Moosomin began in 1882 with the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway, which made it the first Saskatchewan community on "steel". It was first known as "siding No. 4" and the "Moosomin Station." The town takes its name from Chief Moosomin, who led his band into treaty status and signed Treaty 6 at Battleford in 1880.
Businesses came quickly. R. D. McNaughton was the first merchant to arrive, and his general store, the R. D. McNaughton Company, played a vital role in early settlement. By 1884 the community had five general stores, five hotels, two livery stables, two blacksmiths, a doctor, a lawyer, a butcher and a printer. The Moosomin Courier published its first issue on October 2, 1884, and, now called the World-Spectator, it is the oldest community newspaper in the province. Moosomin was incorporated as a town in November 1887. A hospital opened in 1905, the only one between Brandon and Indian Head. General Andrew McNaughton, born in Moosomin in 1887, went on to command Canada's overseas army in the Second World War and became Minister of Defence.
Early social life was shaped by distance. Church services were often held in private homes, one-room schools were the centre of activity, and Saturday night was the time to shop and, often, to enjoy entertainment at the Opera House in the McNaughton store. July 1 was the summer highlight for many years, with a parade, sports and refreshments.
A major potash mine built to the north in the late 1960s and early 1970s brought significant growth. Around 2010 the town grew again, helped by the mine's expansion, a wind farm, the twinning of the Trans-Canada Highway, new highway businesses, the Southeast Integrated Care Centre and local oil activity. Today Moosomin is also home to the Moosomin Rangers hockey team and sits near Moosomin Lake Regional Park.
Written from Wikipedia’s article “Moosomin, Saskatchewan” (CC BY-SA 4.0), and shared under the same licence.