Bengough, Saskatchewan Explained

Official Name:Bengough
Motto:Gateway to the Big Muddy
Pushpin Map:Saskatchewan#Canada
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type2:Rural Municipalities (R.M.)
Subdivision Name:Canada
Subdivision Name2:Bengough
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Title1:Federal Electoral District Assiniboia M.P.
Leader Title2:Provincial Constituency Weyburn-Big Muddy M.L.A.
Established Title:Post office Founded
Established Date:1912-03-01
Established Title2:Village
Established Date2:1911
Established Title3:Town
Established Date3:1958
Area Total Km2:1.07
Population As Of:2021
Population Total:332
Population Density Km2:295.7
Timezone Dst:CST
Coordinates:49.3961°N -105.1278°W
Website:http://www.bengough.com/

Bengough [1] is a town surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Bengough No. 40, in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. A southeastern Saskatchewan prairie town, Bengough is located east of Willow Bunch Lake on Highway 34 near Highway 705. The town is named Bengough after cartoonist John Wilson Bengough. Bengough also plays host to the Gateway Festival[2] which showcases various musicians and several other events through the weekend, usually taking place in late July.

History

Homesteading in the Bengough area started around 1906.[3] In 1911, Bengough was incorporated as a village and a rail line was built by the Canadian Northern Railway (CNoR). Bengough was incorporated as a town in 1958. The town was an agricultural hub to the surrounding area with grain elevators from Federal Grain Limited, Parrish Heimbecker Ltd., and the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool established within the town limits. The railway running through the town of Bengough is no longer in operation. As of 2007, only the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool elevator is still in operation, owned and operated by a local farmer organization.

Geography

Bengough is located within the Missouri Coteau near Willow Bunch Lake, Big Muddy Lake, Salt Lake and Channel Lake. Few well-defined streams or creeks are located near the townsite. The landscape where the town is located is characterized by pitted and rolling topography of the moraine deposits that dominate the landscape. Just south of Bengough is the Big Muddy Badlands.

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Bengough had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of 1.12km2, it had a population density of in 2021.[4]

Economy

Located in a mixed farming and ranching area, Bengough's main economic industry is agriculture. Regina, Assiniboia and Weyburn are the closest neighbouring major communities.

Bengough & District Regional Park

Bengough & District Regional Park is a regional park located adjacent to Bengough, just off Highway 34. The park was founded in 1975 with land donated by the RM of Bengough No. 40, a cash donation from Bengough, and a five-year capital investment from the Department of Tourism & Renewable Resources.[5]

At Bengough Regional Park, there's a well-treed campground with 29 sites, a golf course, and an outdoor swimming pool. The campsites are full service including potable water, sewer, and power, as well as washroom and shower facilities. The golf course, which opened in 1980, is a 9-hole, sand green course that has a clubhouse and driving range.[6]

Other amenities at the park include a playground area, hiking trails, beach volleyball court, ball diamonds, and horseshoe pits.[7]

Arts and culture

Bengough is the home of the Gateway Festival, a family friendly folk/roots festival showcasing a wide variety of talent from Saskatchewan and beyond.[8] Past performers include Steve Earle, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Tom Cochrane, 54-40, Corb Lund, Sloan, Kim Mitchell, Kathleen Edwards, Jess Moskaluke, Tenille Arts, Northern Pikes, Colter Wall, The Sheepdogs, and many more. The annual festival takes place the fourth weekend of July.

See also

Notes and References

  1. http://h-net.msu.edu/cgi-bin/logbrowse.pl?trx=vx&list=h-canada&month=0905&week=a&msg=mRenxpaqd%2BrE/eOgyL%2BSzg&user=&pw= H-net online
  2. Web site: Gateway Festival. The 13th Annual. 2016-12-16.
  3. Book: Prairie Perspectives: Geographical Essays. Department of Geography, University of Regina. University of Winnipeg Printing Services. 2008. Thraves. Bernard D.. 11. Winnipeg. 200, 202–204, 212–13. 1911-5814.
  4. Web site: Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Saskatchewan . . February 9, 2022 . April 1, 2022.
  5. Web site: Bengough & District . Reginal Parks of Saskatchewan . Saskatchewan Regional Parks . 6 June 2022.
  6. Web site: Bengough Regional Golf Club, Bengough, Sk . Golf link . LoveToKnow Corp. . 6 June 2022.
  7. Web site: Bengough & District Regional Park . Tourism Saskatcehwan . Government of Saskatchewan . 6 June 2022.
  8. Web site: Gateway Festival. 2021-08-28. Gateway Festival. en-US.