History is something that is all around us. Old buildings, ancient artifacts, buried roadways are just among some of the amazing historical treasures you can find nearby. I find myself constantly enthralled by history to the point where the most exciting part of my day is delving into “on this day in history”.
When I came to Lloydminster my first thought was to head to the local museum and learn as much as I can. Though I haven’t toured the museum yet, I’ve been through the artifact warehouse and had a quick lesson on local history.
How well do you know the first days of this beautiful border city? A group of Barr Colonists arrived in Lloyd from the United Kingdoms. At the time the town was still part of the North-West Territories located on the Fourth Meridian. The short version is a meridian in this case is a line that goes through Lloydminster.
The colonists were led by Isaac Barr before being replaced by Rev. George Exton Lloyd. He would be leader for much of the beginning of the cities existence before heading over the prairies to serve as the Anglican Bishop of Saskatchewan. The colonists didn’t like Isaac Barr’s leadership, preferring Lloyd but, some had mixed reviews about his leadership. One colonist even put it, “we liked Lloyd very, very much, but he was a dictator with very strong ideas”. Lloyd was intent on keeping it “all-British” and making the city alcohol free.
Fast forward some years and in 1958 Lloydminster received its charter and became the tenth city in both provinces. An important note to the history of Lloydminster is the success of the colonists can be credited to the local Indigenous people, the Onion Lake Cree Nation. They provided lumber for the first log church, taught the British how to hunt and trap, and sold moccasins as the British boots would not keep the colonists warm enough.
Today, Lloydminster sits proudly atop the fourth meridian on Treaty Six territory between Alberta and Saskatchewan. The history of this border city is rich, and I may not have covered everything but I implore you to take a trip to the past and enjoy these beautiful moments.
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