Maple Creek

Discover Maple Creek, Saskatchewan: A Blend of History and Natural Beauty

Maple Creek, a charming town nestled in the Cypress Hills of southwest Saskatchewan, Canada, is a hidden gem waiting to be explored. With a population of 2,176 as per the 2021 Census, this quaint town is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Maple Creek No. 111.

Location of Maple Creek, Saskatchewan

Maple Creek is conveniently located 103 kilometres southeast of Medicine Hat, Alberta, and a mere 40 kilometres north of the Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park on Highway 21. It's also just 8 kilometres south of the Trans-Canada Highway, with the Maple Creek running along the town's west side. The administrative headquarters of the Nekaneet Cree Nation is also within reach, just 37 km southeast of Maple Creek.

The History of Maple Creek, Saskatchewan

Maple Creek's history dates back to the establishment of the North-West Mounted Police at Fort Walsh. Settlers began to explore the Cypress Hills area, living along the creeks and engaging in small-scale ranching. The Department of the Interior operated a First Nations farm on the Maple Creek, a few miles south from the present town site. In 1882-1883, the First Nations were moved to Qu'Appelle, and the farm was then operated by Major Shurtleff, an ex-Mounted Policeman, and George Wood, his brother-in-law.

The establishment of Maple Creek was marked when a Canadian Pacific Railway construction crew of 12 decided to winter where the town now stands in the winter of 1882. The town faced a significant challenge in June 2010 when a flood submerged parts of the town as Maple Creek overflowed its banks. This flood affected much of southwestern Saskatchewan and southern Alberta, even destroying a portion of the Trans-Canada Highway.

Heritage Sites in Maple Creek, Saskatchewan

Maple Creek is home to two designated municipal heritage Properties:

  • The W. R. Orr Heritage Building, constructed in 1910, has housed the Union Bank of Canada; W.R. Orr Law Office; Royal Bank of Canada; Bank of Montreal; Burnett & Orr Law Office.
  • The St. Mary's Anglican Church, constructed in 1909 in the Romanesque style, features a vestry, narthex, and octagonal belfry with steeple added in 1928.

Demographics of Maple Creek, Saskatchewan

As per the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Maple Creek had a population of 2,176 living in 988 of its 1,083 total private dwellings, a change of 4.4% from its 2016 population of 2,084. With a land area of 4.35 km2, it had a population density of 500.2/km2 in 2021.

Climate of Maple Creek, Saskatchewan

Maple Creek experiences a semi-arid climate. Winters in Maple Creek are typically warmer than those in the adjacent plain region of southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, thanks to the convergence point for Chinook winds originating along the Rocky Mountain Front. The highest temperature ever recorded in Maple Creek was 41.0 °C on 29 June 1984, while the coldest was −46.7 °C on 15 & 16 February 1936.

Attractions in Maple Creek, Saskatchewan

Maple Creek offers a variety of attractions for visitors:

  • Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, an interprovincial park straddling the southern Alberta-Saskatchewan border.
  • Cypress Hills Vineyard & Winery
  • Fort Walsh, a reconstructed North-West Mounted Police fort and part of the Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park.
  • Grasslands National Park, one of the nation's few remaining areas of undisturbed dry mixed-grass/shortgrass prairie grassland.
  • Robsart Art Works, featuring Saskatchewan artists and photographers of old buildings and towns throughout Saskatchewan.
  • T.rex Discovery Centre, a facility housing the fossil record of the Eastend area.

Discover the charm, history, and natural beauty of Maple Creek, Saskatchewan, a town that offers a unique blend of past and present.

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