Site #22: Ottawa School (No. 2519)
Established in 1910, the Ottawa School district was named by homesteaders who had migrated from Ontario. To them, the name “Ottawa” represented the civilized stability of the nation’s capital—a standard they aimed to uphold even in the rugged parkland of Saskatchewan.
The Resilience of Brick
Like several other schools on our route, the original Ottawa School was destroyed by fire. However, when it came time to rebuild in 1930, the community chose to build for the long term. They constructed a handsome red-brick schoolhouse that stood as a point of immense pride for the district. According to the Riverlands Heritage Preservation Region archives, it remains one of the few historic brick country schools still standing in the province.
A Community “Multi-Tool”
The Ottawa School was far more than a place for reading and arithmetic. As documented in the local history book Bridging the Years: Era of Blaine Lake and District 1790-1980, it functioned as the primary social engine for the area. It served as a polling station for elections, a ballroom for community dances, and a stage for elaborate Christmas concerts that brought families together from across the district.
The Orchard and Restoration
Uniquely, the school grounds once featured a nearby orchard—a testament to the settlers’ desire to cultivate a permanent home. Although the school officially closed its doors in 1958, the Saskatchewan One Room School Project notes that the building has been saved through private ownership and restoration. It stands today as a proud reminder of the families who traded the landscapes of the East for the opportunities of the Riverlands.