Regina History & Facts

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Narrator: Hi, there! Today, we’re going to do about 135 years of Regina history in about 14 minutes with a segment I like to call “Regina in a Nutshell”. Are you ready? Let’s go!

Photograph looking south over Wascana Lake towards the Legislative Building. Canoes are tied by a dock in the foreground. Taken in about 1912.

Before there was a permanent settlement here, Regina was known as “oskana kâ-asastêki,”or “the place where the bones are piled”. By 1882, First Nations people had been pushed onto reserves, and non-Indigenous hunters had greatly depleted the once-mighty buffalo herds through mass hunts. The bone piles were an effort by Indigenous peoples to honour the animals’ spirits. The land where Regina now sits is part of the Treaty 4 area, which was established in 1874. Prior to the treaty’s signing, Aboriginal people had followed the buffalo through the area. Regina’s lack of reliable water, shelter or trees made it a poor spot for a permanent settlement.

Photograph of three bison grazing in King’s Park in about 1970.

But in 1882, settlers did just that. Why? Because Lieutenant-Governor Edgar Dewdney selected the railroad’s path and placed the North West Territories’ new capital near land he owned.

Photograph in 1882 of Lieutenant-Governor Dewdney’s order reserving land to form the town of Regina.

The decision was very controversial. Dewdney, in addition to being a land surveyor and politician, was a land speculator. He was also Indian commissioner during his time as lieutenant-governor, and was instrumental in setting up the reserve system, a legacy which continues to impact Canada’s Indigenous peoples. Dewdney answered directly to John A. Macdonald, who was minister of the interior as well as prime minister, so when Dewdney’s land speculation in the Regina area came to light in Parliament, it sparked a major controversy. Other sites with more natural beauty, such as Moose Jaw and Troy (now Qu’Appelle) had been rejected as locations for the capital. Newspapers and politicians at the time, speculated that the only reason for selection of Pile of Bones as the capital of Assiniboia was its proximity to Dewdney’s own land purchase.

Editorial cartoon of “The Governor-General Transforming Pile of Bones Into Regina, Capital of Assinobia”, from the book REGINA: An Illustrated History by J. William Brennan. The cartoon depicts Edgar Dewdney dumping a bottle of perfume on a pile of bones while political critics ask “Doesn’t your Excellency detect a Bad Odour about this Pile of Bones?” A directional sign in the background points “To Fort Qu’Appelle The Natural Capital of Assinobia”.

The Canadian Pacific Railroad ultimately foiled Dewdney’s plan and chose to move the train station closer to what is now Regina’s downtown.

Photograph looking south from the railroad tracks in about 1883. A wooden plank sidewalk leads to a wooden building at the left of the frame. In the distance are wooden shacks with a dirt wagon trail leading from the railroad tracks to the settlement. There are no trees or landscaping. The photograph was taken from the top of a rail car, giving an elevated view of the town.

Dewdney did, however, influence the location of several government buildings.

A composite image of three photographs. The first image at the top left is of the RCMP barracks building in about 1890. Several wooden buildings and a tall wooden tower sit on a flat treeless plain, interspersed with dirt wagon trails leading to the buildings. The second image at the top right shows the Territorial Administration Building in about 1905. This building still stands at 3304 Dewdney Avenue. A second empire-style two-storey brick office building stands next to two smaller buildings and a windmill on a flat treeless plain. A field leads up to a fence surrounding the buildings. The third image at bottom shows Government House at an unknown date. Government House still stands at 4607 Dewdney Avenue. The image shows the two-storey brick building with a stone foundation from the side, with the grand porte-cochere entranceway at the left side of the image. Trees shade the building at the right of the image.

In spite of wild temperature swings, from -40 degrees to +40 degrees Celsius, people came to the new capital, which didn’t yet have a proper name. In late 1882, Princess Louise, daughter of Queen Victoria and wife of Governor General the Marquis of Lorne, suggested naming the new settlement in honour of her mother.

Photograph of Princess Louise in about 1890. The image shows a woman in her 30s wearing an elaborate dark dress with ruffles and a bustle. Her jacket is trimmed in fur. She wears a hat on her curly hair. She is standing in front of a window, posed next to a tufted and gilded chair.

Contrary to popular belief, the pronunciation ruh-JIY-nuh was an acceptable pronunciation of the word, which today is often pronounced ruh-JEE-nuh in other contexts.

Photograph of Regina’s Coat of Arms. The central blazon is two shades of blue depicting a bison at the top and a wheat sheaf at the bottom. A red crown representing the Queen tops the blazon. To the left stands a North West Mounted Policeman, circa 1882. To the right stands a Royal Canadian Mounted Policewoman, circa 1992. Both are in red serge dress uniform. They stand upon a green rolling base with a pennant reading “Floreat Regina”, meaning “Regina Flourishes”.

