Location of Items of Interest below
can be seen in the map above ca 1927
or use the modern Key map below

note 1- above the letter L, and east of the road adjacent to the river, was land owned by the Prairie Nurseries, which was bought from George Pawson.  The B&B house will sit on a portion of this land.

note 2- Bastian farm (N), on Sec 10, Tp 2, Rge. 8,  was owned by the Bastian family before Bill and Dorothy Hinzman bought it.   Probably owned in 1911 at least, by a Josiah Bastian (b-June 1882- d-?), wife Esther Jane Bastian (nee Millington) (b-Jan 1884- d-?), and daughter Ruby Bastian( b-Aug 1909- d?).  Josiah and Esther immigrated from England in 1904. They were married between Oct-Dec 1902 in Wigan Registration district, in or near Manchester and Lancashire Counties, of England. Josiah is shown as a coal miner, and you can see the Coal Mine symbol near his place, in the top map, which might have been where he mined?   They are listed in the census close to George Pawson, so am assuming this is the correct Bastian family from that. This section was originally homesteaded by John Nordstrom in October 1904. The Bastian family owned a fur shop in Estevan for years on 5th st.. The family name is still shown as a ladies shop in Estevan on King St. in 2009.  Not much is written about this family in the Estevan History books, but they are obviously an old pioneer family of the area.  Josiah's father,  I am guessing was Thomas Bastian (Oct 1852- Dec 25, 1928) and mother Jane (July 1860- May 20, 1919).   They are listed directly below the Josiah family in the census. Thomas is shown as a coal miner as well. The Thomas Bastian Family originally homesteaded  on Sec 36, Tp1, Rge. 8.  Thomas and Jane are buried in the Estevan City Cemetery.  They immigrated from England in 1905.
From the internet I find a Donald N. Bastian, who is a retired Bishop of The Free Methodist Church of North America, born in Estevan.  Related to this family?.

Note 3- (I) Owned and operated by Gerry Fichtemann and Glenn Coles, River Bend Nursery operated for many years until partially closing in 2008.  Gerry is one of the sons of Walter Fichtemann, owner of the Estevan Greenhouses for many years, which was located south across the river from River Bend.  The Fichtemann family has lived in the Souris Valley, near Highway 47 for years.  I have some fantastic lilies in my garden in Terrace BC from this nursery.  The Fichtemann name is synonymous with plants in the Terrace area for decades.  If you want to know about ANY plant, ask Gerry!  Forget the other garden centres in the city, talk to him.  Now he is semi retired, you might even be able to track him down.  Estevan can be proud this family settled in the area for sure.  Like the commercial says on TV, "the Germans make good stuff!" 
 

Souris Valley Near Estevan

Vaughan Crossing Bridge
 Souris River Flood
Mar 27, 1928
(see top 1927 map)

Gus and Mae Gesell
at Vaughan's crossing

old B/W photos taken by
my Aunt Rose Gesell

Scenes of the Souris River,
near Vaughan's crossing

Souris River looking east
from Yardley's Coal Mine

Mr. Henry Yardley
was Estevan's first Mayor.

Estevan Greenhouses from the air (R)
Owned by Gesell family friends,
 the Walter Fichtemann family
Located just south
of the old Highway 47 bridge,
straight south of Estevan.

Estevan Brick Ad 1922 (Q)

Unknown Coal Mine
If you know the name of this mine
 please let me know.
Picture sent to me by
 Ron Carpenter, with thanks.

 
CPR Dam on the Souris River (O)
Mr. William (Billy) Bevan
b- June 30, 1870 near Chatham ON
d- 1935 in Tyvan SK
was the first CPR pump man in Estevan.
wife Anne Hobson
b- Feb 15, 1873 in ON
d- Nov 1947 in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, USA
married in Killarney MB
daughter Lillie (Lily) B. Bevan
b- Aug 8, 1895 in MB
daughter- Irene Bevan
b- 1902, in MB
1901 census in Turtle Mountain MB area.
William shown as Irish, Methodist, Farmer
Anne shown as English nationality.
Moved to Estevan in Sept 1903
This was located south of
the old swimming pool,
or south of Souris Valley Theatre today.

Postcard of the CPR dam (O)
from Victor Tobias
Unknown lady in the picture.
This was located south of
the old swimming pool,
or south of Souris Valley Theatre today.
Photos taken from
Vaughan Crossing bridge.

River Park, Rotary Park,
Woodlawn Regional Park (P)

Larry Preddy reminded me
 of the "ole swimmin' hole"
Woodlawn Park, and the Souris River,
where myself and
thousands others learned to swim.
Diving off the old bridge, for those that dared!

Wood-ticks, ah now everyone
 is itchy and scratching, right?
It is a shame today,
as thanks to foolish campers,
carrying firewood with them,
all the old Elm trees
have had to be removed from this area,
due to Dutch Elm disease.
My mom and her family learned to swim
at Vaughan's crossing,
just past the "old swimming pool". 
This pool was the
replacement for the river site,
and what a "clean" treat it was.
I remember riding my bike from hillside
just to go for a swim.
Now it is the location of a great
outdoor theatre every summer.
Today the City has a great
water and entertainment centre
with a water slide and everything, all indoors.
Have been there a few times to check it out
and enjoyed every minute of it!

