The city of Melville, Saskatchewan, grew up around the railroad, and it's now home to the Melville Railway Museum. Train buffs will love the museum's old cars and locomotive, and the old Grand Trunk Pacific Station is also part of the museum. The whole city turns out to celebrate Railway Days, held during the first weekend of August. Also in Melville is the Heritage Museum, which documents the city's history.
Just south of Melville is Crooked Lake Provincial Park, where you can camp, picnic, swim, and go boating and fishing. In addition, Bird's Point Resort (phone 306-793-2101), Cedar Cove Resort (phone 306-794-4926), Sunset Beach Resort (phone 306-696-2948) and Last Oak Golf Course (phone 306-696-2507) are located in the scenic Qu'Appelle Valley near the provincial park. The resorts offer a variety of cabins and camping, plus a hotel. Chilly's Pub & Grill and Chilly's Crab Shack, both at Bird's Point Resort, are the only full-service restaurants in the area. The other resorts have convenience stores and snack bars.
Southwest of Melville, near the town of Abernethy, is the Motherwell Homestead National Historic Site, the restored farm and home of Canada's minister of agriculture during the 1920s. Knowledgeable guides dressed in period costumes provide a glimpse of the lifestyle of this historic era. Special events, such as binding and stooking demonstrations and Threshing Day, provide hands-on opportunities to relive past farming methods. As long as you're touring around the Qu'Appelle Valley, be sure to check out the historic towns of Katepwa and Lebret.
Also nearby is Esterhazy, home to the Kaposvar Historic Site Museum, which documents the first Hungarian colony in the province. Esterhazy is in the heart of Saskatchewan's potash belt. Four of the province's 10 mines are located nearby. This Can$2 billion-a-year industry supplies most of the world's demand for potash fertilizer. It's no surprise, then, that Esterhazy is the home of the Saskatchewan Potash Interpretive Centre, located in the town's historical park. You'll also find the town's restored century-old flour mill and museum in the park.
To request access to the full version of this destination guide, please provide your email address below. Your email address will only be used for verification purposes and will not be used for marketing purposes.