Regina almost immediately became the chosen location for the North West Mounted Police, now the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The headquarters was moved to Regina from Fort Walsh in 1882, and the training depot has been located here ever since.

Photograph of members of the North West Mounted Police in about 1891. All men are wearing dress uniforms, high riding boots and are holding or wearing white gloves. They carry riding crops and are wearing leather straps across their uniform chests. There are three rows in the picture. The back row consists of four standing men. The middle row consists of five men seated in chairs. The third row consists of one man seated on a rug.

This is the origin of three of Regina’s nicknames.  “Pile Of Bones”, in honour of the original name “Oskana Kâ-asastêki”,

Photograph of three bison grazing in King’s Park in about 1970.

“Home of the RCMP”, in honour of Canada’s national police force,

Photograph of members of the RCMP Musical Ride on horseback in an undated photo. Members are wearing red serge dress uniforms and riding large black horses. They are forming a circle, facing towards the circle’s centre. Each man is carrying a long staff with a red and white pennant, which are pointed toward the centre of the circle.

and the “Queen City”, in honour of Queen Victoria.

Photograph of a small version of the Regina City Flag. The flag, which is mounted on a black plastic stick, has a large blue field on the top, representing the sky, and a small gold field on the bottom, representing grain. A white stylized crown, symbolizing Regina’s nickname of “The Queen City”, is located at the top left within the blue field.

In 1883, Regina became the North West Territories capital, including parts of present-day Manitoba, all of Saskatchewan and Alberta, the three northern territories and some of northern Ontario and Quebec. This is bigger than all of Europe in land mass.

A photograph of a photograph of Lieutenant-Governor Edgar Dewdney in about 1882. A fly is visible on the surface of the original photograph and a red circle highlights this inclusion. Lieutenant-Governor Dewdney is seated on a gilded leather chair. He is captured in a ¾ profile pose. He has a large mutton-chop beard and moustache and wears an elaborately embroidered coat and trousers with a wide stripe on them. A cane leans against the chair in the foreground of the image.

People flocked west to live in what was basically a mud hole full of tents.

A composite image consisting of two photographs. The first image, at the top left of the screen, shows the tent city at the North West Mounted Police Barracks in about 1882. Six tents are set up on a flat treeless plain. The second image, at the bottom right of the screen, shows Regina’s first house in 1882. A man stands in front of a small wooden shack. The door to the shack is open. The roof  of the shack slants to the left of the picture, making the roof of the shack on the left side nearly level with the man’s head. A wagon and horse stand to the right of the man and the house. The horse is in harness.

But as people showed up, so did services, including a newspaper,

A photo of The Leader Company building in about 1883. A two-storey brick building with a one-storey attached building with large smokestack is in the centre frame of the image. The sign on the two-storey building reads “The Leader Company”. To the left is an unidentified one-storey wooden building. To the right is an unidentified wooden building. Two people stand near the front entrance of the Leader Company, to the left of the image. A wooden plank sidewalk and a dirt road lead up to the Leader Company Building.

churches,

A photograph of St. Paul’s Cathedral in about 1909. A brick cruciform church stands behind a tall tower in the foreground. The church features two large, round stained glass rose windows on both left and right wings. The tower is topped by a black spire and has multiple Gothic style arched windows throughout. The church still stands at 1861 McIntyre Street.

a post office,

A photograph of Regina’s first post office in 1883. A two-storey, white, rectangular, wooden building fronted by multiple windows. A wooden plank sidewalk and dirt road are in front of the building. Several men stand directly in front of the building, while a man driving a team of two horses pulling a wagon is in the foreground.

and schools. Regina became a town on December 1, 1883.

A photograph of the White School in about 1902. A two-storey, wooden building topped with a bell tower cupola to the left. A notation on the image reads, “The White School Built 1889 Demolished 1910 Site – Simpson’s Store”.

In 1885, anger toward the government among Metis people of the North West Territories turned into what became known as the Riel Resistance, or the Northwest Resistance. Louis Riel, who had been instrumental in founding the province of Manitoba, returned to Canada from the United States to form a Metis government at Batoche.

A photograph of Louis Riel. It is a close-up image of a man with dark, curly hair cut slightly below ear length. He has a large, dark moustache and is wearing a white, collarless shirt under a dark vest and suit jacket.

The Canadian government answered this with a show of force that stopped the resistance.