This is a photo of a painting
by artist Marie Turner, ca 1965
It was donated to ECI
by the class of 1965.
The bridge can be seen clearly
in the background.
This photo brought back lots of memories.

The bridge in the park,
near the swimming hole,
was a narrower wooden bridge,
if I remember right.
Pretty well in the center of the park.
Per an article on the history of the park
it says it was constructed by the rotary club
as an access to the Park,
from the south side of the river.

I know it had railings or supports,
Some of the braver kids used to dive from it.
I could barely swim, so it was not me!

Picture of the Old Swimming Hole
Woodlawn Park, ca 2005-6
Taken from the New Highway 47 bridge.
Looking East.
The swimming hole was located
 where the grassy area appears
 on the north side of the river
Photo by Larry Preddy
 

Estevan Water Treatment Plant
Aug 2009

River Park Pavilion
aka "The Ponderosa" (H)

River Park Resort Ad

River Park Pavilion was built in 1918,
and owned by 2 brothers
Thomas and James Green.
Located  straight south of Estevan
on the old Highway 47, to the right
just before the turn to the old bridge.
River Bend Nursery
 is just beyond this location.


River Park Hotel
Postcard from Jean Dornian
 Oct 2009

In 1935, the Northern Crown Bank building
in Macoun was bought and moved to
the River Park pavilion site.
This is the building in the picture above.
It was operated by
 the widow of Thomas Green, Wanda,
and Joe Kraft her brother, also
George and William Green, her sons.
They added a tourist park, and cabins.
The property was sold in 1957 to
William O'Laney, and Bert Shipman.

River Park Pavilion ca 1947
Postcard from Jean Dornian
 Oct 2009

Other memories from the early 60's,
B&B Drive-In,
owned by the O'Laneys.
Located just before the Pavilion.

The corner on the highway,
 where you turned into these places
is not even the highway anymore!
My Dad loved the B&B's Fish and Chips,
and the trees to park under
to have our take-out supper.
In those days it was a real treat to eat-out,
now it is done almost every day, by all of us.
I am sure many dances, weddings etc.
can be remembered at the River Park Pavilion. 
 Nathan and Brenda Lamb
had their reception there for one. 

views from the old hwy 47
looking west.

In the 1930 and 40's many big name bands,
such as Tommy Dorsey, Don Messer,
and Frankie Yankovic performed here.
From the 2000 ECI reunion we found
Bobby Curtola performed here in 1965.

My Aunt Dolly tells me,
on the left, from the old Highway 18,
just before the Water treatment Plant,
was the road into the this dance hall.
Looking at Google Earth, I can see
they would have had to have
a bridge there, to cross the river.
Can't say I have seen any pictures
of this bridge until Oct 2009.
see below

If you look at my Prairie Nursery page,
It has a picture of the
Torgeson's summer home,
called Riverdene. (M)
This is a beautiful spot, just behind the
present day Water Treatment Plant.
 

The old Highway 47 bridge
south of the City
(see top 1927 map)

view looking south
location of old bridge
 aug 2009

looking N from old bridge

Just after the bridge,
about a 1/4 mile
around a bit of a S turn,
heading south,
on the right side,
was the turn off to the
Estevan Greenhouses.

Rose and Emilie Gesell
Boating on the Souris River,
at the old Highway 47 Bridge

Of course now the new highway
is further east of this spot
and cuts through the old
Woodlawn Park area.
 

Bridge to River Park Tourist Camp
 ca1946,
left off of Old Highway 18,
south of Estevan
looking East
(see 1927 map above)
The old highway 18,
used to wander along the river
not where it is located today.

From Mrs Jean Dornian,
this explanation below, which clears up
this confusing 2 bridge situation
in this area.

When we went to visit John's parents
 on the farm near Outram, we took highway 18,
turned right at the end of that road
(at the water treatment plant)
and crossed the bridge
(Hwy 18 bridge, on the right) going west,
when we went to Pawson's market garden
we crossed the same bridge then turned left. 
To cross  the other bridge, (picture above),
where the accident happened (see below)
we would have had to turn left,
and it would have taken us into the park
 where the hotel and dance pavilion were,
where the B & B trailer park was situated.

On the reverse of this bridge postcard above
it tells the story that ca1946, a car
hit the boards and went into the river.
One girl and her fiancé drowned,
and the driver managed to escape.
In 1947 they were building
a new bridge to the left of this one
for 2 way traffic.

Old Highway 18 Bridge, looking East
taken Mar 24, 2009
Photo by Larry Preddy.

(see 1927 map above)
Just back where the photographer is standing,
is the turnoff to
 Bill and Dorothy Hinzman's Farm,
(Originally the Bastian Farm)
as well as a new B&B down that road.
George Pawson's,
 (later son Jack Pawson's) Market Garden
was down there as well.

On the right, at the bend, is where
the Estevan Water Treatment Plant is today,
and the entrance to Riverdene.
It was the summer home of the
Torge Torgeson family.
George Pawson actually sold part of his land
around 1912 to Mr Torgeson


photo looking west, Aug 2009