Battleford, Saskatchewan
| Battleford | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
Post office in downtown Battleford
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| Nickname(s): "The Battlefords", "South Battleford" | |
 Battleford
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| Coordinates: 52°44′18″N 108°18′55″W / 52.73833°N 108.31528°W | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Saskatchewan |
| Region | Saskatchewan |
| Census division | 12 |
| Rural Municipality | Battle River |
| Post office founded | 1877 |
| Incorporated (town) | 1904 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Derek Mahon |
| • Town Manager | Sheryl Ballendine |
| • Governing body | Battleford Town Council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 23.33 km2 (9.01 sq mi) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 4,065 |
| • Density | 174.2/km2 (451/sq mi) |
| • National population rank (out of 5,008) | 867 |
| Time zone | Central Standard Time (UTC−6) |
| Postal code | S0M 0E0 |
| Area code(s) | 306 |
| Highways | Highway 4 |
| Waterways |
North Saskatchewan Battle River |
| Website | Official website |
Battleford (2011 population 4,065) is a small town located across the North Saskatchewan River from the City of North Battleford, in Saskatchewan, Canada.
Battleford and North Battleford are collectively referred to as "The Battlefords" by Saskatchewan residents, as well as on highway signage. Although there has been occasional talk of the two communities merging, as of 2012 they remain separate entities. The local economy is fuelled mainly by agriculture. Battleford is bordered by the Rural Municipality of Battle River No. 438, as well as by the city of North Battleford and a small section of the Rural Municipality of North Battleford No. 437.
The 1973 western Alien Thunder was partially filmed in Battleford.
The Battleford area was the site of numerous independent and Hudson's Bay Company fur trading houses dating from the 1770s. William Holmes operated a post for the North West Company just above the confluence of the Battle and Saskatchewan rivers in 1784. At least three posts were in use between 1868 and 1914. The town was founded in 1875 as a fur trading post and North-West Mounted Police (NWMP) fort. Its post office opened in 1877. Between 1876 and 1883, Battleford was the territorial capital of the North-West Territories (now Alberta, Saskatchewan, Nunavut, northern Quebec, northern Ontario and the Northwest Territories) and the NWMP fort (Fort Battleford) located there played an important role in the 1885 North-West Rebellion.
On March 30, 1885, during the North-West Rebellion, the town of Battleford was looted by a party of Cree people, who were short on food due to declining bison populations. When the Cree approached Battleford, the 500 residents fled to the nearby North-West Mounted Police post, Fort Battleford. The Crees then took food and supplies from the abandoned stores and houses.
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