A composite image consisting of two pictures. The top left image shows the 1885 militia of the North-West. Two rows of men with rifles pose on the flat, featureless prairie. The back row consists of 13 standing men in a line, posed in ¾ profile toward the left of the image. The second row consists of 13 kneeling men posed in ¾ profile toward the left of the image. To the far left of the rows is a man posed facing the camera. To the far right of the rows are three men posed facing the camera. One man is in the background. In front of him is a man with a snare drum hanging from his neck. To the far right is a man with a bass drum hanging from his neck. The bottom right image shows the 1885 militia on the bridge at Fort Qu’Appelle. A wagon leads a row of militia fighters toward the right of the image. At the far left of the image is a wagon pulled by horses about to step onto a white wooden bridge.

Riel was captured, tried for treason and swiftly – and controversially- executed in Regina on November 16, 1885. Riel’s execution remains contentious to this day, and his legacy has shifted drastically from that of a traitor to that of a hero and protector.

A composite image of three pictures. The first image on the left of the screen shows Judge Hugh Richardson, the presiding judge at the Riel trial, in 1885. Judge Richardson has white hair and a white handlebar moustache. He sits on a padded wooden chair facing forward. He wears a dark suit, vest and tie. His vest has a pocket watch fob and chain pinned to the front and trailing into the jacket interior. The second image at the top right is the courthouse where Riel was tried. The image was taken in about 1890. A white, two-storey building sits on a featureless flat plain. A horse and several men stand to the right of the building. Directly in front of the building are three men. In the right foreground of the image is a long row of saddled horses. The third image on the bottom right shows the North West Mounted Police guardroom where Louis Riel was held awaiting trial. The image was taken in about 1900. The building is a long wooden building with a porch and several cupolas and chimneys along its roof line. A fence made of wrought iron and brick stands to the left of the building. A tree is in the left foreground.

Regina had a complex and strained relationship with the local Indigenous community at the time of the Riel Rebellion and after. Regina’s connection to the residential school system goes through to one of its earliest pioneers, Nicholas Flood Davin. The founder of the Regina Leader, a poet and a member of parliament, Davin was the author of the 1879 “Report on Industrial Schools for Indians and Half-Breeds”, also known as the “Davin Report”. This became the blueprint for John A. Macdonald’s government as they implemented the residential school system for Indigenous children. The impact on Canada’s Aboriginal population was staggering and generational in its scope.

A photograph of Nicholas Flood Davin in about 1873. Davin sits on a leather chair in ¾ profile, knees crossed and tilted to the right of the image. His arm rests on the chair back with his thumb and index finger touching the side of his head. He is bald on top with a small tuft of dark, curly hair above his ear. He has a small moustache and wears a bow tie, white shirt, vest and woolen coat and trousers.

A photograph of graduates of the Regina Indian Industrial School in about 1898. Four rows of Indigenous students pose in formal suits for the male students and heavy black dresses with puff-sleeved jackets for the female students. The image is discoloured because of over-exposure during photo developing and the top left row of students is blurrier than the right side of the image. The top row has eight male students. The second row from the top shows nine male students. The third row from the top shows six male students and two female students. The fourth row shows 10 seated female students.

Regina was the site of the Regina Indian Industrial School, which was located west of the city near what is now the Paul Dojack Youth Centre. This was a Presbyterian institution, part of the residential schools program that devastated First Nations communities around Canada for decades. It operated from 1891 to 1910, and was demolished in 1948. The cemetery for the Regina Indian Industrial School was abandoned and largely forgotten for decades.

Photograph of the Regina Indian Industrial School in about 1895. A long brick building with many windows top and bottom, and two covered entrances. The roofline has a cupola with a bell and a chimney. In front of the building are many teams of horses pulling wagons and multiple people. On the top floor, several students look down upon the scene from windows.

The City of Regina has just begun grappling with how to put the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee into practice. The City of Regina Archives supplied material to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission during its fact-finding, including this image.

A photograph of a drum with red sides and a yellow and blue painted cruciform image on top. It is being played by members of a drumming circle at National Aboriginal Day at City Hall in 2014. The male drummers sit in a circle on chairs around the drum. No faces are visible. Eight drumsticks strike the drum at the same time. The drumsticks are blurred because the photograph was taken while the drumming was in progress.

In March 2016, City Council unanimously committed to acting on the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

A photograph of two Indigenous dancers in elaborate costumes performing at Henry Baker Hall during National Aboriginal Day in 2014. Both dancers are blurred as they have been captured while dancing was in progress. The costumes feature feathers and ribbons with a colour palette of reds, yellows, blue, orange and white. Both dancers wear eagle feathers as part of their headdress. Behind the dancers, visitors and members of the media watch while the drum circle accompanies the dancers. Some of the observers are also dressed in dancing costumes and awaiting their turn to perform.

