The Ranching Industry
N 50° 01.093 W 109° 04.124
12U E 638351 N 5542443
This historical marker is one of three markers at a roadside rest area on Trans-Canada Hwy 1. It commemorates the history of the ranching industry in Saskatchewan.
Waymark Code: WMHNE0
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
Date Posted: 07/27/2013
Views: 5
The Ranching Industry
During the 1870s, as the vast buffalo herds disappeared, ranchers came to this area to fill the empty prairie with cattle and horses. The arrival of the North-West Mounted Police, who established posts at nearby centres like Fort Walsh, helped this industry in three ways. They provided protection against cattle rustling, they purchased beef from the ranchers and retired policemen often established ranches.
The early ranches were small and locally owned, but later businessmen from Britain and eastern Canada established larger operations. The completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1885 opened up new markets for ranchers but also brought the threat of homesteaders claiming the same land. However, the ranchers prevailed and prospered.
The winter of 1906-07 changed ranching forever. Heavy snow followed by cycles of thaws and freezes killed thousands of cattle, with some large operations losing three quarters of their herds. This led to the breakup of most of the large ranches.