WDM Outriders were the Mounted Group runners-up. Photos of the Saskatoon Exhibition Parade are available on The Star Phoenix website. See if you can spot the WDM calliope in the second row of photos, the WDM Monkey catching a ride in the third row, and the WDM Yukon Stage in rows 4 and 5? Also, check out the CTV gallery of Saskatoon Exhibition parade photos for a great shot of the WDM Calliope.

Congratulations to all volunteers and staff involved!

July 27, 2011 -

WDM Annual Report 2010-2011 (PDF)

July 14, 2011 -
Sparks Off The Anvil July-August 2011 (PDF)

July 7, 2011 - WDM proudly announces Joan Champ as new Executive Director

The Western Development Museum Board of Directors is very pleased to announce that Joan Champ will assume the position of WDM Executive Director, commencing July 2011.

Ms. Champ, a historian with a Master’s degree in western Canadian history from the University of Saskatchewan, has worked in exhibits production at the WDM for the past ten years. Previously, she worked as a historian and heritage consultant on a wide variety of projects throughout the province.

“I am honoured to have been selected to lead an organization that I feel so passionately about,” Champ said. “There will be challenges ahead, but I am confident that with the ongoing support of Museum visitors, members, governments, sponsors, board members, volunteers and staff, we can steer the dynamic yet steady course that has always exemplified the operations of the WDM.”

Full Press Release (PDF)

July 6, 2011 - FREEDOM! At a Price - New Travelling Exhibit at Saskatoon WDM

Travel back to the 1800s to learn about slavery, the escape route called the Underground Railroad, and the challenges freedom seekers faced if they finally reached the "Promised Land" of Canada. In the 1850s approximately 40,000 Black refugees entered Canada from the United States, helped by such famous "conductors" as Harriet Tubman, who operated for a time from a base in St. Catharines, Ontario.

Passages to Freedom: Secrets of the Underground Railroad is a temporary exhibit organized and circulated by the Welland Historical Museum / organisée et mise en tournee par le Musée Historique de Welland. It features slave narratives, a large model of a slave cabin, models of a plantation and safe-house, interactive components and clues to the secrets about fleeing to freedom.

This exhibit is sponsored by the Welland Historical Museum and the Department of Canadian Heritage. It will be on display from July 4, 2011 to September 5, 2011 at the Saskatoon Western Development Museum.

Full Press Release (PDF)

July 6, 2011 - WDM Steam Traction Engine Operation Course Dates Announced

The Western Development Museum will be holding a Steam Traction Engine Operation course September 3-11, 2011 at the Curatorial Centre. This course is designed for people with mechanical knowledge and handyman skills who are interested in learning to operate and maintain steam traction engines. If you are interested in taking this course, please visit the WDM Training webpage for more information.

July 5, 2011 - Bees at the Saskatoon WDM

The Saskatoon Western Development Museum has opened an unusual and new feature exhibit. This summer you will be able to take a closer look at what goes on inside a beehive.

A hive of bees provided by the Saskatoon Bee Club will be on display in the lobby of the Saskatoon WDM until August. The hive is one of two belonging to the club and is not typical of what you might see in a farmer’s field. It has been designed and built to allow people to see bees at work in their hive.

Full Press Release (PDF)

 June 28, 2011- ALL
Sparks Off The Anvil June 2011 (PDF)

June 28, 2011 - WDM 2011 Years of Service Recognition

Moose Jaw WDM 15 Years Kathy Fitton 5 Years Shirley Stenko	North Battleford WDM 15 Years Cheryl Stewart 5 Years Howard Senger
Saskatoon WDM 20 Years Marion Smale 15 Years Michelle Pierlot 10 Years Darlene Rans 5 Years Marilyn Coakwell Janice Shaw Corinne Daelick	Curatorial Centre 30 Years Warren Clubb Brian Newman David Klatt 10 Years Dianne Craig Joan Champ