One of the City of Regina’s first steps in this journey was to provide heritage designation to the Regina Indian Industrial School cemetery site, which took effect in September 2016.

A photograph of Boggy Creek wellspring in about 1911-1912. A wooden platform with metal machinery stands to the back and rises above a metal pipe. The pipe is spurting water. A man’s legs are visible on the platform above the pipe. A small boy stands to the left of the spurting pipe out of the range of water.

In 1903, Regina became a city, partly because Regina had a pressing need for things like running water,

A photograph of a well spring, taken in 1911-1912.

sidewalks,

The image is titled “Regina Flood, April 13^th 1916”. Several wooden buildings stand on a flat, featureless plain surrounded by water. A wooden plank sidewalk runs above the water in the foreground.

paved roads,

A photograph of four men in their best clothing pose with shovels and a wheelbarrow. The man to the far right stands with a wheelbarrow. The second man stands in a stooped posture, posing with a pickaxe. A third man stands holding a broom and smoking a cigar. The fourth man stands posing, holding a shovel. In the background is a car and several houses.

sewers,

A photograph of a large trench reinforced with metal rebar is surrounded by a metal track apparatus that is being used to transport large, wooden sewer pipes into place within the trench. In the background stands the steam-powered boring machine used to dig the trench. Two men in suits stand in the background in front of the machine and at the edge of the trench. To the right of the image, three men work near sections of sewer pipe. One section of pipe has been suspended from a metal chain and is being pulled into place in the trench. Wooden houses are in the far background of the image.

and electricity.

A photograph of Turbine Hall of the City of Regina Powerhouse, which is now the Saskatchewan Science Centre at 2903 Powerhouse Drive. Four large turbines stand in a massive multi-storey building. The building has high ceilings with large, arched windows and a skylight. The walls are brick. A man stands next to the front turbine on a wooden platform. Wires and chains extend up the walls to the ceiling line.

Jacob W. Smith was our mayor then. We’ve had 38 different mayors in total. Here are some mayoral highlights:

A photograph of Mayor Jacob W. Smith in 1903. It is a head shot of a white-haired man with a moustache and goatee. He wears a jacket and tie with a pin in it. He has small frameless round wire glasses on.

Coolest hair: Walter D. Cowan, who hosted public debates in his dental office.

A photograph of Mayor W.D. Cowan, DDS. Cowan’s image is framed by a hand-drawn oval frame made of ornate paisley shapes with a placard bearing his name and title below. The image is a head shot of a man with a white pompadour hairstyle and small moustache, wearing a suit and tie.

Youngest mayor: Francis N. Darke, buried in Regina’s only above-ground mausoleum.

A photograph of town council in 1896. Four men stand in the back row while three men sit on leather chairs in front. Third from the left in the back is Mayor Francis N. Darke. He has dark hair, which is neatly styled. He has a handlebar moustache and he wears a white dress shirt, white bow tie and dark suit.

Only female mayor to date: Doreen Hamilton, who became mayor thanks to a coin toss when her predecessor, Larry Schneider, resigned to run for federal election.

A photograph of Mayor Doreen Hamilton in 1988. Hamilton faces to the right of the image in ¾ profile. She stands at a podium and speaks into a microphone. She is wearing a light jacket, white shirt and dark scarf or tie, loosely fastened. Hamilton has short, dark hair and a large oval earring.

Longest-serving mayor: Henry Baker, who was simultaneously a provincial member of the legislative assembly.

A photograph of ten men pose on the back of a caboose that has just driven through a paper banner held by two men next to the train tracks. The banner reads “Official Opening Regina Rail Relocation” but is now split in half by the train caboose. Mayor Henry Baker stands third to the left on the caboose. He is wearing a dark trilby hat and a beige coat with a shirt and tie. All men are dressed for cold weather, including heavy coats, hats and gloves, though there is no snow on the ground.

And the only mayor to fight against Britain in a war: Cornelius Rink, who fought for the Dutch in the Boer War.

A photograph of Mayor Cornelius Rink in 1934. It is a head shot with Rink looking to the right of the frame. He has thinning, white hair, is clean-shaven and wears a dark jacket, white shirt and bowtie. The image has a frame with a hand-drawn banner reading “C.Rink Mayor”.

In 1905, Saskatchewan became a province, and in 1906, Regina became its capital. Back then, Saskatchewan was the fastest-growing province.

