Swarthmore Colony of Friends (Quakers)
N 52° 34.766 W 108° 58.633
12U E 637057 N 5827410
Located South of grid road Hwy 787.
Waymark Code: WMJ9HD
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
Date Posted: 10/14/2013
Views: 3
As the plaque reads:
Swarthmore Colony of Friends (Quakers)
In 1903 William Moore and several other Quakers from Heathcote, Ontario area visited this part of Saskatchewan in an attempt to locate a suitable site for a colony. Moore held an open air service for those who had accompanied him selected this as the site for the new colony.
In May of the following year, Moore filed on a number of homesteads by proxy for the Quakers who were expected to relocate in the area. The first settlers arrived in June of that same year, with others coming later, some from Swarthmore, England. (The Home of the Quaker Faith). Others from the USA and Ontario.
In 1905 a church was built by the colonists on this site, its doors were subsequently open for all denominations and it became a centre for social functions in the community as well. A United Church was built nearby in 1926.
The site of this plaque is on the Sounding Lake Trail which crossed this town site. The trail led from North Battleford to the Police Post at Sounding Lake Alberta.
See link about Quakers.
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visit link)
See link below for some history of Sounding Lake area in Alberta.
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visit link)