Tuesday, May 23, 2023: Today, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police mark their 150th year of service to Canada and Canadians. To honour this anniversary, CMMM artifacts currently on display highlight Cut Knife’s long-time connections to the RCMP and its predecessor, the North West Mounted Police. Lucille has selected items that have a direct connection to individuals who lived and worked in the Cut Knife community, which includes this beautiful jacket from the RCMP dress uniform, the Red Serge.
Red Serge jacket from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police dress uniform belonging to Shirley (Meriniuk) Yurchyshyn.
Items from the Walter Kingston collection: North West Mounted Police, Saskatchewan Provincial Police, and Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
These 2 photos show only a sampling of the RCMP artifacts on display at the Cut Knife Library for the next few weeks. Stop by and take a closer look at the items of clothing, memorabilia, framed paintings and photos, and the RCMP Musical Ride flag.
Dozens of people visited the Grand Opening Come & Go Tea on Saturday, May 20th. The unofficial count is approximately 50; the official count hasn’t been passed along yet. The Clayton McLain Memorial Museum and Archives and the Cut Knife Library share the building at 113 Broad Street and both organizations were very pleased with the public’s response.
We gave many, many tours, and answered even more questions. Three individuals signed up to help with the construction of the padded hangers we use to preserve textiles and clothing. And, almost 30 visitors entered the Door Prize Draw.
Winner 1st Prize: Mary Ramsay
Where the Cut Knife Waters Flow Vol. II
Time Marches On Vol. II 1975-2000
Atton’s Lake: A Summer Meeting Place
Odds and Ends: Orval Ens Autobiography
From the Heart of a Prairie Farm Wife
Winner 2nd Prize: Mason Ramsay
Where the Cut Knife Waters Flow Vol. II
Winner 3rd Prize: Bonnie Ramsay
Where the Cut Knife Waters Flow Vol. II
Thanks to all who helped us celebrate and made the day a success!
WHEN: Saturday, May 20 from 10am – 1pm WHERE: 113 Broad Street, Cut Knife
The Clayton McLain Memorial Museum & Archives and the Cut Knife Library will celebrate the Grand Opening of their new location at 113 Broad Street (formerly the Good Shepherd Church).
Tour the Archives. | Enter to win a selection of local history books. | Stop by the the Library’s book sale table.
2023: Community Garden plots will be available once they’ve been rototilled and staked. We expect that to be done by the May long weekend. Plots will be approximately 10 ft. x 20 ft.
The Community Garden is located to the east of the Cut Knife grid road in a large sunny field between the Museum’s Armstrong Building to the south and the R.M.’s shop on Dion Avenue to the north.
Guidelines are as follows:
Plant rows east / west.
No water is available onsite. Water must be hauled from home.
Plots are free but you must care for your plot throughout the season. This includes weeding and harvesting.
If your plot is not maintained, you will be refused a plot the following year.
Currently, there is no water on site for growers. However, we are working to establish a water reservoir for community garden use but cannot confirm that it will be available this growing season.
Contact a CMMM Board member or email cmmmcutknife@gmail.com to arrange for garden space.
Produce is not to be harvested by anyone other than the grower.It belongs to the person who planted it.
If you visited the Cut Knife Library yesterday, then I’m guessing you’ve already taken a look at the 3 new exhibits Lucille curated on Friday.
For everyone else, here’s a sneak peak of a selection of museum artifacts connected to past Coronations:
Coronation collectibles have been hot items for as long as there have been coronations.
Tin items such as the tray and lunch bucket were purchased as treasured memories of the special event. It is notable that when the lunch bucket was no longer in use for taking lunch to school, it was still not thrown out and remained as a coronation keepsake.
China items have been popular as shown here and in the other exhibit case.
Retailers were also able to profit from the event as seen by the tin box that had Oxo Cubes when sold in 1953.
L. Bullerwell, Clayton McLain Memorial Museum
View the tray, lunch bucket, china, and Oxo Cubes tin box at the Cut Knife Library.
In this display at the Cut Knife Library, view memorabilia from the Coronations of 1911, 1937, 1953, and 2023.
Elizabeth McLain was the wife of Clayton McLain; mother of Dale, Dennis, Sharon, Sylvia, Trevor, Terry; teacher at Gallivan School and Cut Knife High School; first Curator of the Clayton McLain Memorial Museum in Cut Knife. She was the recipient of the following awards:
CMMM Curator for 25 years
Cut Knife Citizen of the Year 1993
Museums of Saskatchewan Honourary Lifetime Achievement Award 2000
Canada Medal for Golden Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II Reign
Coin was created in 2002 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II reign as queen of Canada. It was presented to individuals who made outstanding and exemplary contributions to their communities or Canada as a whole.
L. Bullerwell, Clayton McLain Memorial Museum
Elizabeth McLain was recognized for her volunteer work at the CMMM with a number of awards, which are on display in this exhibit, including the ‘Canada Medal for Golden Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II Reign’.
Clayton McLain Memorial Museum 