History

In 1757, a fur trading post was established in the Hudson Bay District, beside the Red Deer River. Ruins from the post have been found near the village of Erwood. In 1790, the North West Trading Co. set up a trading post at the mouth of the Etomami River. Speculators think that a South Company's post was set up on the opposite mouth of the River, where there are remains of a 2nd post unaccounted for.

Over the years a settlement grew and in July 1907, an application was made to erect Etomami as a village. (Etomami was a native word that meant a place where 3 rivers join.) But in order to establish a hamlet, it was necessary to have fifteen occupied dwelling houses. By August, the list was completed and the village was formed. Mr. B.F. Noble was the first "overseer" of the village. The post office was also established at that time. It was located on the 100 block of Churchill Street. Then in 1909 the Canadian Northern Railway Company chose the name, Hudson Bay Junction, so the name was changed.

During the early years many difficulties were encountered in trying to maintain the Village. It was even suggested at one time that it be disorganized, but as time moved on, things improved and the town continued to grow. The Town was incorporated in 1946 and at the first council meeting, which was held in 1947, the town's name was shortened by dropping "Junction". In 1958 - parking meters were introduced on Churchill Street - although they have long since vanished. The year 1958 also saw the Town switch to Mountain Standard Time. But less than two months later, they decided to revert back to Central Standard Time.

The Hudson Bay School Building is a registered municipal heritage property, originally built in 1910 to house the composite school, it was built as a four room school house out of cement block in a Georgian Classicism/American Colonial style. Today the building houses the Hudson Bay Museum.

Railway

Today Hudson Bay is still a major junction with the railway running in three directions, and the highway running in all four directions. VIA Rail provides scheduled passenger service at the Hudson Bay railway station

Hudson Bay railway station

The Hudson Bay Railway Station is a flag stop in Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan, Canada. The station is served by Via Rail's Winnipeg – Churchill train.- External links :*...

. Things have changed, and come and gone, like in any community, but the warmth, friendliness and pioneering spirit lives on.

Wood products

Wizewood Products Ltd. established Canada’s first waferboard plant in September 1961, this was taken over by MacMillan Bloedel and Powell River (Saskatchewan) Ltd. in 1965, followed by a $4 Million dollar expansion in 1968–69 making it the largest particle board complex in Canada. A $14.8 million expansion followed in 1983, and by 1995 the plant was operating as a joint venture between Macmillan Bloedel and Saskatchewan Forest Products Corporation (SFPC) under the name SaskFor. When SaskFor opened the new oriented strand board

Oriented strand board

Oriented strand board, also known as OSB and SmartPly , is an engineered wood product formed by layering strands of wood in specific orientations. In appearance, it may have a rough and variegated surface with the individual strips Oriented strand board, also known as OSB (UK) and SmartPly (UK &...

 mill, the old waferboard plant was shutdown. In 1999 Macmillan Bloedel bought-out its part taking over full control of SaskFor, that same year Macmillan Bloedel was taken over by Weyerhaeuser

Weyerhaeuser

Weyerhaeuser is one of the largest pulp and paper companies in the world. It is the world's largest private sector owner of softwood timberland; and the second largest owner of United States timberland, behind Plum Creek Timber...

. Wood products continue to play an important role in the local economy with both Weyerhaeuser

Weyerhaeuser

Weyerhaeuser is one of the largest pulp and paper companies in the world. It is the world's largest private sector owner of softwood timberland; and the second largest owner of United States timberland, behind Plum Creek Timber...

 and C&C Wood Products operating within the area.

Agriculture

Alfalfa is grown within the valley. Then dehydrated, it yields over 10,000 tonnes of alfalfa pellets annually for local sales and export.

Coal

On May 8, 2008 a major coal discovery by Goldsource Mines Inc. (www.goldsourcemines.com) sparked a land rush for coal prospecting permits. There have been many successful drill programs by such companies as Saturn Minerals, Wescan Goldfields Inc., North American Gem, and Westcore Drilling

Tourism

An increasingly important industry is large game hunting in the area.

