The year was 1949 and Newfoundland became Canada’s 10th province, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) began and — perhaps most importantly for Saskatchewan — the Western Development Museum began promoting Prairie history.
The WDM launched on April 2, 1949, after the Government of Saskatchewan passed an act to establish the organization.
The focus of the museum — with locations in Moose Jaw, Yorkton, Saskatoon and North Battleford — has been to collect, preserve and exhibit objects of historical value and importance connected to the economic and cultural development of Western Canada and stimulate interest in Western Canadian history.
The WDM has been promoting that mandate for the past 75 years, and to celebrate that milestone, it held a party at all four locations — the Moose Jaw site opened in 1976 — that included cupcakes, balloons, a historical video, anniversary-themed artifact searches and 75-cent admission.
During a visit with his sister and dad, James Heo, 7, hunted throughout the museum for hidden objects, such as paper diamonds, along with specific artifacts — cars, trains, boats and other vehicles — from across the decades.
His sleuthing skills were on par since he had found 10 of 12 items when he stopped to talk.
“I’m happy (being at the WDM) because we can look at the things,” he said, noting he most enjoyed the antique cars.
Visiting the museum was one of several places that Heo and his family had checked out in Moose Jaw after arriving a day earlier from Saskatoon. They had driven down to The Friendly City for the Easter break and had already seen some tourist attractions like the murals.
An object that most intrigued Heo was Mac the Moose, a statute he thought was cool and that had a wiggly “big butt” because of how tall it was.
Also wandering throughout the museum was Jim Gushuliak, a volunteer who has been educating visitors about objects — particularly planes — for 25 years. He has enjoyed giving his time during the past three decades and wanted to help during the 75th-anniversary celebration.
Talking to visitors is the best part of volunteering for Gushuliak since he not only helps them but also receives appreciative comments and a feeling of accomplishment.
“You give and you get more back,” he said.
Besides being a volunteer, Gushuliak is also with the Vintage Aircraft Restorers’ group, which has helped re-construct several planes on display, like the Vickers Vedette. He noted that the members acquire meaning and purpose by restoring the airplanes, while they also develop long-term friendships.
Gushuliak says the WDM has an “astounding” number of artifacts that fascinate not only him but also other people from across Canada. Visitors have told him that the Moose Jaw location has more to offer than any other museum they’ve seen — even more than some museums in Alberta and Manitoba.
“When you can put everything (planes, trains, automobiles and boats) in one nutshell, people really, really like it … ,” he said. “You got it all here. When they say (the WDM is) the museum of transport, it is.”
It’s terrific that the WDM is celebrating 75 years, while it’s even better that admission was 75 cents since it attracted many more people who will likely bring others in the future, said Gushuliak.
He added that the WDM is a great organization, and he joked that he appreciates the daily pay of coffee and cookies. \
Alexis Jones, the WDM’s programs and volunteer co-ordinator, said it was exciting to celebrate 75 years — hundreds of people visited the Moose Jaw location — and continue sharing Saskatchewan’s history. She noted that the organization has been adding items recently, such as hand sanitizer, to represent the “COVID-19 era.”
Jones added that most visitors enjoy the rail-related exhibits and the short-line train that runs outside in the summer.