A photograph of decorated arches made of wheat for Inauguration Day, 1905. The image is from a postcard. To the left is a photograph of decorated arches with bunting and a banner above reading “North West Forever”. Flags top the archway. A small boy is standing in the centre of the arch. A similar arch appears in the far background, visible through the closer arch. Stores and buildings are to the far left of the arch, decorated with bunting, banners and flags. To the right of the arch is the Canadian Pacific Railway gardens. The caption below the image says “South Railway Street, Regina, Sask., Inauguration Day”. A postmark reading “Brandon, Man. Can. 1907 Sept. 19 2:10 pm” is stamped on the picture. To the right of the picture in the space for a message, it reads: “Dear Nellie, I was so glad to hear from you. I have never heard from Annie since we left do ask her wo write to me. I am liking this country fairly well but would rather have the dear old country. Write to me soon. I wish I was near you. Love to Both. Bab.”

We still had no trees, though. Once we became the capital, the residents worked on making Regina look less like a flat moonscape.

A photograph of the bare, unlandscaped space that would be developed into Victoria Park in about 1905. The photograph is looking south over houses towards Wascana Lake. No Legislative Building has been constructed yet. On the unlandscaped Victoria Park there are unpaved trails showing where residents have walked through the park. A fenced area marks off a surface for playing sports. To the far left of the image is the edge of a gazebo. There are no trees, flowers or bushes planted.

They planted trees,

A photograph of tree planting in 1960. Trees have no leaves on them and are about waist-high on the men in the picture. Three men with shovels in background are planting trees, while two men examine a tree in the right foreground. There is no snow on the ground. All men are wearing coats.

built a Legislative Building,

Composite image of two photographs. The photograph to the left shows the Legislative Building under construction. There are multiple wooden platforms and pathways constructed to aid in the construction of masonry. In the background are two crane or winch-like machines. The photograph to the right shows the nearly completed Legislative Building in about 1912. The building’s outer walls have been completed and the scaffolding has been removed. The Dome has been clad in copper, but some of the windows are missing in the building. The building stands on flat, featureless prairie with no road leading to it.

landscaped parks,

A black and white photograph of the hand-coloured “Design for Victoria Park” by Frederick Todd, 1907. The image shows a square outer layout of trees flanking the perimeter, with a circular spoke design featuring an empty space at the centre of the park left intentionally open for a prominent feature. In the early days of the park, the centre location was filled with a fountain, while the Cenotaph is the current prominent central feature within the park.

and built a City Hall. By 1912, Regina looked pretty impressive.

A photograph of Regina’s second City Hall in 1908. An ornate four-storey, brick, gingerbread building with a central cupola and a clock tower on the left of the image. The grand entrance to the front of the building is to the left of the image. City Hall is surrounded by small, wooden and larger brick buildings in the image.

On June 30, 1912, Regina became the site of Canada’s deadliest tornado, when twin funnel clouds tore down two of the most populous streets in the city.

A photograph of the Knox Presbyterian Church after the 1912 cyclone. The image reads “Presbyterian Church Wrecked by Cyclone Regina, Sask”. The four-storey Knox Presbyterian Church, a large, brick building, has had its central tower destroyed by the cyclone. The building has no roof and a large portion of the brickwork in the centre and left of the image has been destroyed. Piles of rubble can be seen through the gothic arches that had held stained glass windows but are now empty. A row of young trees, heavily bent by the high winds, stand nearly leafless in the foreground in front of the church. Debris covers the paved sidewalks and street.

Twenty-eight people were killed, hundreds injured and 2500 people were left homeless.

A photograph of houses damaged by the 1912 cyclone. The image reads “Regina Cyclone June 30/12”. To the right of the frame sits a mostly intact brick house. Part of its roof has collapsed and it has no shingles, but many of the house’s windows are still undamaged. To the left of the frame sits a similar stone house. The second floor and roof is completely gone, with only some of the walls leaning precariously and outlining where the rooms would have been. Two of the three downstairs windows remain intact, though there are some stones missing from the house’s façade. Debris covers the lawns in front of both houses.

Within a year, most of the city was rebuilt, but it took about 40 years to pay off the debt.

A photograph of three men with a team of horses and wagon pick up debris after the 1912 cyclone. The image reads “Regina Cyclone June 30^th”. The intact façade of the Massey Harris building is seen in the background surrounded by debris. No windows remain in the brick building. Another man in the background leads a second horse.

When residents returned from World War 1, Regina became a pioneer in the field of aviation.

A photograph of a woman sitting in the cockpit of the first registered airplane in Canada, in about 1917. The building in the background reads “Aerial Service Co.” The airplane is a biplane style. The woman has short dark hair in a curly style. She is smiling at the camera person.

It was the home to Canada’s first airfield.

