Sunday 20 November 2016

Nothing

Is sometimes all that remains. I was near Cadillac, Saskatchewan (still not actual Cadillacs there that I am aware of) on November 11, 2016 and thought I would take a back road to look for a place called Gouverneur that was on by back roads atlas.

I stopped at the side of the road as I figured I had to be close. I was stretching my legs when a nice elderly couple pulled in in a pickup and asked if I needed help. I mentioned I was fine and I asked them what that big rock was in the field. I thought it was a grave or cemetery marker. It turned out that it kind of was one. It marked where Gouverneur once stood. They told me there was an abandoned cemetery a bit north and east of here. It was partially buried from dust storms during the Great Depression. It was in a field with no direct access. I would have liked to see it.

The town existed in one form or another from 1913 to 1972 beside the railway. According to the plaque on the rock at one time there were two blacksmith shops, cafe, pool hall, post office, church, school, livery, hall, two lumber yards, tennis court, three general stores, machinery store, four elevators, section house, and service station. Now there is nothing.

2 comments:

  1. Doesn't it make you wonder where all the people went to? And yet, a farmer plows around the marker..

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