June 28, 2011 - Pion-Era Honoured by Tourism Saskatoon

On June 8, 2011, Tourism Saskatoon held an event to recognize the efforts of organizations and individuals in promoting Saskatoon tourism through various events. A gala event was held at the Sheraton Cavalier where awards were presented to 11 individuals. Pion-Era was recognized for being part of the Saskatoon community since 1955. Brenda Mundell accepted the award for Pion-Era which was being honoured in the Annual Festivals category. Brenda acknowledged the efforts of our many volunteers for the work put into Pion-Era over the years. Pion-Era could not have been successful for so many years without the tireless efforts of our volunteers. Thank you to Brenda as well, for her guidance in planning Pion-Era for the past four years. Visit the Pion-Era 2011 website for details about this year's event.

Read more about about Pion-Era in the Saskatoon Sun July 3, 2011.

Full Press Release (PDF)

June 27, 2011 - Pion-Era 2011 plans underway

On July 9-10, The Museum grounds will come alive with the hiss of the steam whistle, the buzz of the old sawmill and the clip-clop of horses. Pion-Era 2011 promises a unique Story of Threshing show a Parade of Power with steam, gas and horsedrawn vehicles, children’s activities, homemade bread and jam, entertainment inside and outside, a fashion show featuring clothing from the WDM collection, and many more family activities.

Visit the Pion-Era 2011 webpage for more information.

June 27, 2011 - Yorkton WDM participates in Yorkton D-Day Remembrance Service

Yorkton WDM once again participated in the Yorkton D-Day Remembrance Service. The WDM bus was on hand to give a ride to veterans who were not able to march. The Service honours those who made the supreme sacrifice for our country. See more photos here.

June 22, 2011 - WDM Calliope Begins Another Busy Summer Season

The WDM Calliope has a very distinctive sound that has been enlivening parades and events across Saskatchewan for many years. Its keyboard resembles a piano or organ, but it produces sound by sending steam through whistles. When each key is pressed, it opens a valve that allows pressurized steam from the boiler to escape through a corresponding whistle, producing a specific tone. The WDM calliope is one of only two operating examples in all of Canada.

Where can you see the Calliope in action? It's first showing this year will be in the Moose Jaw Hometown Parade tomorrow, June 23.

For the rest of the 2011 Calliope summer schedule or to learn more about the unique instrument, visit the WDM Calliope webpage.

BONUS: Check out our Calliope player's version of Green is the Colour!

June 22, 2011 - Moose Jaw WDM Colouring Contest

Celebrate the Short Line's return by colouring the Short Line Bear! Contest closes July 22, 2011.

June 24, 2011 - Moose Jaw WDM Short Line 101 Inaugural Run A Success

After two years’ absence, Saskatchewan’s only operating steam locomotive has returned to Moose Jaw. The 1914 Vulcan locomotive on the Short Line Railway is all steamed up, ready to take visitors for rides around the grounds of the Moose Jaw Western Development Museum. Despite the damp weather, s crowd gathered at 1:00 pm on Saturday, June 18 to celebrate Inaugural Run.

Full Press Release (PDF).

Photos of the reboilering and restoration process are available on the Short Line 101 website.

June 21, 2011 - BMO Bank of Montreal Sponsors WDM Saskatchewan Theatres

The BMO-Bank of Montreal, the Western Development Museum's bank since 1949, has sponsored three elegant and intimate theatres within the Winning the Prairie Gamble: The Saskatchewan Story exhibits in WDMs in Moose Jaw, North Battleford and Yorkton.

BMO’s Mike Darling, Vice-President, Saskatchewan BMO’s brought the $70,000 cheque for presentation to Jack Hay, WDM Board Chair at a Sponsorship Recognition event held at the Yorkton WDM on June 18, 2011.

More information and photos.