The location of Hudson Bay is a vibrant and friendly community of 1700 people located in east-central Saskatchewan.

Hudson Bay is accessible by rail, bus, road and air. The town is located at the junction of Highways #3 (east and west) and #9 (north and south). The Canadian National Railway has three lines including the Bay Route to the Port of Churchill. Hudson Bay Transport provides truck service and the Saskatchewan Transportation Company provides daily bus service via Saskatoon, Regina and Prince Albert.

Major Highways

Major highways in all four directions along with daily bus and courier services are all important assets.

1. 9 South to Regina & North to The Pas, MB
2. 3 and # 41 West to Saskatoon & # 3 East to Manitoba

Saskota Flyway

The Saskota Flyway (Highway 9) is known as the International Road to Adventure, because it takes you from Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan, all the way south to Bismarck, North Dakota and beyond, along the way passing through northern forest, prairie parkland, vast stretches of wheat-production, not to mention parks and coal mining country. Read more about the Saskota Flyway.

Via Rail

For more information on travel phone VIA Rail: 1-888-842-7245
Web site: www.trainpackages.ca

STC Bus Lines

Bus depot 865-2914
Hours: Mon. - Fri. 6:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.; 12:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.; Sat. 7:00 a.m. - Noon

Airport

Hudson Bay’s Airport is unusual for a town of Hudson Bay’s size and having it available makes industrial expansion locally all that much more attractive.

The airport provides excellent service for charter and local aircraft and serves a water bomber base for forest protection. The airport, with a 5,000 foot runway and a 2,000 foot cross wind runway is able to accommodate almost any size of aircraft. A beacon and lights allow night landing.

For more information regarding the airport click here.

Distances from Hudson Bay to:

Saskatoon 331 km
Regina 383 km
Yorkton 210 km
Prince Albert 255 km
We have a diverse economy based on forestry, agriculture, processing and eco-tourism. Forestry has continued to be the major source of employment and economic generator over the years, and our community has shown itself to be capable of supporting existing world class industries in the production of plywood and oriented strand board. In 1979 Hudson Bay earned the title of Forestry Capital of Canada. In addition, with the abundance of wildlife in the area, it has also become known as the Moose Capital of the World. The vast tracks of untouched wilderness enable visitors to enjoy year round recreational pursuits. The nutrient rich soils which surround Hudson Bay have enabled farmers to produce a wide range of crops on over 175000 acres (708.2 km²).

Education

There are two public schools in the Town of Hudson Bay. Stewart Hawke is a kindergarten to grade six school. The school offers a full range of elementary courses including core French. There is a modern gymnasium, an open area Resource Center at the heart of the school, and a computer laboratory. The school has an active intramural program including a wide range of sports, drama and musical activities. The school also has a well-developed outdoor education program. It can house a maximum of 450 students. Parent volunteers are welcomed.

Hudson Bay Composite High School is a grade 7 to grade 12 school. The school offers all the normal academic program requirements for grade 12 graduation and many optional courses. A full range of modified academic credits are offered at the grade 10, 11 and 12 levels. The school has consistently achieved high academic standards, which have been reflected in the success of former students in their post-secondary education in the number and range of scholarships that have been obtained.

An extensive extra-curricular program is offered including volleyball

Volleyball

Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...

, basketball

Basketball

Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

, track

Track and field

Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...

, badminton

Badminton

Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...

, curling

Curling

Curling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...

, cheerleading

Cheerleading

Cheerleading is a physical activity, sometimes a competitive sport, based on organized routines, usually ranging from one to three minutes, which contain the components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting to direct spectators of events to cheer on sports teams at games or to participate...

, softball

Softball

Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...

, and dance

Dance

Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....

. The school is very proud of its football program, which has resulted in several appearances at the Provincial Championship level. The school has a wide range of non-sporting activities including a year book, photo-club, and an active peer counseling group.

