By Kaiti Hannah, Curatorial Associate
On June 26, 1976, the WDM Moose Jaw officially opened to the public in a ceremony officiated by Premier Allan Blakeney. The construction grant had been approved by the Government of Saskatchewan on July 27, 1973, and construction began with a sod-turning ceremony on May 9, 1974. The sod-turning used a 1911 Case steam traction engine pulling a four-bottom plow.
Sod turning ceremony, May 9, 1974. On the plow: WDM Board Chair George Dyck, Moose Jaw Mayor Herb Taylor, MLA Don MacDonald, MLA Gordon Snyder. On the engine: MLA Ed Tchorzewski, Local Committee member A.F. Fetham and volunteers. WDM archives.
Dignitaries at the sod turning, May 9, 1974. WDM Board Chair George Dyck speaking at the microphone. WDM archives.
On plow: WDM Board Chair George Dyck, Moose Jaw Mayor Herb Taylor, MLA Dr. Don MacDonald, MLA Gordon Snyder. On engine: MLA Ed Tchorzewski. At WDM Moose Jaw sod turning, May 9, 1974. WDM archives.
The Beginnings
Discussion about opening a WDM location in Moose Jaw began in 1972, shortly after the new WDM locations in Saskatoon and Yorkton were opened. 1972 and 1973 were spent securing funding for the new location and forming a local advisory committee in Moose Jaw. Planning for the exhibits in the new museum began in late 1974. Former WDM Exhibits Coordinator Rick Dixon, who also helped build Boomtown Street, was tasked with coming up with ideas and building exhibits for the new museum.
The Executive Director of the WDM at the time was Gordon Wilson, who had flown a Spitfire in Italy during the Second World War. Gordon’s passion for flight was part of why there is such a heavy focus on aircraft in the WDM Moose Jaw. Gordon was also an advocate for including a section on the British Commonwealth Air Training Program (BCATP) in the air gallery.
The time it took from when Rick finished his initial exhibit proposal to when the museum doors opened to the public was only about 18 months. For the summer of 1976, Rick would load his car in Saskatoon on a Monday, drive to Moose Jaw on a Tuesday and stay until Friday, building exhibits.
When deciding how to divide the themes of the museum, Rick says he considered the main ways people travelled through Saskatchewan, thinking of both summer and winter travel. He grouped these methods of transportation into four main categories: air, land, water, and rail. He then made a list of ideas for possible exhibit topics for each category to submit for approval.
Early Ideas
Some ideas that Rick had for the museum which didn’t end up coming to fruition included an operational train station. He had an idea that visitors could enter a train station inside the museum gallery to access an outdoor train line. Visitors would buy a ticket at the train station inside the museum, then go through the station doors to the outside to ride on the train. Though the operational train line was built, the station inside the museum never came to be.
Another idea proposed for the Moose Jaw location that never came to be was a hotel. An internal memo from the time notes:
“This suggestion is being made for the reason that there is an important part of transportation history which is not represented in the Moose Jaw Museum. That is a hotel. Very few institutions are more closely associated with transportation. For example, note the chain of hotels the C.N.R. operate. This fact ties in naturally with our rail display.
Aside from the historical association, a hotel would be very functional in museum operations. There are projected plans to have a restaurant in the museum. A hotel is a natural location. The hotel would also fit well into the building floor plan at the point where the restaurant will be placed.”
Some of the early exhibit ideas for the WDM Moose Jaw. WDM exhibit files.
Early plans for the WDM Moose Jaw also included plans for a mezzanine over the centre of the museum. Bases to anchor the mezzanine were added to some support pillars when the museum was built, and evidence of these is still present today, though the mezzanine was never added.
Remnants of bases for the mezzanine at the WDM Moose Jaw. WDM photos.
Anniversary Events
In 2026, the WDM Moose Jaw building turns 50 – and we’re marking the milestone with two special anniversary events in June.
On Friday, June 26, we’ll celebrate the exact anniversary date of our 1976 opening with free admission all day (donations gratefully accepted). Visitors are invited to explore the galleries, enjoy 1970s-inspired activities, take part in a themed Seek & Find and join us at 1:00 pm for a short presentation about the history of the building, followed by cupcakes and refreshments.
Then on Saturday, June 27, the celebration continues with Built in ’76: A Groovy Night at the Museum. This ticketed evening event will feature live music, dancing in Sask Hall, 1970s fashion displays, interactive gallery experiences and a festive, nostalgic atmosphere. It’s a chance to experience the Museum after hours and celebrate 50 years of shared history in style.
We hope you’ll join us as we honour this important milestone and look ahead to the next chapter.
Visitors explore exhibits at the WDM Moose Jaw official opening, June 26, 1976. WDM archives.
