Historical Sites   

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Ogema Regional Park

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The Ogema Regional Park includes a skating rink, curling rink, pool, heritage hall and the Ogema Grandstand.[1] In the spring of 1911, the Town of Ogema and The Canadian Pacific Railway began construction on a small park surrounding the train station.[2] This park eventually became part of the regional park. It was originally owned by the Ogema Agricultural Society. On July 26, 1967, the park title was transferred from the Ogema Agricultural Society to the Regional Park Authority, allowing for the park to be given regional park status.[3]

 
The Ogema Heritage Grandstand. The oldest community grandstand in Western Canada.

The Ogema Heritage Grandstand

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The grandstand was originally built in the 1920’s by the Ogema Agricultural society. It is currently the oldest community grandstand in Western Canada, and it is still the site of the Ogema Agricultural Society Annual Fair day, which is the longest running agricultural fair in Saskatchewan.[4] In 2004, the grandstand was dedicated to Arleene Johnson Noga, a women’s American baseball player who was raised in Ogema. This grandstand and field are home to the Ogema Colts, a men's baseball team in the Borderline Fastball League.[5]

The British American Gas Station

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The British America Gas Station is the only heritage service station in Saskatchewan.[6] It was first built in 1925 by Harry Brogden, and closed in 1985.[7] The town has since restored the filling station and in 1997[7]it was given Municipal Heritage Property Status. 

Ogema Fire Hall

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The Fire Hall was built after the fire of 1915. It is equipped with a cistern to hold water to fight fires, and a jail cell.[8] Attached to the Fire Hall and on the opposite side of the street there is a brick wall that measures 30 feet high, 70 feet long and 16 inches thick. This Fire Wall is designed to stop fires from spreading along the businesses of Main Street. The Fire Hall and Wall are both Municipal Heritage Properties.[9]

 
The restored Canadian Pacific Railway station.

1912 Canadian Pacific Railway Station

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Construction began on a train line from Weyburn to Assiniboia in 1909. By 1912 the line reached Ogema which was the midway point.[10] The Canadian Pacific Railway Station was completed in Ogema in 1912 as well. Today, the Station has been fully refurbished and Southern Prairie Railway runs historical train tours from Ogema.[11]

Deep South Pioneer Museum

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The Deep South Pioneer Museum houses historical buildings from Ogema and surrounding towns in the Rural Municipality. It began in 1977, and since then 33 buildings have been moved or added to the complex in town.[12] Its hundreds of thousands of artifacts and items make it the largest community owned museum in Western Canada. Many of the buildings in the museum have false fronts which were a common aesthetic characteristic of the early 1900s.[13]

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Ogema is currently rebranding itself into a heritage hotspot. Ogema is quickly becoming a destination for tourists looking to experience the early 1900s and what early pioneers accomplished. Some other buildings include Moffet and Robertson General Merchants, Andrew Fraser's Department Store, The Ogema Theatre and The Ogema Meat Market.

 
Ogema Fire Hall

The Ogema Fire Hall

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The Fire Hall and Fire Wall were built after the fire of 1915 that destroyed much of Ogema's Main Street to prevent any future fires from spreading. The Fire Hall is equipped with a cistern to hold water to fight fires, and a jail cell.[14] Attached to the Fire Hall and on the opposite side of the street there is a brick wall that measures 30 feet high, 70 feet long and 16 inches thick. This Fire Wall is designed to stop fires from spreading along the businesses of Main Street. The Wall is of significant importance because it was considered a foolish investment by government officials and wouldn't last longer that a decade. Now, nearly 95 years later it is one of the few structures of its kind in Saskatchewan. The Fire Hall and Wall are both Municipal Heritage Properties.[15]

 
The restored Canadian Pacific Railway station.

1912 Canadian Pacific Railway Train Station

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Ogema's original train station stood at the south end of Main Street on the north side of the railway tracks. Construction began on a train line from Weyburn to Assiniboia in 1909. By 1912 the line reached Ogema which was the midway point,[16]and was completed in 1912. After passenger use declined and the station closed down, it was removed from the site and sold for scrap in the 1960s. In the early 2000s a committee was struck to oversee the return of a 1912 CPR train station to the original site. And in 2002, a station, being used as a grain bin at the time, was located and transported from Simpson, Sk to Ogema. Over the next 7 years 1000 of hours of labour were put into the station and in the summer of 2009 it was opened to the public, nearly fully restored and furnished with original furniture and artifacts. Today, the Station has been fully refurbished and Southern Prairie Railway runs historical train tours from Ogema.[17]

 
The Ogema Heritage Grandstand.

