Whitewood, Saskatchewan

File:Cattle, horses, and sheep were all rounded up for market day in Whitewood, 1904.jpg

Before the settlement of the west, Whitewood began as a crossing of trails between the Qu'Appelle Valley to the north and the Moose Mountains to the south. The Hudson's Bay Company trading post was established about the fall of 1891 to approximately the spring of 1906.{{cite book

| last = Fung

| first = Kai-iu

| editor = Barry, Bill

| title = Atlas of Saskatchewan Celebrating the Millennium

| edition = Millennium

| year = 1999

| publisher = University of Saskatchewan

| location = Saskatchewan

| isbn = 0-88880-387-7

| editor2 = Wilson, Michael

}}{{rp|34, 35}}

With the settlement of the west and the coming of the Trans-Continental railway, Whitewood quickly grew into a thriving community. The CPR naming was derived from the White Poplar (Populus alba), a deciduous tree with white bark, which was plentiful in the area.{{Cite book

| last = Barry

| first = Bill

| title = Geographic Names of Saskatchewan

| place = Regina, SK

| publisher = People Places Publishing Ltd.

| year = 2005

| isbn = 1-897010-19-2

| url-access = registration

| url = https://archive.org/details/geographicnameso0000barr}}

By 1882, the town of Whitewood, Provisional District of Assiniboia, North-West Territories was a major stop on the Canadian Pacific Railway. The town grew steadily from that time and was incorporated as a town in 1892. An interesting note is that while the Town Seal has "Incorporated 1893" on it the actual incorporation took place on 30 December 1892.

{{stack|File:Lxx1215 Whitewood residential street 1912.jpg|File:The Whitewood band, including some of the French aristocrats from St. Hubert, previously La Rolanderie..jpg}}

Settlers from many lands came to the area and the multi-national character of the community is seen in the names of the residents. The first Finnish settlement in the west, New Finland is located here, and Hungarians, Swedes, Germans, Poles, Russians, Czechs, English, Scottish and Irish, also made Whitewood their destination in the new world. To quote a prominent writer of that period, and resident of Whitewood John Hawkes, "Whitewood was in the eighties (1880s) the most cosmopolitan point in the west. It came to be a saying that one should know eleven languages to do business in Whitewood." Hawkes penned Saskatchewan and Its People in three volumes.

{{cite web

| title = Town of Whitewood – History of Whitewood

| url = http://www.townofwhitewood.ca/history_of_whitewood

| access-date = 14 June 2009

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090619125252/http://www.townofwhitewood.ca/history_of_whitewood

| archive-date = 19 June 2009

| url-status = dead

| df = dmy-all}}{{cite web

| last = Hawkes

| first = John

| title = Saskatchewan and its People

| work = published online by Saskatchewan Gen Web

| publisher = Julia Adamson

| year = 1924

| url = http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cansk/SaskatchewanAndItsPeople/index.html

| format = published online 15 June 2005

| access-date = 14 June 2009}}

One of the most unusual and glamorous settlements was that of the French Counts of St Hubert, Saskatchewan. Headed by the educated Dr Rudolph Meyer, this group of Belgian and French aristocrats aimed to build a life on the Canadian prairies in the style of the French nobility in Europe. Annually the Counts booked the Whitewood Commercial Hotel for the Frenchman's Ball. "Many pretty dresses of the style of the late eighties were in evidence, souvenirs perhaps of better days across the sea. The vivacious Frenchwomen of gentle birth and breeding in fashionable décolleté gowns and jeweled neck and arms lent an air of distinction in spite of the incongruity of the crude setting".

Remains of this settlement still exist and many residents of the community are proud of their connection to the Most Romantic Settlement in the West.{{Cite book

| last = Grade 7 class at Henry Kelsey Public School

| editor = E.T. Russell

| title = What's in a Name?

| place = Saskatoon

| publisher = Western Producer Prairie Books

| year = 1975

| isbn = 0-919306-39-X

}}

File:Three metre snow drifts lined the sidewalks in Whitewood, 1904.jpg

Whitewood is located in the north eastern section of the topographical area named Wood Hills to the north of Moose Mountain and south of the Qu'Appelle River.{{rp|90, 91}} Whitewood is situated in the Melville Plain of the Aspen Parkland ecoregion.{{rp|160}}

Burrows, Clayridge, Forest Farm, St. Luke, and St. Hubert Mission are small unincorporated areas near Whitewood. The Ochapowace (Ochapowace) Indian Reserve is nearby.{{Cite journal |date=28 December 2007 |title=Querying Geographical Names of Canada – Query by name |url=http://geonames2.nrcan.gc.ca/cgi-bin/v9/within_radius_v9?english |publisher=Natural resources Canada |access-date=15 June 2009}}{{dead link|date=September 2018|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}