A photograph of Aerial Service Co. Ltd., Canada’s first airport, with four airplanes lined up. Six unidentified men are leaning against the first airplane in line. All airplanes are biplane style. An automobile with no roof sits to the far right in front of the line of airplanes.

The first commercial pilot, Roland J. Groome, and the first airplane mechanic, Bob McCombie. One advantage of being flat, featureless and treeless turned out to be that you can build a nice, long runway for airplanes.

A close-up photograph of Roland J. Groome’s commercial pilot’s license, the first such document ever issued in Canada. Groome’s picture is on the bottom right of the image. He wears goggles on top of a pilot’s hat with long, ear-protecting flaps. He is young and clean-shaven.

In World War II, Regina would be the home of RCAF flight schools for Allied pilots, and Regina’s runway was so long that it’s one of the few locations in Canada where the Concorde was able to land.

A photograph of Regina International Airport in about 1970. An air-traffic control tower in the centre background of the image with a terminal building extending to the left and right of the image. The word “REGINA” is on the side of the terminal building in the background. In the foreground is a Viscount airplane, call number CF-STS 616. The airplane has two propellers. Baggage handlers with carts are visible at the rear of the airplane.

In the 1930s, Regina suffered the consequences of the Great Depression, which collapsed the economy and led to massive unemployment. Regina hosted two make-work projects, the deepening of Wascana Lake,

A photograph of an empty Wascana Creekbed before the 1931 deepening. To the right of the picture is the Legislative Building’s east side. The image looks north towards the city centre. Hotel Saskatchewan is visible in the top middle of the image. Parts of the creek bed have snow or sediment remaining. The Image has a blurred white spot, likely caused by poor development on the original film at the bottom centre of the image.

and the construction of the Albert Memorial Bridge.

A photograph looking southeast from the Albert Memorial Bridge towards the Legislative Buildings in about 1935. The Legislative Buildings and bridge are in the background, while in the foreground the Eastview/Parliament streetcar is stopped to take on passengers. One man walks near the end of the bridge balustrades towards the streetcar, while a man and a woman are closer to the streetcar in the centre of the frame. There are no leaves on the trees and all the people are dressed in heavy coats, though there is no snow visible.

But the number of unemployed men far outstripped employment opportunities, and by 1935, unemployed men in British Columbia were traveling towards Ottawa, where they intended to demand help.

A photograph of the On To Ottawa Trekkers Camp near Craven, 1935. Multiple tents are set up near two wooden shacks in a field. Hills near Craven are visible in the background. Vegetation is green and lush. A fence is in the foreground in front of the tents.

The federal government ordered the “On to Ottawa Trek”, as it became known, to be halted in Regina because of its RCMP presence.

A photograph of men riding on the top of boxcars and climbing up the sides of boxcars during the On to Ottawa Trek in 1935

Arrest warrants were issued, and when police moved in to shut down the peaceful rally, the Regina Riot broke out.

A photograph of the riot in Market Square on July 1, 1935. In the centre foreground is a paving machine and several carts. In the middle ground is a truck and a car. In the background is a large building and a large row of buildings. Many men are standing about watching. The air is filled with smoke from fires. People are running and fleeing. In the right centre, two men in blurred motion throw items at one another.

In the end, there were two dead, including one police officer. Hundreds were injured and tens of thousands of dollars in property damage was done to downtown Regina. It wasn’t until World War II started that the Great Depression lost its hold over the world.

A photograph of the rescue of Detective Millar during the riot. In the centre background, a helmeted policeman pulls a prone man, likely plainclothes policeman Detective Millar, from where he had fallen after being struck a fatal blow. Several men armed with sticks are running towards the men. Other men and women throw rocks at the police officers. Another prone man is being attended to by a different man at the far left centre of the image.

After the end of World War II, Regina started to prosper again. The oil industry flourished,

A photograph of the Co-op Refinery’s buildings and equipment is silhouetted against a red sunset in the 1970s. The refinery is black with white dots from the lights against a blood-red sunset.

Saskatchewan celebrated its Jubilee in 1955,

A photograph of a city trolley bus reading “Welcome to Regina  50 Years of Progress” for Saskatchewan’s Golden Jubilee, 1955. The bus is painted with “1905 1955” on front, and the former coat of arms for the city is painted on the trolley bus.

and there was a postwar construction boom.

A photograph of a large crane moving cement up to the top tier of construction of the current City Hall. In the foreground is a metal fence and scaffolding. The building is being constructed using concrete forms on a floor-by-floor basis. It appears to be at the third floor of construction of the 17-storey building.

