G u i d e fo r Te a c h e r s
SASKATCHEWAN 1905 – 2005
INTRODUCTION
WINNING THE PRAIRIE GAMBLE: THE SASKATCHEWAN STORY
In Saskatchewan’s centennial year, the Western Development Museum proudly opened the first
stage of four exciting, new centennial exhibits, called Winning the Prairie Gamble: The Saskatchewan
Story. The exhibits are the realization of our centennial dream - four inspiring and innovative new
exhibits in celebration of the spirit of Saskatchewan.
There is a special quality which defines Saskatchewan. It is our sense of self and pride of place that
Winning the Prairie Gamble celebrates. As we embark on our next 100 years, we invite you to enjoy
Winning the Prairie Gamble, knowing that your life and your place in Saskatchewan are an intrinsic
part of these very special centennial exhibits.
Saskatchewan Archives Board R-D-808
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SASKATCHEWAN CENTENNIAL EXHIBITS AT THE WDM
WINNING THE PRAIRIE GAMBLE:
FARM LIFE IN SASKATCHEWAN
SASKATOON WDM
Set the stage with First Nations and Métis communities before 1905. Then, follow the lives of a typical
farm family through 100 years of struggles, challenges and new opportunities as they begin a new
life in Saskatchewan in 1905. Join the family as they travel in a recreated colonist coach. Hear the
hiss of steam as the westward bound train unloads optimistic passengers and their meager, prized
possessions. They arrive with dreams of a prosperous future. Step inside their sod home, hear the
drip of the rain on the roof and the tick of their ancestor’s cherished clock. Feel their losses during the
First World War and their angst during the Spanish Influenza. Appreciate the settler’s reliance on their
First Nations and Métis neighbours. See a harvest time diorama on a First Nations reserve. Tap your
toes to fine Métis fiddling.
Then - on to the booming 1920s in Saskatchewan! See the latest innovations for home and farm at a
1920s fair. Under a bright tent canopy, displays of grain and needlework, canning and baking compete
for prize ribbons. Government departments educate folk about clean and healthy lifestyles. Cheer as
a young Métis rider races his pony. Vintage footage shows prize livestock. Inside the Fun House, see
yourself expand and stretch in the many mirrors. On the heels of prosperity looms the Great Depression.
Move inside the farm home for protection from the wailing wind and clouds of grasshoppers. Hear
stories of strong, proud Saskatchewan people as they struggle to survive the Dirty Thirties.
The King and Queen visit, new jobs are created. Experience patriotic and turbulent times in wartime
Saskatchewan, when sons march off to the Second World War, women carry on and rains return. Lift
your spirits with images and sounds of Saskatchewan’s 1955 Golden Jubilee. Relive the momentous
time when electricity came to prairie farms. See an old farm house kitchen transformed into a modern
one before your eyes.
Within a colourful collage of image and sound, the opportunities and challenges in Saskatchewan in
the 21st century come to life. Explore the technological and scientific revolution and its impact on the
farm. With every step, the journey of 100 years from 1905 to 2005, is an enthralling history lesson.
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WINNING THE PRAIRIE GAMBLE: THE SASKATCHEWAN STORY
MOOSE JAW WDM
The seeds of Medicare were planted and flourished in Saskatchewan. A 19th century medicine chest
invites you to explore Saskatchewan’s health care story. Telling artifacts, interactive components
and video footage inform and awe. Behold a portable X-ray unit used in the testing for tuberculosis.
Breathe as though inside the Emerson respirator called an iron lung. Saskatchewan led the way
in administering the Sabin oral polio vaccine during the 1950s polio outbreak. Appreciate the
organization involved to deliver the vaccine to Saskatchewan communities near and far. Discover
the air ambulance story, the first non-military, government operated air ambulance in North America.
See a Saskatchewan air ambulance landing in a remote area and imagine the relief of the ill or
injured. Be proud of Saskatchewan’s leading role in the Cobalt 60 treatment for cancer.
