Watson, Saskatchewan

Watson is a town of 777 residents in the rural municipality of Lakeside, in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Watson is located on the intersection of Highway 5 and Highway 6, the Canam Highway. Watson is approximately the same distance from Saskatoon which is to the west, and Regina to the south, which gives rise to its town motto, Industrial Crossroads of Saskatchewan.

Watson
Town
Main Street
Motto(s): 
Industrial Crossroads of Saskatchewan
Watson
Location in Saskatchewan
Watson
Watson (Canada)
Coordinates: 52°7′N 104°31′W
CountryCanada
Provinces and territories of CanadaSaskatchewan
Rural Municipalities (R.M.)Lakeside
Post office founded (as Vossen)1904-04-01
Incorporated (village)1906-05-01
Incorporated (town)August 1, 1908
Government
 • MayorNorma Weber
Area
 • Total2.83 km2 (1.09 sq mi)
Population
 (2016)
 • Total697
 • Density274.7/km2 (711/sq mi)
 • Summer (DST)CST
[1][2][3][4][5]

History

Settlers began arriving in the early 1900s, many of them German American Catholics.[6] The first post office in the area was established on April 1, 1904 and named Vossen after its postmaster, Frank J. Vossen Jr.[7] It was changed to Watson on May 1, 1906, in advance of the village's incorporation on October 6, 1906.[1] The village became a town on August 1, 1908.[8] The town's namesake is Senator Robert Watson. Senator Watson, originally owned the land the town was built on.[9] Watson celebrated its first Santa Claus Day in 1932, and in 1996 erected a 25-foot (7.6 m)-high Santa Claus to commemorate the event.[10][11][12]

Demographics
Canada census – Watson, Saskatchewan community profile
2011 2006
Population: 777 (8.1% from 2006) 719 (-9.4% from 2001)
Land area: 2.83 km2 (1.09 sq mi) 2.83 km2 (1.09 sq mi)
Population density: 274.7/km2 (711/sq mi) 254.2/km2 (658/sq mi)
Median age: 48.0 (M: 45.5, F: 49.1) N/A (M: N/A, F: N/A)
Total private dwellings: 364 362
Median household income: $N/A $N/A
References: 2011[13] 2006[14] earlier[15]

Geography
  • Lat (DM) 52° 7' N
  • Long (DM) 104° 31' W
  • Dominion Land Survey Vossen Sec.16, Twp.37, R.18, W2
  • Dominion Land Survey Watson Sec.28, Twp.36, R.18, W2
  • Time zone (cst) UTC−6

Jansen Lake, Houghton Lake, Lenore Lake, Ironspring Creek, Big Quill Lake and Little Quill Lake are all close to Watson.

Transportation

The town is located at the junction of Saskatchewan Highway 5 and Saskatchewan Highway 6.

Railway

Melfort Subdivision C.P.R—serves Lanigan, Leroy, Watson, Spalding[16]

Margo Subdivision Canadian National Railway[17]

Notable people

References
  1. "Urban Municipality Incorporations" (PDF). Saskatchewan Ministry of Municipal Affairs. Retrieved 2011-04-25.
  2. "2011 Community Profiles". Statistics Canada. Government of Canada. Retrieved 2014-04-09.
  3. National Archives, Archivia Net. "Post Offices and Postmasters". Retrieved 2014-07-15.
  4. Government of Saskatchewan, MRD Home. "Municipal Directory System". Retrieved 2014-07-15.
  5. Commissioner of Canada Elections, Chief Electoral Officer of Canada (2005). "Elections Canada On-line". Retrieved 2014-07-15.
  6. McLennan, David (2006). "Watson". Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan. Canadian Plains Research Center, University of Regina. Retrieved 2011-04-25.
  7. "Watson". Post Offices and Postmasters. Library and Archives Canada. January 31, 2007. Retrieved 2011-04-25.
  8. "Watson: Incorporating Village as a Town" (PDF). Government of Saskatchewan. August 1, 1908. Retrieved 2011-04-25.
  9. "Community Profiles: Watson". SaskBiz. Enterprise Saskatchewan. 2009. Retrieved 2011-04-25.
  10. Solonyka, Ed. "Santa Claus Watson, Saskatchewan". Large Canadian Roadside Attractions. Retrieved 2011-04-25.
  11. Yanciw, David (September 17, 2002). "Town of Watson". Big Things: The Monuments of Canada. Retrieved 2011-04-25.
  12. "Tourism". Town of Watson. 2010. Retrieved 2011-04-25.
  13. "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. July 5, 2013. Retrieved 2012-07-08.
  14. "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. March 30, 2011. Retrieved 2009-02-24.
  15. "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. February 17, 2012.
  16. Waghorn, J.R. (January 1925). Waghorn's Guide. Winnipeg: The Guide Co. Retrieved 2011-04-25.
  17. https://www.cn.ca/en/our-services/maps-and-network
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