Whitewood has a humid continental climate, with extreme seasonal temperatures. It has warm summers and cold winters, with the average daily temperatures ranging from {{convert|-16.5|C}} in January to {{convert|18.2|C}} in July. Annually, temperatures exceed {{convert|30|C|abbr=on}} on an average in late July Typically, summer lasts from late June until late August, and the humidity is seldom uncomfortably high. Winter lasts from November to March, and varies greatly in length and severity. Spring and autumn are both short and highly variable. On 5 July 1937 an extreme high of {{convert|41.1|C}} was recorded, and on 12 January 1916, a record low of {{convert|-45.6|C}}.{{cite web

| url = http://www.climate.weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_e.html?Province=ALL&StationName=whitewood&SearchType=BeginsWith&LocateBy=Province&Proximity=25&ProximityFrom=City&StationNumber=&IDType=MSC&CityName=&ParkName=&LatitudeDegrees=&LatitudeMinutes=&LongitudeDegrees=&LongitudeMinutes=&NormalsClass=A&SelNormals=&StnId=3052&&autofwd=1

| title = Canadian Climate Normals 1971–2000

| publisher = Environment Canada

}}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

{{Weather box|width=auto

| location = Weyburn

| metric first = yes

| single line = yes

| Jan record high C = 9.5

| Feb record high C = 12.2

| Mar record high C = 20.6

| Apr record high C = 32.2

| May record high C = 37.8

| Jun record high C = 40.6

| Jul record high C = 41.1

| Aug record high C = 38.0

| Sep record high C = 36.7

| Oct record high C = 29.5

| Nov record high C = 22.5

| Dec record high C = 13.0

| year record high C = 41.1

| Jan high C = -11.0

| Feb high C = -7.1

| Mar high C = -0.9

| Apr high C = 9.4

| May high C = 17.6

| Jun high C = 22.0

| Jul high C = 24.7

| Aug high C = 23.7

| Sep high C = 17.5

| Oct high C = 10.3

| Nov high C = -1.2

| Dec high C = -8.6

| year high C = 8.0

| Jan mean C = -16.5

| Feb mean C = -12.3

| Mar mean C = -6.1

| Apr mean C = 3.5

| May mean C = 11.0

| Jun mean C = 15.6

| Jul mean C = 18.2

| Aug mean C = 16.9

| Sep mean C = 11.2

| Oct mean C = 4.6

| Nov mean C = -5.7

| Dec mean C = -13.5

| year mean C = 2.3

| Jan low C = -21.9

| Feb low C = -17.4

| Mar low C = -11.1

| Apr low C = -2.4

| May low C = 4.4

| Jun low C = 9.3

| Jul low C = 11.6

| Aug low C = 10.1

| Sep low C = 4.9

| Oct low C = -1.2

| Nov low C = -10.3

| Dec low C = -18.4

| year low C = -3.5

| Jan record low C = -45.6

| Feb record low C = -44.4

| Mar record low C = -44.4

| Apr record low C = -27.8

| May record low C = -13.0

| Jun record low C = -4.4

| Jul record low C = 0.0

| Aug record low C = -3.0

| Sep record low C = -12.8

| Oct record low C = -25.6

| Nov record low C = -37.0

| Dec record low C = -41.0

| year record low C = -45.6

|precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation mm = 26.0

| Feb precipitation mm = 19.5

| Mar precipitation mm = 29.1

| Apr precipitation mm = 26.8

| May precipitation mm = 55.0

| Jun precipitation mm = 80.8

| Jul precipitation mm = 72.3

| Aug precipitation mm = 68.9

| Sep precipitation mm = 51.8

| Oct precipitation mm = 28.3

| Nov precipitation mm = 21.4

| Dec precipitation mm = 26.8

| year precipitation mm = 506.6

| source 1 = Environment CanadaEnvironment Canada – Canadian Climate Normals 1971-2000—[http://climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_e.html?Province=SASK&StationName=&SearchType=&LocateBy=Province&Proximity=25&ProximityFrom=City&StationNumber=&IDType=MSC&CityName=&ParkName=&LatitudeDegrees=&LatitudeMinutes=&LongitudeDegrees=&LongitudeMinutes=&NormalsClass=A&SelNormals=&StnId=3052& Canadian Climate Normals 1971–2000]. Retrieved 27 December 2010

| date = December 2010

}}

{{Historical populations

| title = Historical Population

| align =right

| width =

| shading =

| percentages =

| footnote ={{cite web

| title = 2006 Community Profiles

| work = Statistics Canada

| publisher = Government of Canada

| date = 24 July 2008

| url = http://www12.statcan.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/prof/92-591/details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=4705034&Geo2=PR&Code2=47&Data=Count&SearchText=whitewood&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=47&B1=All&Custom=