June 15, 2011 - Moose Jaw WDM Short Line 101 Inaugural Run Announced

Join the celebration June 18, 2011, rain or shine, as we welcome the Short Line 101 back to the Moose Jaw WDM.  The WDM steam crew will be on hand to fire up the Vulcan 0-4-0 locomotive for its first run.
Inaugural Run Celebrations begin at 1:00 pm.

Full Press Release (PDF).

Photos of the reboilering and restoration process are available on the Short Line 101 website.

June 15, 2011 - Yorkton WDM Canada Day Colouring Contest

Kids, show your Canadian pride - enter our Canada Day Colouring Contest. Contest closes June 28 at
5:00 pm.

June 7, 2011 - Moose Jaw WDM Short Line 101 Returning June 18!

The Short Line Vulcan 0-4-0 locomotive is completed and ready for its journey back to Moose Jaw. Its inaugural run will be June 18, 2011 - rain or shine. Wonder how we are transporting it from the WDM Curatorial Centre in Saskatoon to the Moose Jaw WDM? Check out photos on the Short Line 101 Updates webpage.

June 7, 2011 - WDM volunteers in parades across Saskatchewan

Members of the Saskatchewan Pleasure Driving Association and their horses will be making appearances in parades across the province this summer. Watch out for them as they visit Dalmeny, Moose Jaw, Simpson, Prince Albert, Saskatoon, and Laird. Parade dates and more information are available on the SPDA webpage.

June 7, 2011 - WDMs in the News

This week, read about the Moose Jaw and Saskatoon WDMs in:
     "Fun Had at Children's Festival" - Moose Jaw Times Herald
     "How to Build an Affordable Net Zero Home" - Saskatoon HOME Magazine

June 2, 2011 - Moose Jaw WDM Short Line 101 Progress Updates

The Short Line Vulcan 0-4-0 locomotive is ready for its journey back to Moose Jaw. Check out the completed locomotive on the Short Line 101 Updates webpage. The newly restored Short Line's Inaugural Run will be June 18, 2011.

May 30, 2011 - WDMs in the News

This week, read about WDMs in:
      "52 reasons to love Saskatoon: Western Development Museum" - The StarPhoenix
      "Classic car show finds home at transportation museum" - Moose Jaw Times Herald
      "New doc in town" - Battlefords News-Optimist

May 30, 2011 - Museums Association of Saskatchewan Honours David Klatt

This month's edition of the Museums Association of Saskatchewan Megaphone newsletter celebrates the career of "a highly respected and knowledgeable member of the museum community", David Klatt, currently Executive Director of the WDM. The article notes that Klatt served eight years as a member of the MAS Board of Directors and one term as president. In 2005 MAS awarded David with its highest accolade – the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the provincial museum community. Click here to read the full article.

May 19, 2011 - Congratulations to Parks Canada on their 100th Anniversary!

Parks Canada protects 167 national historic sites, 42 national parks and 4 national marine conservation areas, including Prince Albert National Park, pictured here in 1938.

Photo Credit: Western Development Museum Barton Collection

May 19, 2011 - VerEco Homes Inc wins SABEX Award

Congratulations to VerEco Homes Inc for winning a Saskatoon Achievement in Business Excellence (SABEX) Award in the Environmental Sustainability Category for their VerEco Home located at the Saskatoon WDM. 

May 18, 2011 - North Battleford WDM Opens New Doctor's Office Exhibit

A new building was opened in the North Battleford WDM Heritage Village. The building is a Doctor's Office, complete with an in house druggist display. Mayors from both Battleford and North Battleford were in attendance to help open the new exhibit.

May 16, 2011 - Tweet your Museum Memories on May 17

Do you have any special memories of a visit to a WDM? The theme for this year's May 18 International Museum Day is “Museum and Memory.” In the run up to this, the online project Museum Memories invites you to share your memorable museum moments on Tuesday May 17 with the hashtag #MusMem. The tweets will be collected and shared on the Museum Memories website. Add the hashtag #skwdm to share them on the WDM Twitter feed as well.

