Neidpath, Saskatchewan

Neidpath, Saskatchewan
Hamlet
Abandoned grain elevators in Neidpath
Neidpath, Saskatchewan
Coordinates: 50°10′44″N 107°22′30″W / 50.179°N 107.375°W / 50.179; -107.375
Country	Canada
Province	Saskatchewan
Region	Southwest Saskatchewan
Census division	7
Rural Municipality	Coulee
Post office founded	August 1, 1909
Incorporated (Village)	1920s
Government
• Administrator	Ken Hollinger
• Governing body	Coulee No. 136
Population (2001)
• Total	9
Time zone	CST
Postal code	S0N 1S0
Area code(s)	306
Highways	Highway 363 Highway 720
Waterways	Highfield Reservoir

Neidpath, is a hamlet in Coulee Rural Municipality No. 136, Saskatchewan, Canada. The hamlet is located on Highway 363 and Highway 720 about 25 km east of the city of Swift Current.

In an era where homesteaders arrived in the early 1900s and communities were situated much closer together to accommodate a day's horse ride between neighbours, many of these communities have now disappeared firstly with the advent of rail, then auto and highway which makes transportation much easier, and larger centres further apart have arisen. This has caused many small rural communities throughout the Canadian Prairies to dwindle in size or to completely disappear, such as Neidpath which has declined to a population of just 9 residents.

Neidpath was named after Neidpath Castle, near Peebles, Scotland. The name was suggested by the first postmaster, John Mitchell, whose family emigrated from Peebles. The town was located on a branch line of the Canadian Northern Railway (later Canadian National) that ran to Avonlea, Saskatchewan.

During its heyday Neidpath had four grain elevators, two of which still stand derelict today. At one time Neidpath even had its own telephone company, the Neidpath Rural Telephone Central Office, two Chinese hotels and restaurants as well as the King George Hotel along Central Avenue, a pool hall, hardware store, and a blacksmith shop.