Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan

Meadow Lake Lac des Prairies
City
City of Meadow Lake
Meadow Lake City Hall
Motto: Gateway to Pure Air and Water
Meadow Lake Location of Meadow Lake in Saskatchewan
Coordinates: 54°07′27″N 108°26′09″W / 54.12417°N 108.43583°W / 54.12417; -108.43583
Country	Canada
Province	Saskatchewan
Incorporated Village	August 29, 1931
Incorporated Town	February 1, 1936
Incorporated City	November 9, 2009
Government
• Mayor	Gary Vidal
• MLA Constituency of Meadow Lake	Jeremy Harrison
• MP Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River	Georgina Jolibois
Area
• Land	12.32 km2 (4.76 sq mi)
Elevation480.40	498.30 m (1,634.84 ft)
Population (2016)
• Total	5,344
• Density	433.6/km2 (1,123/sq mi)
Time zone	Central Standard Time (UTC−6)
Highways	Hwy 55, Hwy 4
Post office established	January 1, 1911
Website	Meadow Lake

Meadow Lake is a city in the boreal forest of northwestern Saskatchewan, Canada. Its location is about 246 kilometres (153 mi) northeast of Lloydminster and 156 kilometres (97 mi) north of North Battleford. On November 9, 2009, it officially became Saskatchewan's 14th city.

Meadow Lake is the main business centre of northwestern Saskatchewan and serves the many towns and villages as a regional shopping centre. It is the second-largest community in Saskatchewan's Census Division No. 17, after Saskatchewan's portion of the interprovincial city of Lloydminster. The city borders the Rural Municipality of Meadow Lake No. 588 and the Flying Dust First Nation No. 105 reserves.

Peter Fidler built Bolsover House in 1799 near "Lac des Prairies", the first name given to Meadow Lake. In 1873 Metis families arrived establishing a Hudson's Bay Company trading post, joined by other settlers in the early 1900s. The largest impetus occurred following a fire of 1919 and the exodus of some of the settlers during the Great Depression from the Dust Bowl of central and southern Saskatchewan to communities in the north.

For fur trade in the area see Beaver River (Canada). Peter Fidler of the Hudson's Bay Company was told by Indian guides that Meadow Lake was a good place for furs. On August 30, 1799 he reached the mouth of the Meadow Lake River. The stream was so narrow and crooked that he almost despaired of navigating it. When he reached the Lake he found it so shallow and swampy that he had to proceed demi-chargé. Finding no good place on the lake he went up a river and selected a place about 1000 yards inland. He named it Bolsover House after his home town in England. The post returned only 190 made beaver in the first season so in 1801 it was closed and everything moved east to Green Lake House. The exact site of Bolsover House is unknown. There is a monument to Peter Fidler in Meadow Lake.