Site #01: The Town of Blaine Lake
Commonly known as the “Gateway to the Lakes,” the town of Blaine Lake stands at a historical and geographic crossroads. Situated at the junction of Highways 12 and 40, it has long served as a central trading hub between the cities of Saskatoon, North Battleford, and Prince Albert. While today it is a bustling agricultural community, its beginnings are a tapestry of mystery, industrial ambition, and a diverse cultural mosaic that reflects the broader history of the Saskatchewan riverlands.
The Mystery of the Name
Even the town’s name carries an air of intrigue. According to the comprehensive community history, Bridging the Years: Era of Blaine Lake and District 1790-1980, there is no singular government record that definitively explains the naming of the nearby lake. One persistent legend suggests a surveyor named Mr. Blaine drowned in its waters during the early survey era, though official records of such a tragedy are non-existent. A more localized lead surfaced in the 1980s when a resident from Alberta contacted local historians, claiming his great-uncle—a squatter named McBlaine—had met his end in the lake. While land records confirm that squatters were frequently present in the area prior to formal surveying, the man’s identity was never formally registered, leaving the town’s namesake a permanent piece of local lore.
Railway Ambition and “Scotty” Johnston
Before the grid roads and highways defined the landscape, the land was the homestead of William “Scotty” Johnston. The transition from prairie sod to a townsite began in 1910 when Johnston sold his land to the Canadian Northern Railway (CNR). As documented in the Information Services Corporation (ISC) historical land title records, this sale allowed for the survey of a village that was officially incorporated on March 15, 1912—a date formally recorded in the Saskatchewan Gazette. The arrival of the rails transformed the region, and the HistoricPlaces.ca register highlights the 1912 CN Station (now the community museum) as the nucleus of this growth, serving as the vital link for pioneers to export grain and receive essential supplies.
Prefabricated Heritage: The CIBC Building
One of the most architecturally significant structures in town is the former Canadian Bank of Commerce (CIBC) building, which now serves as the Rural Municipality of Blaine Lake No. 434 office. As noted in the Saskatchewan Register of Heritage Assets, this building is a rare and remarkable example of early 20th-century prefabrication. To meet the rapid demand of the western branch-line boom, the bank was actually manufactured in Vancouver, British Columbia, and shipped by rail in sections to Blaine Lake for assembly. This “modular” approach allowed the bank to establish a sophisticated, permanent-looking presence in the fledgling village almost overnight, signaling to investors that Blaine Lake was a town with a secure financial future.
A Cultural Crossroads
Blaine Lake’s identity was forged by a unique blend of settlers. While initial residents were often Anglo-Saxon or American, the region quickly became a stronghold for Slavic and French cultures. The Saskatchewan Tourism heritage records note that French pioneers from Brittany arrived as early as 1902, settling just outside the town. Simultaneously, the Doukhobor influence was cementing itself to the south; the National Historic Site records for the Doukhobor Dugout House detail how 1899 saw the first Russian Doukhobors arrive at Petrofka, surviving their first winter in riverbank dugouts before establishing independent farms and businesses that eventually anchored the Blaine Lake district.
Tragedy and the End of Prohibition
The town’s early years were not without drama. In November 1912, a year and a half after the village had voted to go “dry,” a tragedy occurred that would change local sentiment regarding prohibition. As reported by historian Joan Champ in the SaskToday heritage series, three railway workers died after consuming wood alcohol obtained from a local drug store under the guise of horse liniment. One man was found in a nearby granary, having tragically tried to “cool his throat” with a mouthful of grain. This incident shocked the community, leading to a unanimous vote to go “wet” on December 8, 1913, according to Town of Blaine Lake municipal archives, and paving the way for the construction of the iconic brick Commercial Hotel in 1914.
Today, as travelers begin their self-guided tour, Blaine Lake remains a testament to the resilience of these early pioneers—a town built on the site of a single homestead that grew to become the heart of the Riverlands.