Quality of Life

The Legend of Moose Jaw
The origin of the City’s name has not been determined exactly. A number of legends inspired by Indians and early explorers give various explanations for the choice of Moose Jaw.

One legend claims that the name was associated with the course taken by the Moose Jaw River, which was thought to resemble the jawbone of a moose. Another legend attributes the name to the Indian word for Moose Jaw, "Moosoochapiskun". The literal translation is said to be: "The place where the white man mended the cart with the jawbone of the moose." The white man was said to be Lord Dunmor or the Earl of Mulberry.

There was yet another legend, which probably is closest to the truth, Moose Jaw, in the winter is warmer than most of the surrounding territory. Legend has it that native Indians named the location Moosegaw, which loosely translated means "Warm breezes". With the arrival of the white man, the settlement soon became known as "Moose Jaw". Regardless of the name's origin it still remains one of the most unique community names in all of America. Everyone has heard of a place called Moose Jaw.

Moose Jaw History
The history of human settlements at the location where the Moose Jaw River joins Thunder Creek spans several thousand years. Once a winter encampment for both Cree and Assiniboine nations, there are burial grounds in the vicinity. There is a heritage treasure here to be recognized and interpreted for current and future generations.

During the fur trade era, Metis buffalo hunters had wintering cabins in the River Valley at "the turn" where the fur trial from Fort Garry forged Moose Jaw Creek. Isaac Cowie, an employee of the Hudson Bay Company, described his stay with Metis families at this location in the 1860’s.

Permanent settlement began in 1881 when James Ross and Hector Sutherland arrived from Winnipeg to speculate on land they felt sure would be the choice of the Canadian Pacific Railway for a divisional point. The juncture of Moose Jaw and Thunder Creek was the best place to cross the river valley and there was abundant water supply for steam locomotives. They registered the town site with the Dominion Government and organized a permanent settlement. Ross’s group was joined in the Spring of 1882 by another settlement group from Ontario led by Henry Battell.

The construction of the CPR with 7,600 men and 1,700 teams of horses proceeded west from the Manitoba border in 1882. They reached the settlement site of Moose Jaw in July of 1882. Once the end of the line was through Moose Jaw, population grew rapidly, and by the fall of 1882 there was a vibrant community with stores and saloons, and dozens of shacks and canvass tents.

By 1885, Moose Jaw was a major settlement. In addition to the homestead population and railway workers, there was an adjacent Sioux village four miles south in the River Valley. These Sioux had retreated with Sitting Bull from Montana and the battle with General Custer. There was concern among white settlers that the Sioux might join the rebellion in support of the Metis, but this did not happen.

In the summer of 1885, Moose Jaw was the temporary home for a battalion of 390 soldiers from Halifax who were sent west by the Dominion Government to quell the Northwest Rebellion led by Louis Riel and Gabriel Dumont.

Sisters of the Anglican Order of St. John the Devine established a base hospital during the rebellion. They cared for sick and wounded from the battles of Batoche and Fish Creek in a crude 40-bed facility on Main Street. Many of the younger male homesteaders found work hauling supplies north to the battlefront.

A major fire in 1891 wiped out 17 businesses and a church on Main Street. This incident, coupled with earlier fires, caused the town to make brick or stone construction mandatory. A local brick kiln, established in 1890, flourished. This is part of the reason there are so many early red brick heritage properties today throughout downtown Moose Jaw.

The rapid settlement after the turn of the century brought Moose Jaw to prominence in Western Canada and ushered in a commercial and industrial boom period. The Town Council sought and gained City status in November 1903. As the homesteads spread south and west, Moose Jaw became the wholesale distribution centre for a large trading area, and began processing agricultural products. The railway connections east, west and south drew numerous manufacturing industries and identified Moose Jaw as the leading industrial centre of the province.