Moose Jaw | |
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City | |
City of Moose Jaw | |
City Hall
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Nickname(s): "The Jaw", "Band City", "Little Chicago" | |
Location of Moose Jaw in Saskatchewan | |
Coordinates: 50°23′36″N 105°33′07″W / 50.39333°N 105.55194°WCoordinates: 50°23′36″N 105°33′07″W / 50.39333°N 105.55194°W | |
Country | Canada |
Province | Saskatchewan |
Government | |
• City Mayor | Fraser Tolmie |
• Governing body | Moose Jaw City Council |
• MP | Tom Lukiwski (Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan, CPC) |
• MLA |
Greg Lawrence (Moose Jaw Wakamow, SKP) Warren Michelson (Moose Jaw North, SKP) |
Area | |
• Total | 46.82 km2 (18.08 sq mi) |
Population (2011) | |
• Total | 33,274 |
• Density | 710.7/km2 (1,841/sq mi) |
Demonym(s) | Moose Javian |
Time zone | CST (UTC-6) |
Postal code span | S6H to S6K |
Area code(s) | 306 |
Website | www |
Moose Jaw is a city in south-central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the Moose Jaw River. It is situated on the Trans-Canada Highway, 77 km (48 mi) west of Regina. Residents of Moose Jaw are known as Moose Javians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Moose Jaw No. 161.
Moose Jaw is an industrial centre and important railway junction for the area's agricultural produce. CFB Moose Jaw is a NATO flight training school, and is home to the Snowbirds, Canada's military aerobatic air show flight demonstration team. Moose Jaw also has a casino and geothermal spa.
Cree and Assiniboine people used the Moose Jaw area as a winter encampment. The Missouri Coteau sheltered the valley and gave it warm breezes. The narrow river crossing and abundance of water and game made it a good location for settlement. Traditional native fur traders and Métis buffalo hunters created the first permanent settlement at a place called "the turn", at present-day Kingways Park.
The confluence of the Moose Jaw River and Thunder Creek was chosen and registered in 1881 as a site for a division point for the Canadian Pacific Railway, whose construction was significant in Confederation of Canada. The water supply there was significant for steam locomotives. Settlement began there in 1882 and the city was incorporated in 1903. The railways played an important role in the early development of Moose Jaw, with the city having both a Canadian Pacific Railway Station and a Canadian National Railway Station. A dam was built on the river in 1883 to create a year-round water supply.