Watson is a town of 719 residents in the rural municipality of Lakeside, in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Watson is located on the intersection of Highway 5 and Highway 6, the Canam Highway near the Manitoba border and in south eastern Saskatchewan. Watson is approximately the same distance from Saskatoon which is to the west, and Regina to the south, which gives rise to its town motto, Industrial Crossroads of Saskatchewan.
Watson | |
|---|---|
 Main Street | |
| Motto: Industrial Crossroads of Saskatchewan | |
| Country | Canada |
| Provinces and territories of Canada | Saskatchewan |
| Rural Municipalities (R.M.) | Lakeside |
| Post office founded (as Vossen) | 1904-04-01 |
| Incorporated (village) | 1906-05-01 |
| Incorporated (town) | August 1, 1908 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Michael Saresky |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.83 km2 (1.09 sq mi) |
| Population (2006) | |
| • Total | 719 |
| • Density | 254.2/km2 (658/sq mi) |
| • Summer (DST) | CST |
| [1] | |
Demographics
History
Settlers began arriving in the early 1900s, many of them German American Catholics.[4] The first post office in the area was established on April 1, 1904 and named named Vossen after its postmaster, Frank J. Vossen Jr.[5] It was changed to Watson on May 1, 1906, in advance of the village's incorporation on October 6, 1906.[1] The village became a town on August 1, 1908.[6] The town's namesake is Senator Robert Watson. Senator Watson, originally owned the land the town was built on. [7] Watson celebrated its first Santa Claus Day in 1932, and in 1996 erected a 25-foot (7.6 m)-high Santa Claus to commemorate the event.[8][9][10]
National Historic Site
Geography
- Lat (DMS) 52° 07' 00" N
- Long (DMS) 104° 31' 00" W
- Dominion Land Survey Vossen Sec.16, Twp.37, R.18, W2
- Dominion Land Survey Watson Sec.28, Twp.36, R.18, W2
- Time zone (cst) UTC-6
Jansen Lake, Houghton Lake, Lenore Lake, Ironspring Creek, Big Quill Lake and Little Quill Lake are all close to Watson.
Transportation
The town is located at the junction of Saskatchewan Highway 5 and Saskatchewan Highway 6.
The Saskatchewan Transportation Company provides inter-city bus service to the town. [11]
Saskatchewan railways and railway stations
(historic or current)
Sites of interest
The Canadian Bank of Commerce was constructed in 1906 in Greek Revival architecture. This building was established as a National Historic Site in 1977.[10] The building of historical significance since it was prefabricated by B.C. Mills, Timber & Trading Company and then assembled on side, this was in an attempt to establish a presence in the area before other banks arrived.[13] The Watson and District Heritage Museum is currently housed in the original bank site. McNab Regional Park is a nearby campground facility with swimming pool, playground, and golf course.
Notable Watsonians
- Dustin Tokarski - NHL Goaltender
- Ross Lonsberry - NHL Player
- Max McNab - NHL Player, Coach, GM
- Rod Gantefoer - Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan MLA, Finance Minister
References
- ^ a b "Urban Municipality Incorporations" (PDF). Saskatchewan Ministry of Municipal Affairs. Retrieved 2011-04-25.
- ^ "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. August 20, 2019.
- ^ "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. July 18, 2021.
- ^ McLennan, David (2006). "Watson". Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan. Canadian Plains Research Center, University of Regina. Retrieved 2011-04-25.
- ^ "Watson". Post Offices and Postmasters. Library and Archives Canada. January 31, 2007. Retrieved 2011-04-25.
- ^ "Watson: Incorporating Village as a Town" (PDF). Government of Saskatchewan. August 1, 1908. Retrieved 2011-04-25.
- ^ "Community Profiles: Watson". SaskBiz. Enterprise Saskatchewan. 2009. Retrieved 2011-04-25.
- ^ Solonyka, Ed. "Santa Claus Watson, Saskatchewan". Large Canadian Roadside Attractions. Retrieved 2011-04-25.
- ^ Yanciw, David (September 17, 2002). "Town of Watson". Big Things: The Monuments of Canada. Retrieved 2011-04-25.
- ^ a b "Tourism". Town of Watson. 2010. Retrieved 2011-04-25.
- ^ "Saskatchewan Transportation Company: Route Map" (PDF). Saskatchewan Transportation Company. February 2011. Retrieved 2011-04-25.
- ^ Waghorn, J.R. (January 1925). Waghorn's Guide. Winnipeg: The Guide Co. Retrieved 2011-04-25.
- ^ "Heritage Property Details" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-04-25.