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| Geography |  Nestled in the southwest corner of the Saskatchewan prairies you'll find the Rural Municipality of Frontier. Flanked by Montana to the south and Alberta fifty miles west, R.M. #19 is thirty-six miles wide and eighteen miles deep. Through the center from east to west runs The Great Western Railway and Highway #18 runs parallel to it. A sixty-mile drive north will bring you to the Trans-Canada Highway; drive about 40 miles northwest, and you'll find yourself in the picturesque Cypress Hills; or 50 miles east, and you'll be in the Grasslands National Park.
| | History | As early as 1908, settlers began arriving in this area. Many came from eastern Canada, the United States, Britain, Europe and the Scandinavian countries, especially from Norway. Enough Norwegians settled the area to give it a definitive 'Norske' flavor. Almost a hundred years later, that Norwegian heritage lives on. To this day, the community celebrates 'Syttende Mai' which commemorates Norway's Independence Day back on May 17, 1814. Also, a semi-annual fundraiser in the community is an Ethnic Supper, which features the traditional Norwegian `lutefisk and lefse'.
The Rural Municipality of Frontier #19 was incorporated on Jan 1, 1913 with Isaac Walker as the first reeve and L.A. Anderson, J. Tait, W.S. Stark, M. Long and Otto Rueger were the first councilors. G. W. Healey was the first secretary-treasurer. Council is represented by a reeve and by a councilor for each of the eight divisions within the Municipality, as well as an Administrator.
| | Economic Information | Agriculture and related industries are the mainstay of our economy. Grain farming, organic farming, and ranching are the prevalent economic industries of the area, but manufacturing and oil industry also contribute.
A major contributor to the economy of the area is Honey Bee Manufacturing Ltd. Located 3 km south of the Village of Frontier, Honey Bee is a fully integrated manufacturing company, developing and producing harvest equipment for the agricultural industry worldwide. Honey Bee employs over 150 people, has equipment harvesting grain in over a dozen different countries and is an industry leader in the development of harvesting equipment for a variety of crops. Guided tours of the facility are available Monday through Friday. Tour groups larger than 10 persons are asked to call ahead to schedule a tour time at 306-296-2297.
In 2001 our local farmers purchased the grain elevator from the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool Board. The White-Mud Trading Company is farmer-owned and has been very successful in building their business and servicing the area. They have also added grain-cleaning equipment to provide a one-stop full service.
A community pasture, the Claydon Grazing Co-op and PFRA pasture provide grazing area for a variety of livestock.
| | Attractions | Spectacular sunrises and sunsets may be second only to our incredible wildlife population. It is a common occurrence to see deer, antelope, fox, coyotes, rabbits and other species, along with the occasional moose and elk, roaming the countryside. If bison are your interest, near the Hamlet of Claydon a project by the Nature Conservancy of Canada will provide those, too. Spanning over 13,000 acres into other rural municipalities, `The Old Man on His Back' is a conservation project aimed at protecting and restoring the land to short-grass prairie and blooming wild flowers; back to the way it was when our first pioneers came upon this area. A herd of buffalo have been released onto the native prairie grasslands, reintroducing them as one of the natural grazing animals. There is also significant heritage value to this area, as artifacts, medicine wheels and teepee rings of the past have been located here. The project is the first working ranch for the Nature Conservatory of Canada. There is a visitor's center open at the old ranch headquarters on weekends from May through September. Suzanne Dumontel can be contacted at 306-296-4908, if you require further information regarding this attraction.
Another interesting historical site in the R.M. of Frontier is a stone house and partial stone barn, which were built in 1926 by Mr. Alfred Lapointe. This 36' x 40', ten-room (five rooms up; five rooms down) stone house took approximately two years to complete. This amazing structure is worth a trip out to the western side of the municipality, and while you're out there, check out the `Blue Banks' clay deposits in the hillsides which give the impression of a blue color.
The Village of Frontier affords access to other attractions, including an outstanding Recreation Centre featuring a 75' mural depicting life on the prairies, which was painted by Regina artist, Ingrid Kalder. The `Rec Centre' was built in the late `70's to join together the existing curling and skating rinks. Now a year-round facility, it has bowling lanes, pool tables, a miniature golf course and a fast-food outlet. Frontier also has a first-class Senior Activity Centre, which also houses a Library and `The Mushroom Patch', a craft shop featuring articles made by local artisans. The Frontier South West Settlers Museum is located in the Village of Frontier also. Many events throughout the year held in Frontier encompass the entire rural community as well. Included in these would be the May 17th Norwegian Celebration mentioned previously, the Annual Craft Fair held every November, and the Annual Fowl Supper. The Ethnic Supper is held semi-annually, as is the `Quilt Show' which is a remarkable event hosted by our local `Border-Line Quilters' group every other spring.
The Hamlet of Claydon, even though there are only a few buildings left, is still a thriving community center. Claydon has the only Lions Club within the R.M. and the group meets every 2nd Wednesday of each month. Claydon also has a baseball tournament the first weekend of June and holds an annual fowl supper early in the fall.
The Frontier Golf Club offers a 9-hole sand green course, which is located half a mile north of the Village of Frontier.
| | Other Info | The R.M. of Frontier #19 provides an airstrip located 2 ½ miles south of the Village of Frontier.
The R.M. of Frontier #19 Ambulance Department provides exceptional service to all clients in the south west and area who are in need of medical attention and require medical transportation services. The R.M. also operates an excellent R.M. Fire Department and Rescue team.
Presently, there are just over 600 people living in the area.
Further information is available by calling the office of the R. M. of Frontier at 306-296-2250.
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