Having lived in southern Saskatchewan and seen most of these towns in the mid sixties this really makes me so very heart broken to see this today. The years have taken their toll, life is forever changing. We are only left with fond memories of a the beautiful time we had ... never to come back but forever grateful. Really enjoyed your visits.
I’ve lived here almost all my life, but this video and all the beauty you showcase here really hit me. Like too many my age growing up in the city, I’ve taken all but the living skies for granted, now I’m so intrigued to see my province and feels like I now truly appreciate it
Thank you for showcasing my stomping grounds. Khedive and Kayville both hold a special place in my heart, through the history of both sides of my family.
Chris, I always find your videos are very grounding/humbling. It doesn't take much to realize how nature provides for us but she also takes things back after humans have left them untouched; especially with the weather extremes here in SK!
My family lived in Kayville in the early to mid-20th century. Everyone there was Romanian - that area housed the largest Romanian population in Canada for a long time. Hundreds of folks lived there, and thousands around that part of the province.
Beautiful images. The vast expanses of fields that meet the horizon line, the colors of the landscape, and the Saskatchewan skies! Everything brought me back 63 years to my childhood in Melville. Thank you for the reigniting the fond memories.
In the 80s we lived in de Sask. and one Sunday we took a ride into the sw corner of Moose Mtn Prov Ark. we came upon an old school house. As there wasn’t a no trespassing notice we ventured. There were still old desks and amazingly many school books. Upon examination we discover that many of them were from Ontario School Districts. No doubt they were sent during the 30s Great Depression as Sask schools couldn’t often pay the Teachers let alone buy books. Everyone interested in Sask history during that period should read Max Braithwaite’s book “Why Shoot the Teacher” as it’s a true journal of teaching in one room school’s during the depression.
This was great. My family originated from southern sk. It was always heaven to be down in that area visiting the relatives. We were so fortunate to experience this growing up. A sense of freedom lost in the world today. Thankyou for the video.
Sadly, most of the smaller farms and land have been bought out by larger farms or taken over by corporations. You used to see a farm or two every couple miles, I was there driving around last year and now it's one every 5 miles, and often no one lives there anymore, the yards are full of granaries. That's what happened to the farm where I grew up, the farms where my grandparents and cousins and friends lived, and around the town just 7 miles away. There are a few small hamlets and villages that are being populated again, by people who just want to get out of the cities. No kids though, schools are too few and far between, now. You have to be either financially able, or if you have to work, work remotely. In the little hamlet I stayed in (a friend's summer property) all the good wells were dried up and the ones that were left were sulfur water, so all of the 15 people who lived in the hamlet had a rainwater catchment system and a water treatment unit for the well water. It's definitely do-able but takes a bit of work to get settled once you find a place.
Another awesome video! My mom used to live in Kayville and Crane Valley, we drove down around there about 2 years ago, I was blown away with how cool everything was to look at
I wanna move back so bad and live in one of these wide-open spaces with no neighbours, ha! The only town I recognized was Froude (frowd) and I’m sad to see there’s only 1 family left now.
I live in Saskachewan and near the village called Dilke, it's old but very nice and people still live there and open up places, though the bar and hotel, and co-op and gas station aren't is in use, but we have a talented chef opening up a restaurant, grocery, and butcher shop, having talents in both.
According to Microsoft Pilot, Bromhead was named for James Bromhead but also refers to Lt. Gonville Bromhead, who received the Victoria Cross for his heroism at the battle of Rorke's Drift, in the Anglo Zulu War.
Back eight or ten years ago a buddy and I would rent a little house in Radville, Saskatchewan each fall for upland bird hunting. We've since moved across the border and stay in Plentywood, Montana, about 100 miles south of Regina. Love that area!
wow, watching this video makes me sad as I grew up in rural Sk during the 50's and 60's...left after joining the military in 1963. I did return to Hodgeville often during leave and this town is still there but fading with a population of around 80. Nearby towns such as Bateman and Kelstern are now the same as in this video. In fact, when I last visited and took a trip over to Kelstern, there was nothing left other than a small community center. Just a suggestion to Chris Attrell, you might want to visit the Hodgeville area and do up a video of the various towns that are fading fast, Other ones are Flowing Well (no longer there), Neidpath, Shamrock, Saint Boswells, Dendron, Hollinquest, Braddock, and many others. A long time ago, these communities were busy little centers.....btw, thank you for doing these videos.......
Amazing places you have visited Chris and many many thanks for sharing these beutiful gems with us all' And once again I really enjoy all your work and whatever you bring us.... Best 73s from the uk.... 😊❤
Great video. I have been to Gailee, Dummer, Horizon and Bromhead. I found the old church by chance one day. You right it’s in the middle of nowhere! Sad to see the old buildings are gone in Dummer. I also thought it was kind of cool how Gailee is divide by the highway. I did take at the old store. If I remember correctly there is a old cairn around there somewhere for the school. However I have to say not all these places are ghost towns as people still live in a few of them.
My graduating class took our class photo standing inside the Brooking elevator a couple of years ago and we had our senior party near there! I never knew a movie was filmed there, though!
I know a lot of these towns these are great videos I still live near a lot of them. It’s very sad and neat to see where the people and families started out. I wish they were still full of people.
