The communities of Watrous and Manitou Beach boast a rich story that is unique in the province. The communities, only a few kilometres apart, are linked by commerce, industry, services, but most of all their history. The many stories of the region’s development are told eloquently at the Watrous – Manitou Beach Heritage Centre in the heart of downtown Watrous.
The Heritage Centre is more than a museum. While it does contain artifacts, it’s detailed story boards, audio-visual representations, and incredible models, lovingly crafted by Orin McIntosh, give visitors a deep and multi-faceted look at both communities’ development and vibrant current day life.
The Heritage Centre is housed in the former provincial government building and TD Bank on Main Street.
Administrator Paula Letkeman was our guide when Discover Humboldt took in the Centre’s Indigenous Heritage Displays. Letkeman explained the panels that gave an overview of the Cree Language along with the interactive sound modules that provided listeners a sampling of words in different Cree Dialects.
Also on display in the main room is the colour quilt exhibition by Diane Janvier-Duggan. The quilts represent an introduction to an ongoing work interpreting the 94 Calls to Action resulting from the Truth and Reconciliation Committee Report.
One half of the second floor represents the history of Manitou Beach. Known for centuries by Indigenous people for Little Manitou Lake’s remarkable restorative waters, the lake and land around it were treated with reverence, and artwork depicts the practice of bringing the injured and ill to the curative water.
Pre-historic times are represented with a displayed wooly mammoth partial molar, discovered on the shores on Manitou Beach in 1959. The tooth is believed to be approximately 12,000 years old. Arrowheads and images of tipi rings unearthed on a pair of farms bordering the lake are evidence of traditional Indigenous people’s lives. Well known Elder and Indigenous leader Noel Starblanket blessed the land.
Another room chronicles the remarkable salt that characterizes the water, giving its natural healing properties and remarkable buoyancy. Representations of salt gathering and brine shrimp harvesting adorn the walls.
“There used to be a little processing plant here (for brine shrimp),” Paula explained. “The brine shrimp were harvest using fine nets, freeze dried them and put them in containers. The final product was dried brine shrimp which people would buy for their tropical fish.”
Of course, the big draw to Manitou Beach, from as early as 1910 has been the bath houses. The two most notable, the White’s Pool and the Chalet Pool, offered an indoor, warm water experience with many amenities and health services available at the beach.
Remarkably detailed models of the chalets and the renowned Danceland were crafted by Orin McIntosh. He also built a detailed scale model of the iconic CBK Radio Building, for years a recognizable piece of architecture on the outskirts of Watrous. The CBC studios and transmitter, complete with a nuclear fallout shelter, were positioned in Watrous for a number of reasons, says Letkeman.
“They picked Watrous because its on the main CN rail line, and that’s important for its telegraphic communication in a time when the telephone was not yet reliable. Also, it’s central location has no physical obstruction because it’s open prairie. The last reason was the mineral content of the soil, like that of Little Manitou Lake, provides strong conductivity, which increases the power so that the reach of the radio signal is significant.”
Throughout the building the trappings of life in the prairie communities weave together a story of hardships and triumphs, of challenging beginnings and progress toward the vibrancy of today. Early school life, home life, businesses, communications, postal service are all part of the curated pieces.
Add in the remarkable craftsmanship of the late Orin McIntosh in his models, and the Watrous – Manitou Heritage Centre provides a brilliant interpretative collection of a pair of Saskatchewan gems.
Mark October 17 on your calendar as quilt artist Diane Janvier-Duggan and storyteller Lyndon Linklater pay a visit to the centre.
Find out more by signing up for their newsletter by emailing watrousheritage@sasktel.net.