Wolseley Places Part Two

After what seems like an eternity, finally here’s part two of the “Walking about Wolseley Saskatchewan in search of historic buildings” series photographed back in 2019. It’s complicated and unfortunately sharing our adventures (and there’s a TON in queue some going back years) had to be shelved for a time, for a myriad of reasons, but now we’re back and writing furiously to play catch up. Catch up? God, that’s hilarious…keep saying that. Being perpetually behind is what we do and even what’s expected of us. It’s a running joke.

Anyhow…over two days, between other commitments, we put feet in motion and aimlessly explored the town. There’s just so many old ‘n’ interesting buildings here, we knew this method would not steer us wrong. And if you do the same when visiting the charming community, and we think you should as it’s a treasure, you’ll do fine too. There’s cool stuff at every turn. This is a real casual take on it all and nor is it an exhaustive inventory, just a fun little tour. Now let’s see what this post has to offer…

1) This is the impressive Hunt House from 1902, made from a mix of field stones and brick. Typical of houses around here incorporating the first material, it was built by Scottish stone masons who settled in the area. It’s not clear if Henry Hunt himself was of those origins and did the work or if it was contracted out. Who even it was, they possessed great skill.

On reading the first piece (No? Go here: Wolseley Places Part One), you’ll see some interesting connections between the people and places spoken of. It continues here in Part Two with Hunt working for Magee mentioned in that earlier post (see Magee’s amazing stone house in that link). And similarly Hunt also had ties to the nursing home mentioned many times (called then the “Home for the Infirm”) and acted as the first superintendent starting in the early 1920s. The Hunts, Ethel being the other, hailed from Ontario before coming to Wolseley.

1) The gorgeous Hunt House.

No mention is made who later called the Hunt Place home, so they must have been awfully uninteresting people (we said while grinning). The current resident is definitely excluded from that list and was a delight to chat with and very accommodating, allowing us special permission to gawk. It’s with big hugs we say thanks for the privilege. Yes, it’s equally amazing once you step inside.

2-10) I told you! Take in the awesome that is a dwelling right out the pages of Better Homes & Gardens. Undoubtedly a lot of work, and love went into it bringing it up to this standard of epic. Gazing at these photos reminds us what a absolute hovel our home is…and now we’re bummed out, here in this little corner office, off a cramped living room in our utterly characterless “shoebox with a roof” mid-century home.

As said in the first instalment, it’s not often we get to take in residences restored such as this. Usually it’s abandoned stuff we document or minimally places a bit rundown or unlived in. Truth is, it’s not the decrepit we’re after, although mostly it’s that we see, but rather history. Any kind, any condition, any form, we don’t care.

A photo is shown to us of the house in the old days. Look at the care than went into the grounds too. For some reason, caught up in the moment I guess, we forgot to snap some pics of how it all looks there currently. I see a pattern of forgetfulness happening.

Right next door is an interesting little house, unknown to us at the time, with an incredible ties to something else we documented in the area. (This: St Andrew’s/Moffat United.) As it turns out, this dwelling was earlier Moffat Presbyterian Church, built a hundred and thirty six years ago (real old for the area) which was replaced in the early 1890s by the stone building seen in the link above and then moved to town. Somehow it was missed and with that comes a head shake. For next time!

11-12) St Anne’s Catholic Church is from 1900 and like everything historic in Wolseley (it seems) amazingly kept up. We’ve never seen so many old buildings looking so good. On the grounds and commonplace in the Catholic Religion, there’s a grotto. Often it’s the Virgin Mary seen in these shrines, sometimes shown holding a globe as seen here, but sometimes it’s other religious figures.

13-15) We couldn’t find any definite dates but the design and materials used in its construction suggests this old service station is post-WW2. While in good shape, it seems to have been closed for some time. There’s an old faded Coke ad, but otherwise no signage of any kind.

Curiously, this former business is kind of hidden away on a side street. Perhaps an earlier highway alignment had it closer to the action?

16) This “foursquare” dates from 1912. Houses built to this style, usually of wood, but sometimes of brick such as seen here, were popular up to the 1930s and seem particularly common in small towns and rural areas.

17) The Lutheran congregation in Wolseley goes back a hundred and twenty years, although we think their church, Zion, is a bit newer.

18-20) Built with Gothic Revival influences, St James United is from 1906. Of locally made bricks (100K of them according to a report!), when built they flew the Presbyterian banner here. Later they merged with some other religious groups, resulting in the present day name.

On the east side, it’s a modern addition from the 1960s.

21) Just west of St James, this field stone and brick house dates from 1900. If you look close you can see the latter material is of two different colours – compare window and corner treatments. Here’s another stone wonder built by someone who knew what they were doing. The garage might mask some of the charm, but so be it.

2) It’s just as wonderful inside.

We saw some more fine looking houses down the street, but sadly our time had run out.

There will be part three soon and in that final instalment we’ll take a look at downtown Wolseley and let me tell you it’s outstanding. So many magnificent old buildings there! Included is the old Leland Hotel, a real architectural gem and home to the best butter chicken the Team has ever tasted (across the street Canada Cafe has amazing eats too).

Here’s a suggested Google search term if want to know more: “Historic Wolseley Saskatchewan”.

Cheers!

They’re saying…

”Always very interesting and well researched.” Peter Kroeger.

Part one…
Wolseley Places Part One.

We LOVE SK…
Wolseley SK Then & Now: Town Hall.
Backroad Saskatchewan.
Old Jack’s Collecton (1) & Old Jack’s Collection (2).
Providence Grain Marengo Saskatchewan.

If you wish more information on what you’ve seen here, by all means contact us!

Date of Adventure: August, 2019.
Location(s): Wolseley, SK.
Article references and thanks: Stephen Scriver, Town of Wolseley, Author Dennis Fjestad.

3) A scene from better Homes & Gardens.

4) So unlike most places we visit.

5) Clearly this old house is well loved.

6) It dates back to 1902.

7) Nothing beats a deeeep soak.

8) The Hunts were the first occupants.

9) We didn’t want to leave.

10) The house long ago.

11) St Anne’s from 1900.

12) The Grotto.

13) Down some side street…

14) …It’s an old gas station.

15) Just walking about.

16) This brick Four Square.

17) Zion Lutheran.

18) With Gothic Revival style influences.

19) Welcome to St James United.

20) Built long ago.

21) Wolseley is stone house central.