I find it so depressing. Where I grew up they don't even have sports days in all the towns and individual old rural one room schools that were dotted everywhere. I doubt anyone even keeps them up anymore. I don't know what the kids that still exist in my old stomping grounds do. In summer I played ball, dances and weddings, went to the lakes in the Qu'Appelle Valley, e plowed backroads and Turkey trails, bush parties (doubt those exist) drive in movies, I know that doesn't exist. Winter was skiing, from broomball curling, skating you name it. As long as I could get off the farm I did it, including school and work of course. It's just sad now. Last time I went to the farm somehow I knew it would be the last. I'm sure there are now more ghost towns that living ones now. To me it's depressing and sad, I don't see anything beautiful in death of an entire province.
I enjoyed the video and gave it a 👍🏼 , as someone who drove a 18 wheeler for 42 years I loved drivings through Northeastern US and Atlantic Canada especially late at night on those old lonesome roads and especially during a snowstorm ! I lived in a town of only a few hundred folks during the 1980’s & 90’s so thanks for the tour of Saskatchewan ghost towns ! Keep up the great work !
I visited Galilee in 2020. Tried to look inside the house on the hill but a vulture hissed at me so I quickly abandoned that idea. Didn’t know there was more to the town otherwise I would’ve checked it out. Was also in Horizon that same day. The old grain elevator was pretty cool.
I used to delivery Dry Cleaning for Bregg Cleaners and Furriers to there once a week for a long time as part of my southern swing through all the small towns!
lotta these towns were places we went to for parts, fuel, food and sundries back when I was a farm kid in the 60's and 70's. Visited a few in the last several years and it is kinda heartbreaking to see the demise. But there is a certain beauty in abandonment. And if you remember the place as it was well, there may be some emotion. And a bunch of towns managed to hang on. Small towns are not yet dead.
Great folks in Weyburn. I used to play poker with them in Plentywood for years. I’m oil field trash and spent 27 years on the Saskatchewan-North Dakota border near Crosby. He said woods closest thing to a tree around there is a power line pole. And the main food is Tombstone pizza from a little oven in the bar.
Hey hi I’m from Mitchillton Sk. we farmed down south end of Mitchellton In the Peninsula of Lake of the River my late mom was raised in Galilee,Sask that old store and house across from there is Well’s General Store and it’s been close over 80yrs after the Owner was killed in a fatal farming accident Louie Wells Sr that big hill behind their house that you showed was where it happened the hill has a name called Sugar Loaf, and Bayard I know the owners that own that town but you missed a town west of there Springvalley Sask you missed another two South of Weyburn before BroomHead Goodwater and Colgate lol you also Willows and Readlyn, I’m not going to suggest Mitchellton because it’s like Dummer nothing there anymore used to be a United Church and the Pool Elevator operator’s house now it’s just the town hall which I think somebody made it a home but Idk who now there is some fascinating buildings our old grainery east of the town and about 2miles north of the town is Barry Nobel’s homestead his late father had a very unique house built doesn’t look to unique from the front go west and voom in that’s the difference 😉
Cool and yes I mean I guess if wish to check out Mitchellton you can now my late mom was going to show me the lay out of Mitchellton but sadly she passed away before she could
Kayville looks, feels, and IS a much better town than tens of thousands of towns populated and mismanaged by an undetermined specie of human that can¨t think straight. This town is clean, tidy, and there is evidence that the people care for it.
My Grandmother used to reside in Big Beaver Sask where she ran the post office in the 40's and 50's ,just south of Bengough along the US border.I remember our family driving from Langruth Manitoba in 1964 to visit her.I think Big Beaver had four grain elavators at that time.
Really enjoyed this, in a bummer kinda way... When I saw 'Hawke,' I got what movie you'd been speaking of. I just love my growin-up province... want to move back. Or do I.
Chris you inspire me to cross the pond and visit friends in Canada, it would be remiss of me not to visit these towns as I'm sure it would leave a lasting impression on me. Thank you for your efforts.
I work just outside Bayard Saskatchewan on a farm 🚜 for Blaine Gross .He owns a Werehouse in Bayard Saskatchewan with stuff dating back the 70s? I work as labor for farmers around there .
I loved searching through abandoned houses in saskatchewan with my mom dad and brother in the 80s. My great grandma had an abandoned farm in Hepburn Sask that was scheduled for fire fighter practice in the 90s. Probably gone now. But I got to see it before it was gone :_ Thanks for sharing. Neat lfashbacks
Mazenod would be a good one to do. Family had a farm just a few minutes south. Lots of summers spent there in the 90s as a kid, I doubt 25+ people live there back then. Haven't been in that area in a good 10 years. Cool town/hamlet though.
Wow, i went to school in Crane Valley in the 80s, attended VBS in that community hall, got a black eye on that ball diamond. I still have family farming in the area. Did you make it out to Ormiston?
Looks like the old Christ Lutheran Church near Francis, but I remember it being more east than north. The congregation built a new building on the east side of Francis in the 1950s.
I wanted to go to Lashburn this summer but plans changed so i will try again in 2024, my Dad, Roy Jones grew up there. When he was alive i kept asking him if he wanted to do a road trip back to Lashburn, but he always recoiled in horror, i know he had a rough childhood, no money, no food alot of the time, his father left to work in the mines but never returned, started a new family and then died in a car accident. Sad stories from the past.