The Ogema Heritage Grandstand

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The grandstand was originally built in the 1920’s by the Ogema Agricultural society. It is currently the oldest community grandstand in Western Canada, and it is still the site of the Ogema Agricultural Society Annual Fair day, which is the longest running agricultural fair in Saskatchewan.[18] In 2004, the grandstand was dedicated to Arleene Johnson Noga, a women’s American baseball player who was raised in Ogema. This grandstand and field are home to the Ogema Colts, a men's baseball team in the Borderline Fastball League.[19]

Ogema Regional Park

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The Ogema Regional Park includes a skating rink, curling rink, pool, heritage hall and the Ogema Grandstand.[20] In the spring of 1911, the Town of Ogema and The Canadian Pacific Railway began construction on a small park surrounding the train station.[21] This park eventually became part of the regional park. It was originally owned by the Ogema Agricultural Society. On July 26, 1967, the park title was transferred from the Ogema Agricultural Society to the Regional Park Authority, allowing for the park to be given regional park status.[22]

 
Jean Shaver Art Gallery
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Jean Shaver, Born 1889, was an artist who lived mostly outside Bengough. Built in 2016, her pioneer art is housed in the art gallery at the Deep South Pioneer Museum.

The British American Gas Station

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The British America Gas Station is the only heritage service station in Saskatchewan.[23] It was first built in 1925 by Harry Brogden, and closed in 1985.[24] The town has since restored the filling station and in 1997[24]it was given Municipal Heritage Property Status. 

Deep South Pioneer Museum

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The museum was first organized in 1977 by interested persons from Ogema, Pangman, Bengough, Avonlea and other districts. These individuals felt the need to preserve the history and heritage of the local community. Land was purchased near the outskirts of town. Over the past 30 years, the museum has accumulated over 30 restored buildings and over 1000 pieces of farm equipment. Its hundreds of thousands of artifacts and items make it the largest community owned museum in Western Canada. An annual "Museum Day" is held during the second Sunday in July. This event offers blacksmith, threshing and rope making demonstrations as well as a parade and musical entertainment. Many of the buildings in the museum have false fronts which were a common aesthetic characteristic of the early 1900s.[25]

  1. ^ "Ogema Regional Park". www.ogema.ca.
  2. ^ Prairie grass to golden grain : RM70, Ogema & surrounding areas. Ogema and District Historical Society. Ogema, Sask.: Ogema and District Historical Society. 1982. p. 39. ISBN 0919533108. OCLC 15942648.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  3. ^ "Ogema Regional Park". saskregionalparks.ca.
  4. ^ "Heritage Grandstand". Ogema.
  5. ^ "Ball Diamonds". Ogema.
  6. ^ "BA Gas Station". Ogema.
  7. ^ a b "Saskatchewan Register of Heritage Property-B.A Garage".
  8. ^ "Fire Hall". Ogema.ca.
  9. ^ "Fire Wall". ogema.ca.
  10. ^ Prairie grass to golden grain : RM70, Ogema & surrounding areas. Ogema and District Historical Society. Ogema, Sask.: Ogema and District Historical Society. 1982. p. 39. ISBN 0919533108. OCLC 15942648.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  11. ^ "Southern Prairie Railway". Tourism Saskatchewan.
  12. ^ "Deep South Pioneer Museum History". Deep South Pioneer Museum.
  13. ^ "Deep South Pioneer Museum History". Deep South Pioneer Museum.
  14. ^ "Fire Hall". Ogema.ca.
  15. ^ "Fire Wall". ogema.ca.
  16. ^ Prairie grass to golden grain : RM70, Ogema & surrounding areas. Ogema and District Historical Society. Ogema, Sask.: Ogema and District Historical Society. 1982. p. 39. ISBN 0919533108. OCLC 15942648.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  17. ^ "Southern Prairie Railway". Tourism Saskatchewan.
  18. ^ "Heritage Grandstand". Ogema.
  19. ^ "Ball Diamonds". Ogema.
  20. ^ "Ogema Regional Park". www.ogema.ca.
  21. ^ Prairie grass to golden grain : RM70, Ogema & surrounding areas. Ogema and District Historical Society. Ogema, Sask.: Ogema and District Historical Society. 1982. p. 39. ISBN 0919533108. OCLC 15942648.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  22. ^ "Ogema Regional Park". saskregionalparks.ca.
  23. ^ "BA Gas Station". Ogema.
  24. ^ a b "Saskatchewan Register of Heritage Property-B.A Garage".
  25. ^ "Deep South Pioneer Museum History". Deep South Pioneer Museum.