Is it cold enough for you? Saskatchewan voices confirm our struggle with the elements. Weather
determines the clothes we wear, the vehicles we drive, the kind of homes we build, the sports we
play and the crops we grow. Enjoy an eclectic collection of artifacts that reflect our adaptations to
the climate - from snow suits to sunhats, from foot warmers to air coolers. Laugh at the jokes, solve
weather riddles, enjoy tall tales and true stories.
Next to climate, distance is Saskatchewan’s major challenge. How do you get around when you
are beyond the grid road system and the prairie rail network? The challenge of distance has
made Saskatchewan people innovative. See floats used in northern Saskatchewan. See a boat
manufactured at La Ronge. Discover ingenious snow machines created by Saskatchewan inventors.
Feel the thrill of a bush plane landing on a northern lake. Hear the drone of the engine overhead.
Carrying precious family and supplies, bush planes are synonymous with the North.
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WDM Library, Dodds Collection - 300 Patrol Air
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WDM Library 6-A-10
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WINNING THE PRAIRIE GAMBLE: THE SASKATCHEWAN STORY
NORTH BATTLEFORD WDM
We live in a continent rich in resources in the land, on the land and under the land. An outstanding
WDM artifact, the Phoenix Centiped log hauler greets you. First Nations and newcomers harvest the
land. Museum visitors will enjoy a “ride” down an elevator shaft into an “underground” display of
Saskatchewan minerals. Learn about our coal mining prior to technological advances and today’s
modern methods. The agile can climb through a “gopher hole,” the name coined for the hillside
hollows made in the early days when farmers dug coal for their home stoves.
We are a province of innovators! Learn how farmers coped with our unpredictable land and climate.
Hear success stories like the development of the air seeder. Climb into the cab of a combine. View
grain samples, trophies and models. Investigate an interactive audio-visual component featuring
new machines, new varieties of plants and improved agricultural practice.
“Education is the new buffalo” defines the futuristic First Nations education exhibit. Step into a
structure like a tipi. Cosy into buffalo robes. With the touch of a button, hear elders speak. Discover
how First Nations people traditionally taught their children. Read the Treaties. Study photos of First
Nations children at residential schools and imagine the pathos. Appreciate modern campuses and
colleges like the First Nations University.
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WINNING THE PRAIRIE GAMBLE: THE SASKATCHEWAN STORY
YORKTON WDM
“Following your dreams...gambling on a better way of life” pervades the fabric of Saskatchewan.
Feel the roll of the boat as you stand in the hold during the wave of immigration prior to the First
World War. Sway with the movement of a train travelling towards your new future. Immigration is
not a thing of the past; discover that immigration is very much a part of the present and future. See
why people took a giant leap of faith, left their homelands to seek a brighter future and what awed
them when they arrived in Saskatchewan.
Step inside a real settler’s log shack Smell the history inside the low-ceilinged, rustic, cramped
quarters. Imagine your ancestor living in this dwelling and eeking out a living 100 years ago. Think
about the uneven walls providing shelter for relationships that grew between newcomers and First
Nations neighbours.
Saskatchewan folks work hard ... and play hard. A big, old wardrobe lures you with doors thrown
open and drawers spilling over with a collection of sport and leisure artifacts. The contents reflect a
multitude of leisure pastimes and invite possibilities for interaction. The exhibit captures the sense
of fun and relaxation with sound effects, music, images and videos.
WINNING THE PRAIRIE GAMBLE: THE SASKATCHEWAN STORY
THE TIMELINE WALL
MOOSE JAW WDM
NORTH BATTLEFORD WDM
YORKTON WDM
Encircling Winning the Prairie Gamble in Moose Jaw, North Battleford and Yorkton is the 100 year
Timeline presenting pivotal moments in the Saskatchewan story. Set against a backdrop of world
events, the Timeline captures the essence of Saskatchewan through images, artifacts and words.
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WDM Library 5-A-83
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