History Resources

Whether you are involved in serious research or just curious about your family connection to the community there are many resources available for those interested in history of Indian Head and surrounding area.

Located at 610 Otterloo Street, in the historic 1907 Indian Head Fire Hall, the museum is dedicated to the preservation and presentation of Indian Head's past. The museum houses exhibits on two floors in the main Fire Hall Building, in the Back Room (formerly a horse stable), the Museum Yard, the Military Building, the Country Garage, the Carpenter and Blacksmith shops. Two exhibits that shouldn't be missed are the Jubilee School and the Bell Barn Cottage.

The Bell Barn Cottage is the last remaining cottage built and used by the hired help on the Bell Farm in the 1800's. Originally there were 27 of these units. The cottage has been restored and furnished with period household items. The Jubilee School was built in 1926 and used as a school until 1955. It was donated to the Museum and restored on the museum grounds complete with desks, blackboards and school supplies.

The museum boasts an extensive collection of 5000 artifacts, photos and histories depicting the pioneer beginning of the district.

Open daily 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. during the months of July and August; appointments for other dates and times can be booked in advance. Tours are always welcome.

Appointments can be made by contacting: indianheadmuseum@gmail.com

A history book about the town and surrounding district was published in 1984. The book covers a wide range of topics and events that form the rich history of the area. The book can be viewed at the Indian Head Branch of the Southeast Regional Library or at the Town Office.

The Town of Indian Head History Book has also been scanned and digitized and is available for viewing on the University of Calgary Digital Library.

Town of Indian Head History Book

Initiated in 2006, the Bell Barn Society launched a local initiative to preserve one of Canada's most interesting historic sites. In 2012 the Historic Bell Barn will be open May 19th to Sept. 3rd., 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily. Admission is: Adults $5, Children (6 to 15 years) $3, Children under 6 years free and Families $15. The Bell Barn Society offers a website that provides historical and current information on the reconstructed Bell Barn. To learn more about the Bell Barn Society, and their recently-completed reconstruction project, new initiatives and future plans, visit their website.

The first cemetery for Indian Head was established in 1883 at the NE corner of the town site section. In 1896 after one particularly wet spring the established graves were flooded yet again. It was decided to relocate them on higher ground three quarters of a mile to the west. In 2003 Duncan Spence and his cemetery restoration committee began the work of bringing the cemetery and its chapel to its original beauty. To view a burial list for the Indian Head Cemetery visit the Saskatchewan Cemeteries Project website.

The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan website provides a comprehensive list of historical resources for the province of Saskatchewan. In celebration of Saskatchewan's centennial, The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan is a gift both for and by the people fo Saskatchewan of their knowledge and experience to all who would care to know of the people, places and events that have shaped this province's legacy to Canada and to the world.

The Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan is the provicial agency responsible for acquiring, preserving and making available public (government) and private records of significance to the history of the Province of Saskatchewan. The Archives is an essential source for both in-person and distance research into family history, government policy, educational history, business and social organizations, land settlement, local history, geographic places, cultural developments, human rights, community events and provincial celebrations.

Regina—Qu'Appelle (formerly Qu'Appelle) is a federal electoral district in Saskatchewan, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1904. Since 1988 the district includes the northeastern quarter of the city of Regina as well as the surrounding rural area including the towns of Balgonie, Fort Qu'Appelle, Indian Head, Pilot Butte, White City and Wynyard.