Davidson, Saskatchewan

In 1902 Colonel Andrew Duncan Davidson, an enthusiastic entrepreneur from Glencoe, Ontario, came to Saskatchewan in hopes of creating a 'midway' settlement between the cities of Regina and Saskatoon. With agriculture as one of his driving passions, Davidson, through the Saskatchewan Valley Land Company, purchased {{convert|700000|acre|ha}} from the railway and the federal government{{cite web

| title = Saskatchewan Valley Land Co.

| publisher = Liberal Party (Canada)

| url =http://peel.library.ualberta.ca/bibliography/2966/1.html | date = c. 1906

| access-date =2013-09-23}} in an area where the soil was particularly suitable for grain farming. Davidson organized a train route that travelled from Chicago to Saskatoon; making one stop in Davidson on the way. This train route brought American bankers, entrepreneurs and newspapermen in hopes of starting up new businesses in the area. With the expansion of the community underway, Davidson also managed to sell more than {{convert|180000|acre|ha}} of land in the area.{{cite DCB

| title = Davidson, Andrew Duncan

| first = Theodore D.

| last = Regehr

| volume = XIV

| url =https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/davidson_andrew_duncan_14E.html

| accessdate = 2013-09-23}}

Within a short period of time, Davidson, which was declared the name of the community, was nicknamed the 'Midway Town' because of its central location. On 15 November 1906, Davidson was officially declared a town.{{cite encyclopedia

|url = https://esask.uregina.ca/entry/davidson.jsp

|title = Davidson

|first=David

|last=McLennan

|encyclopedia = Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan

|publisher = Canadian Plains Research Center, University of Regina

|edition=online

|year = 2006

|access-date=2013-09-23}}

During World War II the Royal Canadian Air Force built and operated RCAF Station Davidson as a component of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.{{cite book

| last1 = Hatch

| first1 = F. J.

| title = The Aerodrome of Democracy: Canada and the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, 1939-1945

| publisher = Directorate of History, Department of National Defence

| year = 1983

| location = Ottawa

| isbn = 0-660-11443-7

| url = http://www.airmuseum.ca/refs/aerodrome_of_democracy.pdf

| pages = 133–134, 207

| access-date = 2019-06-02

| archive-date = 2014-02-11

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140211082535/http://www.airmuseum.ca/refs/aerodrome_of_democracy.pdf

| url-status = dead

}} The station was constructed on a site {{convert|7|km}} east of the town. This site should not be confused with Davidson Municipal Airport which is adjacent to the town, on the south end.

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Davidson had a population of {{val|1044|fmt=commas}} living in {{val|466|fmt=commas}} of its {{val|524|fmt=commas}} total private dwellings, a change of {{percentage|{{#expr:1044-1048}}|1048|1}} from its 2016 population of {{val|1048|fmt=commas}}. With a land area of {{convert|4.05|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|1044|4.05|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2021.{{cite web | url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810000203&geocode=A000247 | title=Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Saskatchewan | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=February 9, 2022 | accessdate=April 1, 2022}}

{{Canada census

|location = Davidson

|2021_population=1,044 | 2021_pop_delta=-0.4 | 2021_land_area=4.05 | 2021_pop_density=257.7

|2021_median_age=43.6 | 2021_median_age_m=41.6 | 2021_median_age_f=46.8

|2021_total_pvt_dwell=524 |2021_occ_pvt_dwell=466 |2021_mean_hh_income=70,000

|2021_geocode=2021A00054711014 | 2021_access_date=2023-10-19

|2011_population=1,025 |2011_pop_delta=7.0 |2011_land_area=4.49 |2011_pop_density=228.4

|2011_median_age=47.4 |2011_median_age_m=44.5 |2011_median_age_f=49.9

|2011_total_pvt_dwell=517 |2011_mean_hh_income= |2011_access_date=2012-09-11

|2006_population=958 | 2006_pop_delta=-7.4 | 2006_land_area=4.49 | 2006_pop_density=213.5

|2006_median_age=48.4 | 2006_median_age_m=46.3 | 2006_median_age_f=50.2

|2006_total_pvt_dwell=496 | 2006_mean_hh_income=55,249 | 2006_access_date=2012-09-11

|2001_population=1035 | 2001_pop_delta=-6.3 | 2001_land_area=4.49 | 2001_pop_density=230.7

|2001_median_age=44.8 | 2001_median_age_m=43.5 | 2001_median_age_f=46.9

|2001_total_pvt_dwell=497 |2001_mean_hh_income=31,183 | 2001_access_date=2012-09-11

|notes=

}}

Hockey, baseball, fitness, curling, figure skating, dance, gymnastics, and riding are some of the activities offered to members of the community. The Davidson Cyclones of the Long Lake Hockey League play at the Davidson AGT Centre.{{cite web |url=http://longlakehockey.com/ |title = Long Lake Hockey League : Website by RAMP InterActive}}

Davidson is home to the 9-hole grass green, Davidson Golf and Country Club.

The swimming pool beside the local campground offers swimming lessons.

File:Railroad Station Davidson Saskatchewan.jpg|Train station

File:Grain Elevators Davidson Saskatchewan.jpg|Grain elevators

File:Davidson SK Coffee Pot.jpg|Coffee pot monument in Davidson, Saskatchewan. Approximately 24 feet tall, and would hold {{not a typo|150,000 cups}} of coffee — claimed to be the world's largest. Erected in 1996, and featured on a Canadian postage stamp in 2010, the town is now considering renovation of the monument.https://leaderonline.ca/town-wants-input-on-coffee-pot-restoration/ Town wants input on coffee pot restoration, retrieved 2017 Sept 4

Davidson Elementary School and Davidson High School were formerly part of the Davidson School Division, which also included schools in the communities of Kenaston, Craik and Eyebrow. As of January 1, 2006, DES and DHS are part of the Sun West School Division. In a small community, the school is at its core. This allows many opportunities for the community to get actively involved in the school and vice versa. Some of the partnerships between the school and the community include working for "Communities in Bloom," contributing to the recycling program at SARCAN, and planting trees around the newly established walking trail. Davidson School's mission statement is "Developing, Encouraging, Succeeding; Creating the Future".{{cn|date=July 2024}}

The community newspaper is The Davidson Leader, publishing since 1904.

• List of communities in Saskatchewan
• List of towns in Saskatchewan

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://www.townofdavidson.com/}}
• {{portal-inline|Canada}}

{{Geographic Location

| Centre = Davidson

| Northwest = Strongfield

| North = Bladworth

| Northeast = Imperial

| West = Loreburn

| East = Stalwart

| Southwest = Elbow

| South = Craik
Girvin

| Southeast = Liberty

}}

{{Subdivisions of Saskatchewan|towns=yes}}

{{Authority control}}

{{Coord|display=title|name=Davidson, Saskatchewan|51|16|N|105|58|W|region:CA_type:city}}

Category:Towns in Saskatchewan

BCATP

Category:Military history of Canada during World War II

Category:Division No. 11, Saskatchewan