A train caboose was brought to the Melfort Museum last year, and trains will be the topic of conversation at an event next month. (Aaron Schulze/northeastNOW Staff)

By Cam Lee

History of trains

Museum sharing stories about the history of trains in Melfort

Jan 18, 2020 | 9:00 AM

An event in Melfort early next month will focus on the importance of trains in the community’s history.

The Melfort Museum is hosting ‘Coffee and Conversation: History of Trains’ from Feb. 5 at 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Curator Gail Marie Anderson told northeastNOW trains have a huge impact on Melfort, including its current location. The original settlement began out at Stoney Creek, east of the current city.

“When the train came in in 1903-1904, that’s when they moved to this [current] area,” Anderson said.

The museum brought in a train caboose last year for restoration, and Anderson said the interest in trains has been strong in the area.

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“A lot of people talk about the train they took from Fairy Glen to Melfort, or some people told us that they used to go to the doctor’s in Saskatoon, they used to go on the train,” she said.

She said the Canadian Northern, then the CNR, and later the CPR, have been significant parts of Melfort’s history.

“We thought it would be fun for people to come and share their stories about the train, and of course our researcher Alan Porter is digging up a lot of [information], and we have a lot about the Melfort railway lines and the timelines,” Anderson said.

Trains used to come from Prince Albert, go up to Hudson Bay, and went East, North, West, and South. Anderson said many businesses relied on the trains to bring in supplies, with one story about a hardware store that received a load of nails from the train.

The event will also celebrate Saskatchewan Archives Week.

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cam.lee@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @camlee1974