Weyburn is a small Southern Saskatchewan city less than 90 km from the U.S. border. Settled since 1898, you’ll find Weyburn’s historic Heritage Village Museum has some great stories.
The Heritage Village Museum artifacts represent lifestyles from the turn of the 20th century to the 1940s.
Linda’s Pick of the Exhibits
My favorite exhibits in this Weyburn attraction were the stories of the Royal North West Mounted Police (later renamed the Royal Canadian Mounted Police).
Indeed, I have a long-standing interest in the early outlaw history of SW Saskatchewan and have written a number of books, both fiction and nonfiction, on the area.
And the stories I found in the R.N.W.M.P. building didn’t disappoint!
What are Linda’s Outlaw books?
Here are the Amazon.com links to Linda’s three outlaw books set in SW Saskatchewan at the turn of the 20th century.
The single most exciting piece of Weyburn police work bringing down outlaws was the capture of the Idaho Kid and his gang in 1903. Who was the Idaho Kid? Well, as you might guess, an American sharpshooter plying his outlaw trade.
Capturing the Idaho Kid
From all accounts (and there are several), the Idaho Kid was mouthy and overly confident of his skills. In fact, he apparently declared that he was too hard and too cold for any Canadian lawmaker to bring him in.
As one story goes, the Idaho Kid took over the town from the village constable. At the time there wasn’t an R.N.W.M.P. detachment of Mounties in Weyburn.
How was the Idaho Kid captured?
The Idaho Kid (also called Idaho Bill) had a grand time for a couple of days shooting up the town in true outlaw style. Reports even say he carved his initials with bullets in the ceiling of the Waverly Hotel (later the King George)!
When he heard about the rucus, Dr. Mitchell, Justice of the Peace, got the local bars to close and sent for Larry Lett, the Mountie assigned to the area. Together, they caught one of the gang trying to jump a freight train.
Then, it was on to the house where the Idaho Kid was holed up. As fast as he thought he was, the Kid was no match for Lett, who pinned him and took his revolver before he could fire a shot!
And the story goes that when given a second chance (instead of jail), the Idaho Kid and his gang turned from a life of crime to homesteading nearby.
What’s in the Weyburn Heritage Village Museum?
The Weyburn Heritage Village is an open air museum. It has a collection of buildings and artifacts from Weyburn and the surrounding area.
Some of the buildings at this attraction include:
- Charlie Powell, Blacksmith, building (above).
- Meadow Brook School – established in 1904 with a loan of $1000.
- St. Boniface Anglican Church from Amulet. Built in 1912 – 14 with money donated by Mrs. Webb.
- Knibbs homestead house (1904) originally about three miles east of Huntoon.
- Innes Land Office (newspaper office) built in 1915.
- Telephone Office moved from the Mink Ranch.
- Blount house built about 1910.
- John Stutt house.
- RN.W.M.P. building.
- McGugan Tea Room.
- Assorted other buildings
Linda’s Road Trip Tips
I only live an hour from Weyburn, so I go through this community often. If you’re hungry when you visit, Pumpjacks Saloon and Steakhouse is our favorite stop. David’s favorite is their New York steak and mine is the ribs.
Looking for fast food? Our favorite is the local Weyburn KFC, which serves a buffet lunch.
When it comes to more tourist attractions, you’re only an hour away from Saskatchewan’s capital city, Regina.
Who Should Visit Heritage Village?
Heritage Village museum provides an overview of early 1900s life in small town Saskatchewan. It includes many stories of the surrounding district as they relate to the buildings moved to the museum. Histories of many previous owners are included.
The collection is specific to town life. It has little farm machinery or farming artifacts. There are, however, lots of flowers and local plants in Joan’s Rock Garden at the entrance.
So, the museum will be of particular interest to locals, as well as those interested in early urban prairie lifestyles.
The museum buildings create a community along a gravel road, so wheelchairs and strollers will need to be able to navigate rougher surfaces.
How Do You Visit Heritage Village?
Heritage Village is located at 430 10th Ave. SE in the city of Weyburn in southern Saskatchewan.
Get Heritage Village opening dates and admission details on the city of Weyburn website.
Take a virtual tour of Heritage Village with the city of Weyburn on YouTube.
Plan your trip to the Heritage Village with Google maps.
Read More Saskatchewan Museum Attraction Reviews
Read all of guide2museum.com’s museum reviews for Saskatchewan.
Discover More Heritage Museums
- Maple Creek’s Intriguing Jasper Cultural & Historical Centre
- Front Street Cowboy Museum: Ogallala, Nebraska
- Discover the Mormon Handcart Historic Site & Devil’s Gate in Wyoming
- See 100 Miles Across Nebraska From Scotts Bluff National Monument
- Standout Ranching History at the MonDak Heritage Center: Sidney, Montana
- New Iceland Heritage Museum: Gimli, Manitoba, Canada
- Crazy Horse Memorial & Museums: South Dakota’s Black Hills
- Myra Museum: Lustron House & More in Grand Forks, North Dakota
- Fort Cody Trading Post: Miniature Wild West Show in North Platte, Nebraska
- Miracle of America Museum: 40+ Buildings in Polson, Montana
- Sukanen Ship Pioneer Village & Museum: Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
- Museum of Northern British Columbia: Indigenous Art & History in Prince Rupert, British Columbia
- Heritage Village: Museum in Weyburn, Saskatchewan
- Vermilionville: Living History Open Air Village in Lafayette, Louisiana
- Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience: New Orleans, Louisiana
Reference(s)
History & Heritage – City of Weyburn. (n.d.). Archived on City of Weyburn website.
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