The Cumberland Community College operates a branch in Hudson Bay. There is a local coordinator and qualified instructors. Program offerings include an adult up-grading course and university and technical institute classes. An S.C.N. unit assists in the provision of the more specialized type classes. Classes are also offered using public school space, when specialized equipment is required.

Clubs/Organizations

Hudson Bay has a number of established groups whose mandates are to provide cultural and artistic opportunities for the residents of Hudson Bay and District.

The Hudson Bay Allied Arts Council is very active in bringing professional performing artists to the Community.

The forest, rivers and lakes surrounding Hudson Bay provide inspirations for the members of the Hudson Bay Art Club. The active club organizes classes by professional artists for adults wishing to hone their skills and acquire new techniques.

Children receive qualified dance instruction in tap, ballet and jazz. The Community has several piano

Piano

The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...

 teachers currently giving lessons. Instruction on violin

Violin

The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....

, guitar

Guitar

The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...

 and organ

Organ (music)

The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...

 is also available. Choral groups and instrumental ensembles from Stewart Hawke Elementary School consistently bring home trophies from the district musical festival. Both the elementary and high school have active drama clubs which attend Provincial adjudications. The High School has a well-equipped fine arts wing which houses its drama area and stage and its arts department.

Hudson Bay's active volunteer network provides a wide variety of cultural and artistic activities with the support of the Town of Hudson Bay and the School Division.

The Hudson Bay Economic Development and Tourism Committee is appointed by the Councils of the Town of Hudson Bay, the Rural Municipality of Hudson Bay #394 and the Hudson Bay Chamber of Commerce. The purpose of the Committee is to provide aid to local economic opportunities, striving to renew and revitalize the economic interest of the community and to examine and investigate all alternatives that are available. The Committee keeps an up to date list of local business opportunities as well as a current list of business / office space and industrial sites available.

Service Clubs include: Rotary Club, Lions Club, Knights of Columbus

Knights of Columbus

The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....

, Masons

Freemasonry

Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...

, Elks and Royal Purple

Royal Purple

Royal Purple is an American manufacturer which produces lubricants for automotive, industrial, marine, motorcycle and racing use. It is known primarily for its line of Royal Purple Motor Oil products for use in gasoline and diesel engines...

, Royal Canadian Legion

Royal Canadian Legion

The Royal Canadian Legion is a non-profit Canadian ex-service organization founded in 1925, with more than 400,000 members worldwide. Membership includes people who have served as current and former military, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, provincial and municipal police, direct relatives of...

, Legion Ladies Auxiliary and Health Care Auxiliary. Other organizations focused on the youth in this area are: 4-H

4-H

4-H in the United States is a youth organization administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture of the United States Department of Agriculture , with the mission of "engaging youth to reach their fullest potential while advancing the field of youth development." The name represents...

, Beavers, Cubs

Cubs

Cubs may refer to:*Chicago Cubs, a baseball team of the National League of Major League Baseball**Iowa Cubs, a minor league baseball team of the Pacific Coast League**Daytona Cubs, a minor league baseball team of the Florida State League...

, AWANA

Awana

AWANA is an international evangelical nonprofit organization founded in 1950, headquartered in Streamwood, Illinois...

, Scouts and Army Cadets

Army Cadets

Army Cadets may refer to:* Members of the Army Cadet Force * Members of the Cadet Corps, New Zealand Cadet Forces* Members of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets* Members of the American Cadet Alliance Army Brigade* Members of the Australian Army Cadets...

.

Hudson Bay functions with volunteer boards such as the Wildlife Federation, Horticulture

Horticulture

Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...

 Board, etc.

Demographics

See also

• Hudson Bay railway station
  Hudson Bay railway station
  The Hudson Bay Railway Station is a flag stop in Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan, Canada. The station is served by Via Rail's Winnipeg – Churchill train.- External links :*...
  
  
• List of communities in Saskatchewan
• List of towns in Saskatchewan

External links

• http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/hudson_bay.html Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan