Mounties on horseback, carrying the Union Jack. Military uniforms complete with badges and medals. A tent to keep out the wind and rain.
There were many things at the Original Humboldt site last week that would have been there 126 years ago, along with many things that would not, including the lieutenant-governor of the province.
About 200 people braved a cold and windy day on June 2 to attend the official commemoration of the Original Humboldt site, located about eight kilometres southwest of the present-day community.
The ceremony was originally to have been held in 2010, in conjunction with another in Humboldt, but due to wet conditions, access to the site was impossible. So it was post-poned.
Finally able to step foot on the ground of Original Humboldt, the crowd gathered in a tent near the new interpretive panels and flag poles installed at the site, situated so that all of the important points of interest are visible from that one area.
Early in the ceremony, after the official arrival of Lt.-Gov. Dr. Gordon Barnhart and his aide-de-camp, riders in the uniforms of the North West Mounted Police (NWMP) placed flags at each of the important points of interest, while the story of all that happened there over 100 years ago was told by Jennifer Hoesgen, curator of the Humboldt and District Museum and Gallery (HDMG).
The first flag was planted where the Ducharme house once stood. The building was named for Joe Ducharme, one of the first residents of the area, who came in 1878. He was a lineman for the Dominion Telegraph, and arrived the same year as George and Catherine Weldon, another lineman and the telegraph operator, respectively.
The Ducharme house was a small log cabin Joe built for himself. But he did not stay long. On January 2, 1879, he was told that his pay was stopping, and two days later, he received another message saying he had to pay rent on the house.
The second flag was placed at the site of the Humboldt Telegraph Station, built by George Weldon in 1878 as a home for himself, his wife Catherine, their daughter Birdie, and Catherine's sister, Margaret Liggett.
Catherine, the first female telegraph operator west of Winnipeg, sent the first message from the Humboldt Telegraph Station on August 25, 1878.
George and fellow linemen Joe Ducharme, Alfred Lindeburge and Roderick Finlayson had a tough job, ensuring the lines of communication between Humboldt and eastern Canada remained open. In 1879, George reported that he had travelled 2,748 miles in his duties.
Sadly, in 1881, Birdie became very ill and fought a losing battle with an abscess behind her tonsils for a month. The nearest doctor was in Prince Albert. She died January 28, 1882.
The Weldons wanted to give her a Christian burial, but the closest minister was also in Prince Albert. Two linemen at the Humboldt site constructed a sleigh, and walked 150 miles to Prince Albert on snowshoes to see it done.
In 1882, the Weldons moved to Grenfell, where George became an agent for the Canadian Pacific Railway.
After the Weldons left, the site was used as a mail station.
The third flag was placed at Fort Denison, the soldiers' nickname for the 1885 military camp that was home for approximately 460 soldiers for over two months in 1885, during the Riel Resistance.
In the spring of 1885, General Frederick Middleton, the commander of the Canadian militia, set up a temporary camp at Original Humboldt, resting for a few days before moving on to their first battle against Riel and his troops at Fish Creek.
Then Lt.-Col. George T. Denison of the Governor General's Body Guard arrived at Humboldt. He set up a fortified encampment, to protect the supplies for the troops at Batoche and to keep the telegraph station safe, keeping lines of communication open to the east as lines to the northwest had been cut by Riel's troops.
Whitecap, the Dakota Sioux chief from Moose Woods, was also held at the site as a government prisoner after the fall of Batoche. He was charged with treason, but eventually found not guilty.
After the fight of Batoche, Denison wrote that there wasn't much for the troops to do at Humboldt after a morning drill. There were no houses within 45 miles, he said, though he described the country as "perfectly beautiful."
Denison and his troops left Humboldt on July 9, 1885.
Eventually, the structures at the site fell down, and the land was farmed. In the 1980s, the site of Original Humboldt was again identified by owner August Faul and RCMP Cpl. Larry McLeod, and some archeological work was done.
In 2009, the site was purchased using donations from the community and more archeological work began under the direction of the Original Humboldt committee, which includes Hoesgen and other volunteers in the community - Dennis Korte, Garry Jenkins, Rev. Al Hingley and Ed Novecosky.
"The story of Original Humboldt that we are focusing on is from 1978-1885," said Hoesgen. "And it's fascinating... but there are many more stories to discover and share.... In 2009, we excavated a trench at the Telegraph Station area - we found parts of dishes, ladies buttons, a household knife and many other interesting artifacts....
"In 2010, further ground penetrating radar work and magnetometer surveys led us to a large anomaly at the top of the sandy knoll which is part of the 1885 military camp," Hoesgen continued.
That dig turned up a wealth of animal bones and hearth, as well as a nearly complete skeleton of a large horse, parts of harness buckles and three horseshoes.
"The results of our research work have been extraordinary, but they have also left us with many questions," Hoesgen said.
This year, they will continue to work on the Denison camp area, to help define the boundaries of the fortified camp.
"This day marks the end of a dream for the Original Humboldt committee and the founders who believed in that dream," said Hoesgen. "This day also marks the beginning of a new dream, and if you know the members of the Original Humboldt committee, you know they dream big. We have extensive plans for this site that will help people understand the stories, appreciate its significance, and conserve this unique piece of our heritage," she concluded.
Lt.-Gov. Gordon Barnhart was one of those who already appreciates the significance of the site. He had spoken to high school students in Humboldt about it that morning.
"I think there were a lot of ... people who don't appreciate the history of this part of the world. So this site is going to make sure that people are aware of it and can appreciate it."
Archeology, he noted, like all research, is motivated by questions.
"Who lived here? How did they live? What kind of clothing did they wear?" he listed as examples.
"These questions lead to research and hopefully to many different answers. But I think it also leads to more questions. And the experts have said that this site has many more answers and secrets to share."
The stories of what happened at the site, especially that of the burial of the small child at Prince Albert, "gives you a great appreciation of what those pioneers were really like. They were tough people and they learned how to survive," he added.
In closing, he congratulated the Original Humboldt committee for their work.
"This has been an enormous undertaking, and it has only been possible because of your passion and determination," Barnhart said.
MLA Donna Harpauer called the Original Humboldt project "a great example of a community's strength and determination to learn more about and preserve its history."
Had Denison stayed another 20 years, he would have found homes within 20 miles, she added, as her family's homestead was located within that distance.
Humboldt, she noted, has clearly demonstrated its leadership role in culture and heritage planning and development, and the Original Humboldt site is evidence of that, she indicated.
"Here, people will relive the stories of Original Humboldt and through interpretive displays... and historical photographs, will offer a glimpse of the fascinating stories of Original Humboldt.... This project will enhance the understanding and appreciation of history of this great region for this generation and generations to come," she added.
Mayor Malcolm Eaton called the site "one of the most significant events that make that hum in Humboldt really hum."
Eaton said he remembers former mayor Dennis Korte talking about the Telegraph Station when he first joined city council.
"I didn't know where it was, know what it was, and of course, I had no idea what was going to happen," he said. "But with the generous support of numerous citizens, this committee has provided a wonderful gift to the citizens of Humboldt and region."
With the support of city council, the HDMG board and local residents, "they are continuing to... build and to support the efforts to obtain the resources for the development of this site as part of our region's cultural and historical heritage," Eaton said. "There is a lot of excitement around our Telegraph site and the stories that come with what this is part of in terms of Carlton Trail, the Dominion Telegraph and, of course, Col. Denison's time here."
Eaton added a thank you to all those "who have shared in the vision of this undertaking...
"Thanks for being people of enthusiasm and greatness and dreaming a big dream," he said.
Humboldt, noted Allan Duddridge of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, is the only place in Canada that has a plaque acknowledging the importance of the Dominion Telegraph line to Canadian history. The plaque was recently moved to the Original Humboldt site from its former placement in the Historical Campground in Humboldt.
"It is a wonderful thing that this original location of this particular station has been discovered, all these years later. This is truly a remarkable accomplishment," he noted.
A very special guest at the ceremonies was Lt.-Col. Glenn Develiadis, commanding officer of the Governor General's Horse Guards (GGHG), which was once named the Governor General's Body Guard.
"It only.. reached my ears about two weeks ago that this was happening," Develiadis said, "and we knew immediately that we would have to make the journey from Toronto to Humboldt."
It was not, he noted, nearly as arduous a journey as Denison, his predecessor, made 126 years ago, leaving Toronto on April 7, 1885 with 80 men and 75 horses.
Denison, he added, had the Cavalry School of Canada with him when he arrived in Humboldt, a group now named the Royal Canadian Dragoons - still the GGHG's affiliated regular force regiment.
Denison, he noted, was not a fan of Middleton's decision to station his cavalry at the rear of the troops.
"However, he quickly realized how important this position was in Humboldt, not just because of the telegraph station and communication with the federal government, but also for the supply lines. Even to this day... we still escort supplies back and forth to the front in places like Afghanistan... and that's what our troops were doing in those days," he said.
"If Riel had allowed Dumont freedom of action to attack the rear," he added, "it would have compromised the entire operation if Humboldt was not defended so well..."
The North West Rebellion, Develiadis stated, is the first battle honour that is emblazoned on their standard. They have wondered, he said, why that is so, as from accounts, there were no shots fired by the Body Guard in anger while they were in Humboldt.
But Develiadis did a little research and found out that wasn't necessarily true.
An excerpt from a diary of one of the soldiers noted that "May 10 at 1 a.m., one of the sentries thought the camp was about to be attacked. He observed, as he thought, someone crouching, so fired at him, followed by a couple more shots. The Guard were out in a moment... The cause of the alarm was supposed to be a badger or a prairie wolf."
So there were shots fired, Develiadis noted, to laughter from the crowd.
Develiadis then presented the Original Humboldt committee with a print of a painting that hangs in their mess, depicting Denison and the Body Guard on their way to Saskatchewan.
And he gave the HDMG a copy of their regimental history.
"Jennifer, if you do find anything with GGBG on it, we'll need it back," Develiadis joked.
"I'm not promising anything," was Hoesgen's laughing response.
At the conclusion of the official ceremony, several relatives of the original residents from 1878 were recognized in the crowd. From the Liggett family, Grace Elliasson from Raymore; Ken McLean, the great nephew of George Weldon, and his daughter and her family, who came from Utah; Don and Marie Liggett and Malcolm Lindeburge.
A letter from Cindy Weldon Sauer of Niagara Falls, Ontario, thanking the Original Humboldt committee for their work on behalf of the descendants of the Weldons, was read at the closing of the ceremonies.
Also recognized were other military guests, including RSM Ingmar Jiminez of the GGHG, and Major Dale Arndt and WO Linville of Canadian Forces Base Dundurn.
The presence of archeologists from Western Heritage Services on site was noted, as was that of Grade 7 and 8 classes from St. Dominic School.
Acknowledged at the ceremony were the late August and Gertie Faul, who recognized the significance of the historic artifacts they found on their land, and their niece, Joan Hergott, who with her husband, Harold, provided ongoing stewardship of the land and made it available for purchase by the Original Humboldt committee, stated Hingley.
The work of the late RCMP Cpl. Larry McLeod, who researched the site's history and raised public awareness about its importance, was also noted at the event. This work led to initial archeological investigations in 1995, which confirmed the location of the station and military camp, Hingley said.
The RM of Humboldt, who designated the site as a Municipal Heritage Site, was also recognized.
