Katepwa, Saskatchewan

The Resort Village of the District of Katepwa is a resort village that includes many of the cottages that can be found along Katepwa Lake in the Qu’Appelle Valley. The resort village is home to a hotel and restaurant, cottages and log cabins to rent, and a general store just off the beach, complete with a café, ice cream, and gas and propane. The adjacent beach and provincial park at Katepwa Point feature a playground and a boat launch, great for all sorts of water activities and sports, summer and winter. The provincial park was formerly Vidal Point Dominion Park from 1921 to 1930.

The Qu'Appelle Valley was formed approximately 14,000 years ago as retreating glaciers and their meltwater sculpted the landscape. The valley was further changed by erosion and sediment. This sediment is also responsible for forming what was once one long lake into the four lakes present in this group today: Pasqua, Echo, Mission, and Katepwa.

Native peoples could have been living in this area as early as eleven thousand years ago, after the glacier retreated. When white settlers reached the area, Assiniboine and Cree were the two most prominent groups living there. Predating the settlers were Catholic missions as early as 1865, the first being led by Father Taché and the second led the following year by Father Lebret, for whom the present town at the north end of Lake Katepwa is named. By 1880 there was a Metis settlement at the south end of the lake. The first settlers arrived and began farming the land soon after. Churches and schools were well established by 1890.

In 1898, Arthur Osment moved his brick factory from Indian Head to Lebret, but it was not successful, and sold to Clem Peltier who moved it to the end of the lake. The factory was closed by 1908 due to competition.

Soon, activities began happening on the lake, such as picnics, boating, and fishing. A summer resort was soon added to the lake. Skating became a popular winter pastime, as well as ice fishing. A type of net called a jigger which would be placed through a hole in the ice and checked for fish every two days or so. Some commercial fishing took place on Lake Katepwa in the early 70s.

...
Wikipedia