| access-date = 28 September 2008

}}{{cite web

|title = 2001 Community Profiles

|work = Statistics Canada

|publisher = Government of Canada

|date = 1 February 2007

|url = http://www12.statcan.ca/english/profil01/CP01/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=4706036&Geo2=PR&Code2=47&Data=Count&SearchText=qu%27appelle&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=47&B1=All&Custom=

|access-date = 28 September 2008

|archive-date = 11 February 2016

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160211135923/http://www12.statcan.ca/english/profil01/CP01/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=4706036&Geo2=PR&Code2=47&Data=Count&SearchText=qu%27appelle&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=47&B1=All&Custom=

|url-status = dead

}}{{Cite journal

| last1 = Taché

| first1 = J. de Labroquerie (print version)

| last2 = Adamson

| first2 = Julia (online version)

| title = Census of Prairie Provinces Population and Agriculture Manitoba Saskatchewan Alberta

| place = Ottawa

| publisher = Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty

| orig-year = 1918

| date = 17 October 2000

| url = http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cansk/census/1916census.html

| page = Table 3 Towns page 121 Alameda, Sk to Watson, Sk

}}

| 1901 |359

| 1906 |501

| 1911 |447

| 1916|446

| 1996 |985

| 2001|947

| 2006|869

}}

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Whitewood had a population of {{val|944|fmt=commas}} living in {{val|411|fmt=commas}} of its {{val|479|fmt=commas}} total private dwellings, a change of {{percentage|{{#expr:944-862}}|862|1}} from its 2016 population of {{val|862|fmt=commas}}. With a land area of {{convert|3.93|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|944|3.93|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

| 2011_population = 950

| 2011_pop_delta = 9.3

| 2011_land_area = 3.04

| 2011_pop_density = 312.0

| 2011_pop_rank =

| 2011_median_age = 47.4

| 2011_median_age_m = 44.8

| 2011_median_age_f = 50.1

| 2011_total_pvt_dwell = 474

| 2011_total_pvt_dwell_usual = 437

| 2011_mean_hh_income =

| 2011_access_date = 2012-12-23

| 2006_population = 869

| 2006_pop_delta = -8.2

| 2006_land_area = 3.04

| 2006_pop_density = 285.4

| 2006_pop_rank =

| 2006_median_age = 50.5

| 2006_median_age_m = 48.9

| 2006_median_age_f = 51.9

| 2006_total_pvt_dwell = 481

| 2006_total_pvt_dwell_usual = 412

| 2006_mean_hh_income = 37,674

| 2006_access_date = 2009-02-24

}}

File:Lxx1214 Whitewood town hall 1913.jpg

The town of Whitewood has a mayor as the highest ranking government official. The town also elects councillors to form the municipal council. Currently the mayor is Chris Ashfield, who is serving with councillors Shawna Stradeski, Jordan Giroux, Cole Jacobs, Emerson Chug, Danielle Jones and Troy Brule. The town administrator is Lisa Istace.{{Cite web

| last = Government of Saskatchewan

| first = MRD Home

| title = Municipal Directory System

| url = http://www.municipal.gov.sk.ca/index.html

| access-date = 8 May 2009

| url-status = dead

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081121083646/http://www.municipal.gov.sk.ca/index.html

| archive-date = 21 November 2008}}

Provincially, Whitewood is within the constituency of Moosomin-Montmartre served by their Member of legislative assembly, the honourable Kevin Weedmark.{{Cite web

| last = Canadian Textiles Institute.

| title = CTI Determine your provincial constituency

| year = 2005

| url = http://www.textiles.ca/eng/nonAuthProg/redirect.cfm?path=IssPolContacts§ionID=7601.cfm

| access-date = 8 May 2009

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070911025012/http://www.textiles.ca/eng/nonAuthProg/redirect.cfm?path=IssPolContacts§ionID=7601.cfm

| archive-date = 11 September 2007

| url-status = dead}}

Federally, the Souris—Moose Mountain riding is represented by their Member of Parliament, Steven Bonk.{{Cite web

| last = Commissioner of Canada Elections

| first = Chief Electoral Officer of Canada

| title = Elections Canada On-line

| year = 2005

| url = http://www.elections.ca/home.asp

| access-date = 8 May 2009}}

Economically, Whitewood is situated in the Yorkton—Melville economic region. Whitewood along with Broadview, Grenfell, Wolseley are all part of the Mainline Regional Economic Development Authority. REDA's stimulate economic growth in the local area as they are familiar with the inherent needs of the community and stimulate business and government investment resulting in job creation, tourism and recreational facilities.{{cite web

| title = MacKinnon praises Mainline REDA for their successes.

