Maple Creek’s Intriguing Jasper Cultural & Historical Centre

The first shipment of cattle from western Canada left Maple Creek, Saskatchewan, for eastern markets in 1884. Thereafter, the town became known as “The Old Cowtown of Maple Creek.”

Today, Maple Creek’s location just twenty minutes from the Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, along with its old west history, make it an important Saskatchewan destination. And the Jasper Cultural & Historical Centre museum does a fabulous job of archiving its intriguing history.

Centre item is a shot dispenser for dispensing different size shot pellets when making shot gun shells. — *Hudson’s Bay Company jug, western boots, buffalo coat, and shot dispenser (centre box with holes) for dispensing different size shot pellets when making shot gun shells. Photo by Linda Aksomitis.*

Linda’s Pick of the Exhibits

My favorite spot in the Jasper Cultural & Historical Centre Museum was where we started our tour in The Old West Room.

Charlie Russell collection of prints along with vintage saddles in the Jasper Cultural & Historical Centre Museum. — *Charlie Russell collection of prints along with vintage saddles. Photo by Linda Aksomitis.*

It’s home to a bright, dynamic collection of painting prints by Charlie Russell. The room also contains a collection of vintage saddles donated by local ranchers.

The 110 piece collection was put together by Rodger Newby, a rancher in the Maple Creek area.

Over the years Newby had collected the prints from vintage calendars and magazines. Then, he framed them.

Charlie (C.M. Russell or Charles Marion Russell) was born in 1864 in St. Louis, Missouri. In the 1880s he traveled west to Montana, where his first painting was commissioned in 1885 by a saloon owner in Utica.

Russell created more than 2000 paintings of cowboys, Native Americans, and landscapes set in the western U.S. and Canada, before passing away in 1926 at the age of 62.

Charlie Russell prints and locally donated historical saddles at the Jasper Cultural & Historical Centre — Pin me!

Fast Fact: Ranching in southwest Saskatchewan got established after 1882/83. Why? Indigenous peoples were moved from the area to reservations. As well, the North West Mounted Police or NWMP, (forerunners of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police or RCMP) headquarters moved from Fort Walsh in the Cypress Hills to Regina. Division "A" headquarters were established near Maple Creek on the newly constructed C.P.R. rail-line. ~Jasper Cultural & Historical Centre

What’s in the Jasper Cultural & Historical Centre?

The Jasper Cultural & Historical Centre is located in the former Jasper Street School. It was built in two sections, 1910 and 1914, using local bricks. After being closed as a school in 1986, it opened as a museum on July 1, 1988.

*Jasper Cultural & Historical Centre Museum in Maple Creek, Saskatchewan. Photo by Linda Aksomitis.*

Today, the museum provides around 20,000 sq. feet of exhibition, meeting, and programming space. Ceilings are still finished with the original molded-tin and hardwood floors. You can almost see children rushing up the well-worn stairs and through the long hallways.

Fast Fact: The museum has an Eaton's Beauty doll from 1908 in its original dress. Cost at the time was $1. This beauty doll was one of the first dolls that closed its eyes when it was laid down. ~ Jasper Cultural & Historical Centre

The museum is divided into a number of smaller galleries beginning with the original Fleming Collection. The Fleming collection was from Irvine and Phoebe (Tootsie) Fleming. They were local ranchers who had originally displayed the collection on their ranch.

Now, the Ranch House Room is set up with artifacts from the 19th century.

*Household items including a wood stove, collection of sad irons, copper pots and kettles, dishes, butter press, and more. Photo by Linda Aksomitis.*

More Galleries & Rooms

Altogether there are nearly 20 different galleries and rooms covering different periods in Maple Creek and area history, as well as art collections. They’re organized by theme, ranging from a NWMP room to a Victorian Parlour with a dining table originally from the NWMP “A” Division Barracks.

Fast Fact: The museum has the skull of a Plains Grizzly shot in the 1800s in Southern Saskatchewan. It is often accepted that they were wiped out at about that time. However, rumours of Grizzly Bear sightings from the 1930s and 1960s are documented. ~ Jasper Cultural & Historical Centre

With our family history of rodeo, we spent a lot of time going through the Bert Ingram Rodeo Room. It included information about regional rodeos, the cowboys, and the rodeo stock providers.

