Staff Photo By: Darcie Thom

Don Flemming, of Kipling, with a 1940 Model H John Deere owned by Maurice Poirier (front); the Museum’s 1927 IHC, the fore-runner of Case IH, driven by Cliff Johnson of Kipling (middle); and Joe Molnar of Kennedy with his 1945 Model H John Deere Tractor and attached Hay Mower (back).

Staff Photo By: Darcie Thom

Gordon Toppings wears a sign that states “the first air seeder, before G.P.S., as he displays how it was used.

Staff Photo By: Darcie Thom

L to R) 1965 Ford Mustang owned by Gloria Ovans; 1966 Pontiac Parisienne owned by Cliff Johnson; 1945 Model H John Deere tractor with attached hay mower owned by Joe Molnar; and 1940 Model H John Deere tractor owned by Maurice Poirier

Staff Photo By: Darcie Thom

Gloria Ovans displays the antique stove and the items donated to the Ovans Pioneer House at the Kipling Museum.

Staff Photo By: Darcie Thom

1966 Pontiac Parisienne owned by Cliff Johnson and driven by Curtis Pearson followed by a 1965 Ford Mustang owned and driven by Gloria Ovans

By: Darcie Thom

For more than ten years, people from several communities have gathered together in celebration of Kipling’s great history. Many people have taken time out of life’s hectic schedule to take part in the Annual Kipling Museum Day Celebrations. Although there were a lot less people who attended this year’s event, the event remained successful from the support of those who did attend. An enjoyable day was shared for families and friends alike this past Sunday, August 10th.

The Museum became a historical site in 1974 when a number of buildings were brought to the site for safekeeping, to be restored and put on display for people to continue to learn about Kipling’s history. All of the old buildings at the Museum Site have something to offer the public when it comes to the history of the Town of Kipling and the people who used to and/or continue to reside here.

The buildings have been furnished and filled with many historical items from various families and historians across Saskatchewan.

History was unveiled during a guided tour in the Ovans former home, displaying furniture and household items from the 1900’s era. The house, which was built in 1903, still had most of the original framework, mouldings, flooring and character that it would have had when it was originally built.  The Ovans’ Family raised five generations in this pioneer home until it was moved to its final resting place at the Museum Site in 1988.

The house was re-bricked with a combination of the original bricks, bricks from the former Cook Farm and bricks from the Sexsmith’s home. The original bricks were made at the Broadview Brick Co. for the house, which also served as a Post Office from 1904 to 1905. John Ovans, a Post Master, used the extra space for his post office called Fitzmaurice N.W.T., which closed as the Province of Saskatchewan formed in 1905.

Many of the historical items in the house were donated by several families in and around Kipling. In the kitchen, an era-traditional stove displayed the typical household tools that a pioneer wife would use in order to prepare the food for her family and hired hands. Separate staircases led the tourists throughout the second floor of the house where the family bedrooms, hired hand bedroom and sewing room were located. An antique pump organ that still looked new, a working record player with a roller cylinder record, an assortment of photos presenting the lifestyles, fashion attire and pictures of the then-present ‘Royal’ Family.

The Christ Lutheran Evangelican Church of Edenland was placed in the Kipling Museum Site after it had been moved two times. The first move took the church from the original country grounds to the present-day Lutheran Church Site and the final move took the church to the Kipling museum Grounds.

Other buildings located at the Kipling Museum such as the Dominion Royal Tires Garage, displayed tools, an old-fashioned gas pump, worn and tattered work boots, and an antique cash register to name a few.

The sheds and small buildings are now home to some of the well-aged tractors, tractor parts and machinery that were probably once used in the community.

The one-room Dentist Office gives the modern person a better appreciation for the Dentist of our time. The Dentist Office displays the instruments, chair, sink, certificates and books that would have been commonly used in the Dentist Offices at that time.

The School had large chalkboards full of information, maps, pictures and school project displays. It seemed dated and aged, but it still felt very much like a classroom. During the holidays, the teacher and students would build a stage for a concert and/or play for their families to observe and somehow managed to accommodate the family members that attended the play/concert put on in the school.

In the later part of the afternoon, a Vintage Vehicle Parade took place. Cliff Johnson and Joe Molnar provided their Classic John Deere Tractors, Gloria Ovans and Cliff Johnson provided a duo Vintage Cars for the crowd to observe.

Children were creative in their play at the Museum Site, running in and out of the buildings, pretending as though life was still a part of these aged and historical buildings.

Throughout the day, people were welcome to self-guided tours of the many buildings and machinery located at the Museum Site. People took their time looking at some of the artifacts and historical sites that were available to them.

A mouth-watering ‘beef on a bun’ supper was enjoyed by the many visitors to finalize the Museum Day Celebration. Many people arrived at the Museum for this part of the day, which helped to make the event a successful and fun-filled day. Representatives of the Kipling Museum continue to add to the Museum and are interested in the involvement of the community and all of the surrounding communities. Many of the representatives are concerned and hope that more people will partake in future events that may take place at the Museum.

With the continued support of the community, we will be able to maintain the Museum and always have a unique piece of history. Kipling will be celebrating its 100th birthday celebration next year and plans for celebrations at the Museum are already in the works.