Description of Historic Place

Old Government House is the site of the first Territorial Government House in what is now the Province of Saskatchewan. The building was destroyed by fire in 2003 and the site now consists of a grassy plateau with archaeological remains of the former structure. It overlooks the vast valley of the Saskatchewan and Battle rivers. The designation refers to the site, defined as the property at the time of designation (1973).

Heritage Value

Old Government House was designated a national historic site of Canada because it was the seat of Territorial Government from 1878 to 1883. Its heritage value resides in its association with the establishment of federal government in the West. This is best expressed in the dominant and highly visible site, high above the Battle and Saskatchewan rivers, the major travel arteries of the time.

Source: Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, Minutes, November 1973.

Character-Defining Elements

Key features contributing to the heritage value of this site include:

- the siting of the property high above the Battle and Saskatchewan rivers,
- the setting, isolated from other structures or settlements,
- the viewplanes to and from the Battle and Saskatchewan rivers,
- the extent of the site, sufficient for main and subsidiary buildings,
- the light vegetation ,
- any archaeological vestiges of the original government house.