Part of the Ghost Towns of Canada series
It's been estimated that half of all towns that ever existed in Saskatchewan are now ghost towns. A southern stretch of highway reveals just how true this is. The Ghost Town Trail is dotted with tiny farming communities, once thriving, now all but abandoned. In their heyday, these towns-in particular, Brooking and Scotsguard-were buoyed by a spirit of pioneer optimism. In the early 1900s, the Canadian government had offered free land to settlers, an opportunity that beckoned to many farmers south of the 49th parallel. The region promised a fabulous wheat harvest and, in the first two decades of farming, it delivered. But the Depression and the long drought of the 1930s ended high hopes, as farmers lost land and families went hungry. While a fraction of them managed to hang on to their farms, it would not be forever. Over the next 70 years and even today, the disappearance of farming towns in south Saskatchewan continues.
Titles included in this series:
Ireland's Eye, Newfoundland
Grosse Île, Québec
Val Jalbert, Québec
Silver Islet, Ontario
Depot Harbour, Ontario
Creighton, Ontario
Rowley, Alberta
Nordegg, Alberta
Barkerville, British Columbia
Sandon, British Columbia
Ocean Falls, British Columbia
Cassiar, British Columbia