1885 cash register in the Maple Creek museum

Moving on, the Boardwalk Room contained many artifacts from the Dixon Brothers’ Department Store.

The cash register built in 1885 was one of my favorites!

The People

The strength of local museums is always in the histories of those who built the community.

From the Post Office Room with artifacts donated by 1976 to 1986 postmaster, Bill Colquhoun, to the Geraldine Moodie (first professional female photographer working east of Winnipeg and into the Arctic) Women’s Gallery, to the Michel Oxarart Western Gallery (Oxarart was the first official rancher in the Cypress Hills area), its a history rich in story.

Saddle and western hat next to a Bert Ingram full-size poster. — *Pin me!*

Fast Fact: Molly Smith arrived in Fort Walsh in the 1870s after making her way from St. Louis to Fort Benton following the Civil War. She left a life of slavery behind her, working as part of a bull-train then establishing a laundry outside the Fort. As well as working as a domestic and nanny, Molly operated a legendary bootlegging business. She even designed a special bra and bustle to smuggle bottles of liquor! Eventually, she was caught, fined, and put in jail in Maple Creek. However, that didn't alter her quick-wit to survive! ~ Jasper Cultural & Historical Centre

Linda’s Road Trip Tips

Maple Creek is located a few miles south of the Trans-Canada Highway in southwest Saskatchewan. It’s a great day-trip destination.

*Maple Street in Maple Creek, Saskatchewan. Photo by Linda Aksomitis.*

These are some of my favorite places to check out in town:

Cowtown Kids Toy & Candy: Largest independent toy store in Saskatchewan with over 30,000 products. It’s an amazing place to shop for kids.
Hill Country Clothing: Excellent collection of cowboy gear for everyone, right down to the kids. You’ll find clothing, footwear, tack, accessories and more.
Rebellion Apparel, Antiques and Local Artisan Shop: Modeled after a trading post, this proudly Indigenous, passionately local, shop has lots everything from fresh honey to hand-crafted souvenirs.
Broken Spoke Fine Art Gallery: A wide collection of showings by various Western Canadian artists.
Cypress Hills Winery and Rafter R Brewing Company: Enjoy some adult beverages.

Fast Fact: The fastest trains across Canada were the silk trains that ran between 1925 and 1932. How fast? Up to 90 miles per hour! Bales of raw silk, priceless and perishable, arrived on fast ships from Japan. The train run from Vancouver to the East Coast hosiery mills and manufacturers took 74 hours.

We also recommend the Jasper Lounge & Liquor Store for a cold one or meal. It’s the oldest tavern in Saskatchewan with 120 years of history!

Who Should Visit Jasper Cultural & Historical Centre?

The Jasper Cultural & Historical Centre Museum is a must-see stop for those interested in how the “west was won” in late 1800s Saskatchewan.

*Grieta Krisjansons sculpture from her Wilder Art Studio. Photo by Linda Aksomitis.*

Ranching was a hard life, and the museum explores the lives of cowboys and the women who managed the ranch house.

Due to the arrival of train service in early 1883, just months after it reached the capital city, Regina, the area was settled early in Saskatchewan’s history.

Displays are spacious, so there’s lots of room to see and explore. Historic information is provided about each grouping of artifacts, along with many individually identified items.

The museum has an elevator and stairs between the floors.

We spent a couple of hours in the museum. However, those who have less familiarity with ranching and rodeo will likely need longer.

How Do You Visit the Jasper Cultural & Historical Centre Museum?

Maple Creek is around 100 km from Medicine Hat, Alberta, just a few minutes from the Trans-Canada Highway.

Parking: There's lots of free parking on Jasper Street.

Street Location: 311 Jasper Street, Maple Creek.

The museum is open year-round. Check the days and hours at the Jasper Cultural and Historical Centre website.

Learn more about the museum and keep up to date with what’s happening on the Jasper Cultural & Historical Centre Facebook page.

Take a virtual tour of the museum with The Jasper Cultural & Historical Centre video on YouTube.

Or, check out the opening for the Geraldine Moodie Women’s Gallery on YouTube.

More Places to See in Saskatchewan

Check out all of guide2museum.com’s reviews of museums in Saskatchewan.

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