May 16, 2011 - WDM joins Twitter

Follow the WDM on Twitter and share your thoughts with us using the #skwdm hashtag.

May 13, 2011 - Saskatoon WDM welcomes “Saskatchewan’s Finest Midway” Showcase Exhibit

Nicholas P. Lewchuk came with his family fromUkraine to Saskatchewan in 1902. In 1918, “Professor Lew’chuk, the Magician” appeared on stage for the first time, holding his audience spellbound with displays of illusion, fire-eating, lock-and-chain escapes, pantomime, and juggling.

The Lewchuk showcase exhibit will be on display in Saskatoon for a year, after which it will travel to the Yorkton, Moose Jaw and North Battleford Western Development Museum locations.

May 12, 2011 - Moose Jaw WDM hosts
Grain Elevators: Vanishing Prairie Landmarks temporary exhibit

This exhibit is a display of wall hangings done by traditional rug hookers.  It is a fiber art project organized by the Heritage Rug Hookers of Saskatoon.

Grain Elevators: Vanishing Prairie Landmarks
On Display:
    Moose Jaw WDM: May 7 to July 23, 2011
    Saskatoon WDM: July 30 to September 25, 2011

May 9, 2011 - WDM VOLUNTEERS - We couldn’t do it without them!

The Western Development Museum is proud of the volunteer hours that have been donated by our very dedicated volunteer core in 2010. 58,917 hours of volunteer service were donated to the four WDM locations in the province, Moose Jaw, North Battleford, Saskatoon, Yorkton and the Curatorial Centre. Interested in volunteering? Our volunteers range in age from 16 to 91 years of age and work on everything from vintage aircraft restoration, quilting, telegraphy, rope making, tour guides, steam tractor operators to Christmas crafts.

Full Press Release (PDF).

April 21, 2011 - Students pick Top 5 Spots at the Saskatoon WDM

The WDM hosts a variety of Work Experience placements from schools across the province. Recently, two students from the Saskatoon EcoQuest program were placed at the WDM Curatorial Centre. They spent three days working with staff and learning about behind-the-scenes museum jobs like artifact cataloguing and conservation. They also toured both the Curatorial Centre and the Saskatoon WDM. Their final project was to write about their favourite parts of the Saskatoon WDM. Find out what they had to say.

April 18, 2011 - WDM Director Bids Farewell

After 20 years at the helm of the Western Development Museum network across Saskatchewan, and a previous 10 years as Manager of the Saskatoon WDM, David Klatt has announced that he will be leaving the Museum at the end of June, to pursue new challenges.

Klatt takes leave from the WDM with a legacy of accomplishments to his credit.

The WDM Board and staff bid a fond farewell to David, and wish him the very best in his future endeavours.

Full Media Release (PDF)

April 18, 2011- ALL
Sparks Off The Anvil April - May 2011 (PDF)

April 15, 2011 - Behind-The-Scenes: Building theYorkton WDM Clay Oven

The Yorkton WDM clay oven was built in 1975 on the farm of William K. Elaschuk with the assistance of Bob Pearce and Mike Nabozniak (all members of the Yorkton Threshermen’s Club). The walls are made from clay and flax straw.

April 13, 2011 - Behind-The-Scenes: Winning the Prairie Gamble exhibits
One of the most popular features of the “Winning the Prairie Gamble” exhibits in Yorkton, Moose Jaw and North Battleford are the 200-foot-long Timelines that run around the perimeter walls of each of the exhibits. Major Saskatchewan events are represented on the Timelines, using WDM artifacts, photos, videos, rotating spools, and text. The building of the Timelines was a monumental task for the Western Development Museum’s staff and exhibit contractors. See how much work went into the planning and construction of the Timelines.

April 8, 2011 - WDM Blacksmith Course in The Western Producer

WDM Advanced Blacksmithing course instructors John Monteath and Brenda Field were highlighted in the The Western Producer April 7, 2011 edition and on the author's blog.