Regina Pioneers - Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
N 50° 26.995 W 104° 36.655
13U E 527623 N 5588728
This human migration monument is located on the historic Regina Post Office, also known as the Prince Edward Building, located at 1801 Scarth Street in Regina.
Waymark Code: WMHNX5
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
Date Posted: 07/28/2013
Views: 3
The monument consists of a plaque that reads:
THE PRINCE EDWARD BUILDING
In honour of the pioneers and in celebration of Regina's Centennial this historic Post Office, built in 1906, was renamed The Prince Edward Building by His Royal Highness The Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, on 19 June 2003.
The following information about the beginning of the settlement of Regina is from a brochure titled A Brief History of Regina:
"In the late 1800s, free homesteads of 160 acres were available on the prairies. Pioneers settled in the Regina district to take advantage of the water and the fertile soil. But the lack of a railway in the region inhibited development.
The first pioneer in the Regina area, Edward Carss, settled at the junction of the Qu'Appelle River and Wascana Creek in September 1881. On June 10, 1882, the first party of six settlers set up camp near the site of the present Wascana Lake. A few days later, a second
party of 11 homesteaders joined them. These 17 pioneers were Regina's founders.
The Canadian Pacific Railway provided the impetus for the settlement of Regina. In 1882, the CPR decided on a southern route across the plains (and through present - day Regina) since the landscape allowed for easy construction and the CPR owned nearly half the land surrounding the proposed track. Since the proposed railway was too far away from the territorial capital, Battleford, Sir John A. MacDonald instructed the CPR to choose a new capital on behalf of the government. The CPR published a map indicating a station would be located at the point where the railway crossed Wascana Creek. As a result, this location was chosen as the new territorial capital before the first train arrived on August 23, 1882.
Lieutenant Governor Edgar Dewdney created dissatisfaction among settlers by selecting the same location as the headquarters for the North West Mounted Police and the Indian Department. Other established towns, such as Troy (Qu'Appelle) and Fort Qu'Appelle, had hoped to be the seat of government.
Several names, including "Leopold," were proposed for the new town on the banks of Wascana Creek. The name finally adopted was suggested by Princess Louise, wife of the Governor General. She proposed the name "Regina" to honour her mother, Queen Victoria, who was reigning at the time."