In 1955, the Royal Saskatchewan Museum got a permanent home after having been located in a variety of spots since the first artifact donation in 1906.

A photograph looking southeast towards the College Avenue entrance of the Royal Saskatchewan Museum on the corner of College Avenue and Albert Street. Fresco on the side of the building is visible because trees and bushes near the building are very short at this time. Two large trees in foreground.

In 1970, Regina completed construction on the Centre of the Arts, now known as the Conexus Arts Centre. It gained the nickname “the largest monkey bars in the world” due to construction delays.

A composite image of two photographs. Left photograph shows an aerial view of the University of Regina and Centre of the Arts Buildings under construction in the 1960s, with Wascana Lake in distance. The right photograph shows the Centre of the Arts after completion, looking over Wascana Lake toward the southeast, with bushes in the foreground.

In 1990, the MacKenzie Art Gallery moved into its current home in the T.C. Douglas Building. Home to over 3,500 works of art, the MacKenzie can trace its origins back to 1936, when Norman MacKenzie bequeathed a portion of his collection and estate to the University of Saskatchewan for use at Regina College.

A photograph of the view of the Albert Street plaza and entrance of the T.C. Douglas Building in winter 1981. Snow is on the ground and most of the trees are barren.

Most people don’t realize it, but Regina is a cultural powerhouse. The Regina Symphony Orchestra is Canada’s oldest.

A photograph of the Regina Symphony Orchestra in the 1950s on stage at Darke Hall. The conductor stands in the centre, facing the camera person, while orchestra members sit in a semi-circle on the stage. The front three rows are playing violins. The fourth row is playing percussion and flutes. The backmost row against the stage back is playing tuba, trombone, trumpet, bassoon and bass violin. Musicians include both men and women.

Canada’s oldest theatre troupe is the Regina Little Theatre.

Photograph reads “Regina Little Theatre Society in Officer 666, Regina, February 28, 1927”. Actors pose for a cast photo onstage. The back row has four men dressed in tuxedos and six men dressed as police officers. All are standing. The front row consists of man dressed as police officer holding flowers, a woman in fancy dress, a man with a cane and dark suit, a woman in a bonnet and a cape, a man in tuxedo, a woman in fancy party dress and a man in suit. All are sitting.

Canada’s longest consecutively running play is Regina’s “The Trial of Louis Riel”.

A photograph of an actor dressed as Louis Riel makes an impassioned speech during a courtroom scene in ”The Trial of Louis Riel” in about 1969. In the background, a man dressed as a North West Mounted Police Officer in red serge looks on.

And we have a number of famous actors who spent part of their lives in Regina, including Leslie Nielsen, John Vernon, Shirley Douglas, Steven Yeun and Tatiana Maslany.

Speech bubbles with names of actors who lived in Regina: Steven Yeun, Leslie Neilsen, John Vernon, Tatiana Maslany, Shirley Douglas

Musicians such as opera singer June Kowalski, Feist, Rah Rah, Library Voices, Jack Semple and Colin James have called Regina home.

Graphics with names of musicians who lived in Regina: June Kowalski, Feist, Rah Rah, Library Voices, Jack Semple, Colin James

Our visual arts community includes Joe Fafard, Bob Boyer, The Regina Five and Wilf Perrault.

A photograph of the Joe Fafard Cow in the lobby of Hill Tower 1. A large bronze cow in a sitting position in the lobby of a glass and brass building. The ears of the cow have been polished shiny by people’s hands patting it. Most of the sculpture is green with verdigris.

Regina’s literary community includes Ven Begamudre, Gail Bowen, Dave Margoshes and Ken Mitchell.

A photograph of a blue and white Regina Public Library book trailer parked at Elgin Road, with children’s bicycles out front.

In the 1970s and 80s, Regina experienced a downtown revitalization, including the Cornwall Centre…

A composite image comprised of two photographs. The left photograph shows a man in a plaid shirt and baseball cap posing in front of metal pieces in front of a crane that is constructing the Cornwall Centre. In the background is the SGI Building and the Canada Life Building. The right image shows an aerial view of the Cornwall Centre looking north. In the background are the railroad tracks, post office and union station. In the left foreground is the SGI Building. In the centre of the frame is the Cornwall Centre.

and the McCallum Hill Towers buildings.

A photograph of the demolition of the McCallum Hill Building in 1982. Looking north from the far end of Victoria Park towards the implosion. The left side of the building has not yet begun to fall, while the right side has collapsed into a cloud of dust and debris.

