The following content was contributed by Stanley Durr, and Roy Sanderson. For family history of Stanley Durr and his father, see the book A Tale that is Told - Durr, Mr. and Mrs. Stanley, and A Tale that is Told - Durr, Mr. and Mrs. Jay

Stanley Durr's father came from Iowa to the location of Hudson Bay Post #383 in 1903. His father came to North Dakota for the threshing season, and heard about homesteading on the Canadian side of the border, and that is how he learned about the possibility of settling this area. Stanley said there is a spring at the edge of Long Creek at that location that ran continuously, even throught the drought of the 1930's. The spring offered very cold water, which was used to preserve food for periods up to a week. Stanley's father remembers that there was a buffalo trail going by his property in the early years of his living there, and that there was a very clear East-West aboriginal trail at that location. In addition, the Red Coat Trail passed by this location in the direction of Avonlea. Stanley's father experienced the earthquake of 1909, saying that there house shook, and thinking animals were rubbing against it, he went outside to see that this was not the case. About a week later, news came of the earthquake, which was centered near Avonlea.

As a boy, Stanley and his brother found a Folsom Point in a pile of bones atop a low, small rise in the land. He said there were many points to be found on the land, dating from different periods. An excellent description of these periods and points is found on the Map of Saskatchewan Archaeology, depicted below. This map can be obtained from Tourist Information Booth at North Portal.

The Hudson Bay Post located along Long Creek at this location has yielded objects such as European pottery, 1886 Winchester Rifle 45-80 NWMP spent cartridges, American 45-70 spent cartidges, and metal fragments. The location itself is now buried to a certain extend under fill the Durr's added to that location in order to be able to transit along the edge of Long Creek at that point. In general this location is marked by hills to the West and South, and much flatter land toward Estevan on the East, and northward in the direction of Weyburn, Moose Jaw and Regina. The area bounded by Moose Mountain, the Qu'Appelle Valley, and the Missouri Coteau is an especially even piece of ground, in the middle of which is the Souris River, running roughly from the northwest to the southeast. Stanley reports that south of the location in question gravels begin, and north of the location gumbo clay starts.

The Hudson Bay posts date from the period 1821-1870, and this particular one was occupied from 1856 to 1858, making it one of the earliest points of European occupation in the area.

The site can be accessed, with permission from the Durr family, from Highway 18 West.

The scene - 49 degrees, 8 minutes, 286 seconds North; 103 degrees, 39 minutes, 187 seconds West

An extract from The Saskatchewan Atlas(1999), page 35, a section on The History of Fur Trade, authors Dale Russell and David Meyer, showing the location of Hudson Bay Post #383 relative to Long Creek, the Souris River, and Estevan.

Archeaological sites in southeastern Saskatchewan, and a description of Folsom points from A Map of Saskatchewan Archeaology. This map can be obtained from Tourist Information Booth at North Portal.

---