Sintaluta, Saskatchewan
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Sintaluta is a small town in Saskatchewan, Canada, about 75 km east of Regina. Sintaluta is located on the north side of the Trans-Canada Highway.
Sintaluta is the birthplace of noted Canadian educator Sylvia Larter and the hometown of E.A. Partridge, the "Sage of Sintaluta", the first person to establish the concept of farmer-owned grain companies on the prairies, as a result of an incident known as "The Box Car Caper" that happened in 1901 at Sintaluta. In 1901, there was a bumper crop of wheat in the Sintaluta district. It was a good year all around for farmers as far as wheat was concerned, but their problem was getting the wheat on the train for delivery to the grain terminals. Farmers would bring their grain to the elevator and the train would leave without taking it. Some influential men of the time decided that they would take the Canadian Pacific Railway to court over this matter. One of these men was E.A. Partridge 1,2 of Sintaluta. The farmers won the case and as far as known is the only town in Canada to take on the CPR and win.[citation needed] They had made their stand at a key time for the CPR described Sintaluta as being the largest grain shipping point at that time, in Western Canada. This was later made into a movie by the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool and called The Long Haul.
Sintaluta comes from a Sioux word meaning tail of the red fox.
Sintaluta was founded in 1907 and celebrated its 100th anniversary on August 3rd, 4th and 5th in 2007.
Before the Canadian Pacific Railway made its way across the west, the pioneers would stop at Sintaluta to refresh their supplies before heading west. The First Stopping House was established in Sintaluta N.W.T. in the year 1881 by a Mr. Harry Rowe. Sintaluta's first school classroom was opened up shortly after 1882.The first church was built by the Presbyterians in 1897,followed by the Methodists in 1899 and then the Anglican Church was built the same year and is a fine Stone church which still stands today and is cared and maintained by the Sintaluta History Club. It was incorporated as a town in 1907.
Sintaluta had many firsts in its time. One such incidence is the fact that Sintaluta was the original home of "Saskatchewan House". This was what the owners of the local hotel had named their business and can be seen in some of the pictures in the History book. It was known as this in the mid 1920's.
Sintaluta was home to the founder of the current day United Grain Growers Association, (Agricore United) with prominent local residents residing on the first board of directors. The Grain Growers Guide (now the Country Guide) first editor was also from Sintaluta.
Sintaluta has had the distinction of being the largest shipping point of grain in Western Canada, and continues to produce record crops more than 100 years later.
Many of the family farms from the local area are well over 100 years with many being established up to 120 years ago. Driving around the countryside you will find where many farms are owned and operated by the same family's for over 100 years.
The first section foreman for the CPR came to town in 1886. The first railway station opened here in 1898.When Saskatchewan became a province in 1905, the people of the settlement soon set into action the application that this place should be incorporated into a town. This happened in the year 1907.
The town outgrew its school classroom and the first school house was a necessity and was built in 1895. In 1899 a large stone school was built. It unfortunately burned down in 1905. A new two story brick school was built in 1907. The bricks were purchased locally from a factory in Lebret, Sask.
Church services were held in the stopping house and schools until 1887, when the Presbyterian built a wooden structure, followed by a brick one built by the Methodists in 1899. St. John the Baptist Anglican Church also built a fine stone church and manse that is still standing today and has been carefully preserved by the local history club. In 1943, St Helene's Roman catholic church was built. This church is still present today. In 1959, the congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses built Kingdom Hall. The United Church of Canada built a Modern church and education centre in the early 60's. This is now home to the senior citizens association.
Sintaluta was home to Warden Burgess who was the elected MLA for the constituency of Qu'Appelle-Wolseley in 1944. He remained active in the CCF/NDP party throughout his lifetime He was also president / director to many boards and organizations and was even president of the South Saskatchewan Baseball league and the Regina Red Sox baseball team. Sintaluta has had a very active municipal council, and has had several long term mayors such as Bill Troughton, Ken Krausharr, David Damm and current mayor, Keith Rathgeber.
Another first for the town was when in 1945, Bell Telephone celebrated it 70th anniversary. There was a resident in town, whose name was Mr. John Miller. He was 91 years old at the time, he received a call from Paris Ontario that was sent by the Mayor of the City. It was congratulating him on being the oldest person from Western Canada who heard the first message sent over the Bell Telephone when he was merely 21 years old.
Sintaluta once was home to 7 elevator companies, and has the distinction as being one of the top grain producing areas in all of Canada. There are 2 remaining elevators in town today, and are in the hands of private owners, two of fewer than 350 elevators that remain across the prairies today.
According to the Canada 2001 Census:
| Population: | 145 (-23.3% from 1996) |
| Land area: | 2.7 km² |
| Population density: | 53.7 people/km² |
| Median age: | 41.1 (males: 41.8, females: 37.0) |
| Total private dwellings: | 74 |
| Mean household income: | $Not available |
| North: Abernethy | ||
| West: Indian Head | Sintaluta | East: Wolseley |
| South: Montmarte |