In 1975, Regina played host to the Western Canada Summer Games, which prompted a mini construction boom connected to sporting facilities,

A composite image of four photographs of sports at the Western Canada Summer Games of 1975. Top left: Man doing archery, taken while he is pulling back on the bow string. Bottom left: Young men participating in sprint. All are in mid-stride. The middle image shows men playing volleyball captured in mid-jump. The third image shows a man on waterskis doing tricks. He is standing on one leg holding the tow rope with his foot as the water spray from the boat splashes him.

including the Lawson Aquatic Centre.

A photograph of the newly completed Lawson Aquatic Centre Pool outfitted for the Western Canada Summer Games 1975. There are no people in the pool.

Regina has deep sporting roots. It was a recruiting ground for the All American Girls’ Professional Baseball League, including Daisy Junor and Mary “Bonnie” Baker.

Photo reads “Nuthouse at Moose Jaw, 1941”. A man in a suit and hat, three female ball players, one man, three female ball players, and one man stand, while five female ballplayers sit with balls and bats posing at a Moose Jaw female baseball players’ match.

Regina has always been hockey territory, including players like Jordan Eberle, Ryan Getzlaf and Doug Wickenheiser. The Regina Pats are the oldest major junior hockey franchise in the world, operating from their original location under the same name.

A photograph of the Regina Pats versus Prince Albert Raiders, 1983. The centremen for the Regina Pats and Prince Albert Raiders face off at centre ice as a referee prepares to drop the puck. In the background is the Pats’ goalie.

Our most famous snowboarders are Mark and Craig McMorris. Regina’s pretty flat and doesn’t have many hills for snowboarding, after all, but Regina was home to many famous curlers, including the Richardsons and the Sandra Schmirler rink.

A photograph of the members of the Sandra Schmirler curling rink, in matching red and black dresses, seated, with an unidentified female RCMP officer in red serge, Councillor Randy Langgard, Mayor Doug Archer, Councillor Gay Helmsing, and an unidentified female RCMP officer, standing behind them. Sandra Schmirler is seated in the centre.

When Canadians think about Regina and sports, however, they think about the Riders.

A photograph of the sidelines and bench of the Saskatchewan Roughriders at Taylor Field, 1989.  Four players are seated while the rest of the team stands. In the foreground is equipment and water.

The four-time Grey Cup-winning Canadian Football League franchise started in Regina in 1910 and has been going strong ever since.

A photograph of the 1934 Saskatchewan Roughriders Football Team. The team is wearing dark colours. Thirteen men are standing while nine men are seated.

Saskatchewan Roughrider fans have been described as rabid, obsessive and rowdy.

A photograph of Riderville at the 1989 Grey Cup: hundreds of fans wearing green and white or Roughriders jerseys wave pennants, flags or pompoms and cheer.

Those are compliments around here, a place where fans routinely dress for games by putting a watermelon on their heads and playing a banjo.

A photograph of two men wearing Roughrider jerseys, a man in an orange jumpsuit, a man with a banjo in an orange jumpsuit, a man in an orange jumpsuit and a man in a Saskatchewan Roughriders sweatshirt sing into microphones while standing in front of a drum kit at a Rider pep rally, 1989

Regina has grown from a tiny settlement to a thriving city of over 195,000 people.

A photograph of the First Nations University of Canada Annual Spring Celebration Pow Wow in 2014. A  grand entrance of dancers move into the center surface of the Brandt centre as hundreds of people look on. Judges are to the foreground. A teepee is set up in background.

Regina has a rich and diverse heritage and population…

A photograph of the grand entrance at National Aboriginal Day, 2016. An eagle feather staff held by Rob Allin and dancer lead the mayor and councillors into the celebrations. A teepee is in the background.

that’s becoming more diverse as immigration to the city makes Regina an even greater place to work, live and raise a family.

A photograph of a diverse crowd of onlookers watching the National Aboriginal Day performers in 2014.  Onlookers watch from the curved gallery in Henry Baker Hall at City Hall.

While Regina may have started as a flat, featureless expanse, we now have over 300,000 hand-planted trees and more than 100 parks.

A photograph looking at Speakers Corner on the northwest side of Wascana Park along the lake. Bushes and light stanchions flank the circular steps leading toward Speakers Corner, with lush trees in the background.

Regina is the sunniest capital city in Canada,

A bright, colourful photograph of the garden in front of the Legislature Building.

even if it is one of the chilliest.

A photograph of a streetcar clearing the tracks in the 1940s. The streetcar is on the far left, preceded by a puff of snow.

That’s over 135 years of Regina history in about fourteen minutes. Want to learn more? Visit the City of Regina’s website at Regina.ca to find information about Regina both past and present.

A photograph of the Legislative Building in 1925. Looking south from the lake past the gardens to the building. A cannon is in the left foreground.