| work = About Government/News Releases/February 1999/

| publisher = Government of Saskatchewan

| date = February 1999

| url = http://www.gov.sk.ca/news?newsId=f5f88301-5d03-4fb5-b1e8-00464fcb23bb

| access-date = 15 June 2009}}

Whitewood Airport {{Airport codes||||CKY2}}, is located adjacent to Whitewood.{{CFS}} Whitewood was established in the late 19th century on the Canadian Pacific Railway Trans-Continental railway. Currently, Whitewood is situated at the crossroads of two major highways systems — the Trans-Canada Highway Sk Hwy 1, which runs east and west, and Sk Hwy 9, which runs north and south from the US border to Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan.

The Herald Sun is a weekly newspaper. Operating as the Whitewood Herald until 2015, the newspaper has been publishing since 1892, making it one of the oldest weekly newspapers in the province.{{cite web

| title = Herald Sun

| url = http://www.grasslandsnews.ca/

| access-date = 14 June 2009}} John Hawkes was the editor of the Whitewood Herald from 1897 to 1900.{{cite encyclopedia

| last = McLennan

| first = David

| title = Whitewood

| encyclopedia = Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan

| publisher = Canadian Plains Research Center University of Regina

| year = 2006

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

| access-date = 14 June 2009}} Since 1955, the newspaper has been owned and operated by three different generations of the Ashfield family. The paper is currently owned by [https://grasslandsnews.ca Grasslands News Group], of which Chris Ashfield is a part-owner.

{{citations needed|date=June 2025|1=paragraph}}

Whitewood has become known far and wide for its curling. The town is home to one of Canada's largest annual curling bonspiels held in one facility. Every March, the Farmers and Friends Bonspiel is held, which consists of 76-teams with 265 curlers playing 146 games of curling over four days. To accommodate the event, the Whitewood Community Centre skating arena is converted to five sheets of curling ice that is used along with the four sheets of ice on the curling arena side of the facility. The event attracts curlers of all ages and from numerous provinces, including four times Scotties Tournament of Heart champion Kerri Einarson from Manitoba. From 2016 until 2025 the event has raised $900,000, almost all of which has been donated to various groups and community projects in Whitewood and surrounding communities. Whitewood has also twice hosted the Tankard, the annual provincial championship for men's curling in Saskatchewan. Whitewood is the smallest community to have successfully hosted the event. Because of it's curling fame, the town has erected the World's Largest Curling Broom at the Flag Garden, just off Highway 1.

During Whitewood's centennial year of 1992, the town collaborated on the history of the French Counts. The Merchant Bank Heritage Centre soon followed which also celebrates the French Count history and displays the welcoming sign The Most Romantic Settlement in the West.{{cite web

|last = Sullivan

|first = Kristian

|title = The French Counts of St. Hubert: Local History as Social Commentary

|agency = Department of Archaeology and Anthropology University of Saskatchewan

|work = Paper presented at the Society for Historical Archaeology Annual Meeting Toronto Ontario

|publisher = Paper

|date = 6–11 January 2009

|url = http://www.sha.org/about/conferences/documents/Sullivan_Kristian_TheFrenchCountsofSt.Hubert.PDF

|access-date = 23 June 2009

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100620233600/http://sha.org/about/conferences/documents/Sullivan_Kristian_TheFrenchCountsofSt.Hubert.PDF

|archive-date = 2010-06-20

|url-status = dead}}

In the fall of 2002, economic development director Janet Blackstock along with Mayor Malcolm Green aimed to restore the homes built in the late 19th century by the French aristocrats and paint outside murals in Whitewood to re-vitalize the local history. One mural was painted in 2000 showing the town in 1890. The area of Whitewood claims that during the late 19th century, there were more aristocrats here than anywhere else in North America.{{cite web

| title = Prairie town looks to the past to save its future

| publisher = CBC News

| date = 5 October 2002

| url = https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prairie-town-looks-to-the-past-to-save-its-future-1.313428

| access-date = 23 June 2009}}

• List of towns in Saskatchewan

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Whitewood, Saskatchewan}}

• {{Official website|http://www.townofwhitewood.ca}}

{{Geographic location

| Northwest =

| North = St. Luke, Forest Farm

| Northeast = Carnoustie

| West = Percival

| Centre = Whitewood

| East = Burrows

| Southwest = St. Hubert Mission

| South = Sunnymeade
Pipestone Creek

| Southeast = Silverwood, Newlands, Benbecula

}}

{{Subdivisions of Saskatchewan|towns=yes}}

{{SKDivision5}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Towns in Saskatchewan

Category:Hudson's Bay Company trading posts

Category:Division No. 5, Saskatchewan