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 new day was dawning on the continent of North America. The ice that had covered the continent for ages began to recede, carried away by torrents of rushing water. The rivers that today flow peacefully, then surged with millions of gallons of water. It was during this time that Wawanesa's landscape was formed. The cliffs that dominate our town were carved out through the ages by the work of the Souris River. |
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| Humans arrived in North America on the heels of the ice age. First Nations people worked their way south and east spreading out across the plains. These people led a nomadic existence, migrating through lands that are now carefully structured fields. Despite today's asphalt highways and developed land, images of the days of prairie grass and bison can still be easily conjured up when out in the countryside. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| The arrival of the Europeans once again transformed the North American Prairies. Explorers and fur traders arrived first, mapping and surveying the land. Slowly, settlers began to make the arduous journey West, searching for a better life in the New World. The first winters were almost unbearably harsh, but the human spirit prevailed.
These pioneers are the heritage of the average Prairie citizen. They fought against nearly impossible odds to make a new home far from everything they had ever known. They tamed the wild prairie, turning it into one of the most fertile areas in the world. |
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| Today life on the prairies continues to change. With the arrival of telecommunications, the isolation of the Wawanesa area, once a dominant feature of the community, is fading away. It seems appropriate at this point in time to tell the story of our town and post it on the World Wide Web for all to see. We hope that you enjoy your visit to the Wawanesa: A Prairie Heritage site. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Our wholehearted thanks go out to Industry Canada for the existence of the Digital Collections Program. The stories of the past need to be recorded on this exciting new medium for the future citizens to know and understand. Their foresight has begun to ensure that the story of the Canadian Prairies will be as well known a century from now as it is today. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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