A view of the Canadian National Railway station and grounds in Biggar, Saskatchewan

Four men in Canadian National Railway uniforms, standing in front of a train car

One man is running a Canadian National steam shovel with "Canadian National 103" printed on the side while seven other men are standing around the steam shovel

One man operating a Steam Shovel with "Canadian National 103" printed on it's side and another man shoveling dirt

A steam engine with train cars

An exterior view of the Canadian National train station in Ava, Saskatchewan with a crowd of people and a train in front of it

A display created by the Rural Municipality of Laird is seen. Samples of grain, spices and other agricultural products are present along side local wild flowers and wildlife. A sign is present to the right stating that "Rural Municipality of Laird is located 44 miles North of Saskatoon; Settled in 1901 with a population of [2960?] which was 75% being of Mennonite nationality and Won Second Prize in Community Progress Competitions 1930."

Bio/historical note: The Community Progress Competitions were conceived by Dr. W. J. Black of the Colonization Department of the C.N.R. to ascertain what contributions people of Continental European origin had made to community life in districts in which they possessed a resident population of 70% or more from the first or second generation, and to what extent they stimulated further community progress and development. They were judged on the basis of their educational efforts; agricultural development; citizenship, co-operation, and social welfare; arts and handicrafts; and general activities. These records were obtained by Dr. W. C. Murray in his capacity as one of the judges of the Community Progress Competitions. The records concentrate mainly on the first two years, 1930 and 1931, of the proposed five year competition for Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta residents. Only records on the Saskatchewan communities are included. They contain the assessments of the judges on community life on the districts that entered the competition. Financial statements and maps of many of the rural municipalities of Saskatchewan that entered the competition are included. Also, photographs of the districts that entered the competition for the years of 1930 and 1931, including many of the Edenwold district are included. The letters included are mainly those from the Western Region of the Department of Colonization and Agriculture of the Canadian National Railways to Dr. W. C. Murray.

An exterior view of the Canadian National train station and Saskatchewan Pool grain elevator No. 788 in Ava, Saskatchewan with a crowd of people and cars in front of them

Canadian National Railway (CNR) depot in Melfort, Saskatchewan looking west.

Four train tracks with train cars on them
The town of Biggar, Saskatchewan is in the background

A front view of Canadian National Steam Engine #812 with four men in front of a VIA Rail train in-set into the foreground

Wrecked train cars
Piles of sand bags and lumber can be seen in the background
Written on the back in pencil: "?midnight head-on collision 1 mile west of Touchwood 1947"
Stamped on the back in black ink: "473"
Printed on the back in a pattern: "Velox"

A crane on the train tracks lifting a wrecked train car
Another train car is on it's side beside the crane
"Canadian National 50016" is painted on the side of the crane
Written on the back in blue ink: "796 Coal Train in 1946"
Written on the back in pencil: "Mead"
Stamped on the back in black ink: "473"
Printed on the back in a pattern: "Velox"

Four train tracks all with train cars on them
The town of Biggar, Saskatchewan is in the background

An aerial view of the Canadian National rail yard with the town of Biggar, Saskatchewan in the background