Watrous, Saskatchewan

Watrous is a small town in Saskatchewan, Canada, approximately 100 km east of Saskatoon. It has a population of 1800 people and boasts a booming agricultural economy and is known far and wide as a legendary tourist destination due to its proximity to Manitou Beach, home of the world famous Mineral Spa and Danceland dance hall (known as the "Home of the World Famous Dance Floor Built on Horsehair"). Watrous was founded in 1906, and named after Frank Watrous Morse. The town has many restaurants, two schools, community college, bowling alley, RCMP detachment, banks, grocery stores, co-operatives, and motels.

Watrous is best known as the community of license for CBK, CBC Radio One's primary station in southern Saskatchewan. The transmitter was originally located at Watrous in 1939 so that both Regina and Saskatoon could be served by a single station, although the station's actual studios are located in Regina. The Watrous transmitter is still considered the station's primary signal, even though both of the larger urban areas are now served by separate FM rebroadcasters.

History

Mandal

Our pioneers of yesterday were looking for available homestead land. In the summer of 1904, three young men journeyed to the Manitou Lake district looking for just that. They found good land just south of the lake and decided to settle there when the land was open for filing on. They built sod shacks to live in and homesteaders' shacks dotted the country for miles around. A group of settlers got together and agreed to call the place "Mandal" after their hometown in Norway.

Mandal popped up like a mushroom. They made application to open a post office because the nearest one was 51 miles away. A general store, a blacksmith shop, a drug store, a real estate office, a restaurant, a butcher shop and a lumberyard soon opened. The first school was held in a sod shack of a homesteader. Also the first church service, organized by the Norwegian Lutherans, was held in a farm home.

When engineers came through in the fall of 1906, surveying for the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, they chose the location one mile east of Mandal because it was more adaptable for railway yards. Following that decision the village of Mandal was moved and the name was changed to Watrous by the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway Company. This kept the divisional point name in alphabetical order on the line. Watrous was named after Frank Watrous Morse, the general manager of the Grand Trunk Pacific.

Watrous

There was a ten year period, between 1904 to 1914, that witnessed the greatest influx of settlers. This resulted in most of the homestead land being taken by 1916, although some scattered quarters of inferior quality were not homesteaded until well into the 1920s.

In the spring of 1908 the townsite of Watrous was put on the market and the town grew rapidly and was recognized as the leading boomtown on the Great Trunk Pacific (G.T.P.). Watrous was incorporated as a town in 1909, four years after the province of Saskatchewan was formed. The population was 659. In June 1982, Watrous had an unofficial population of 1857, according to a community profile survey.

The original townsite included four sections of land or more than 2,500 acres, while the map showed a proposed electric railway line running from the Canadian Pacific Railway (C.P.R.) depot at Renown to Manitou Beach. Numerous places of businesses were erected almost overnight. Labour was plentiful.

Real estate lots were purchased for approximately $500 each. Land was cheap and the country of opportunity. In record time, hundreds of carpenters were busy erecting business places and as many as 30 residences were under construction at the same time. By 1908 there were 27 businesses: five lumberyards - one of which was the Grest Brothers Lumber Co; theatre, Trading Co. store, Dr. Stipe's Drug Store, Koehler's Hardware, two halls, barber shops, Waukee Laundry, Stephenson's Jewellery and several restaurants and general stores including T. N. Bjorndahl's and the Pioneer Restaurant

Attractions

Here are some of the things to do and see at Watrous-Manitou Beach:

The world famous Mineral Spa - Go swimming in the European-style mineral spa with three soothing temperature sections. After swimming enjoy a meal at the Wellington Dining Room and Lounge. Or even stay in one of 68 rooms overlooking the lake.

Manitou Beach gold Club - Just North of Watrous there is a beautiful 3048 yard, par 36, 9-hole golf course.

The Jubilee Drive-In - The drive in theatre, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2005. Is open from the May long weekend, until October. The drive-in also hosts a weekly flea market on Sundays.

Camp Easter Seal - Originally a resort, it was purchased by SaskAblilities and is now used during the summer months, as a summer camp for sick and special needs children. The camp may also be rented out for special functions as well.

Danceland - Danceland is a dance hall that was built back in the late 20's. In that time the hall has been renovated to expand the dance floor. The dance floor is also padded with horse hair.

Anglican Stained Glass Window - The Anglican church on main street has a stained glass window that is over 500 years old. The window was originally in the Church of St. John the Baptist.

The Beach - The main attraction of the area is Manitou Lake itself. The lake has a unique mineral concentration of Magnesium, Carbonate, Sulphat, Potassium, and Mineral Salts. The mineral composition is very similar to the Dead Sea of Israel or the Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic.

External links

* [http://www.townofwatrous.com/ Town of Watrous website]
* [http://www.manitousprings.ca/]
* [http://watrous-sask.com/history1.htm History of Watrous]