ASSINIBOIA - Rockglen’s storied history offers archeology, geology and intriguing history presenting visitors a reminder and glimpse of what was and includes a land of hidden treasures. The Town of Rockglen’s website states their theme, “If these hills could talk”. Fossils, petrified plants, and archeological finds from the Assiniboine, Plains Cree and Blackfoot peoples have also been found around this southern Saskatchewan community.
The Village of Rockglen was incorporated in 1927. Services were soon established in the tiny village enabling growth and expansion.
Some sources claim sightings, since the 1970s of a human like figure similar to Bigfoot or Sasquatch living near a hill within town. Locals have dubbed the created “Zoobey” and at one time, there was a biannual newsletter called the Zoobey Sask-watch. While some believe there are cover up efforts to the creature’s existence, others do not believe in the folk lore or claim to have never heard of it.
Rockglen is nestled in the hills of the Wood Mountain uplands and provides ample opportunity to appreciate the forces of nature that shaped this part of Saskatchewan dating back to prehistoric times and when cowboys rode the range. So much history of this community is including on their tourism website at www.rockglentourism.com
From the website, “One of only four unglaciated areas in North America, it allows naturalists, geologists and paleontologists rare opportunities to study their crafts and Saskatchewanderers to appreciate the wild beauty of their Province.”
The Rockglen Tourism group encourage visitors to re-discover Rockglen from a whole new point of view that provides a picture of the past that helps define the community into the future. One can visit Rockin’ Beach, located just east of town and the recreation space offers camping, boating and beautiful views.
Rockglen is located about one and half hours south of Moose Jaw. The drive will allow panoramic views of the landscape and their tourism group claims, “by the time you arrive in Rockglen, you will have forgotten that the prairies are supposed to be flat.”
Prairie wildlife including deer, antelope and bird varieties are paired with prairie landscapes that include Saskatchewan’s symbol, Prairie lilies, native grasses and trees.
The proximity of Rockglen, as a natural hub to other tourist attractions such as the Big Muddy Badlands, Kildeer Badlands, Wood Mountain’s historic NWMP Post and St. Victor Petroglyphs.
Rockglen’s visitor centre is located in the historic CPR Station and is a designated Saskatchewan Heritage site. Staff can direct tourists to local attractions such as the Effie Mattson Nature Walk and Archeological Centre. A regional diorama will help visitors visualize the massive geological forces that formed the landscape as the last glacier halted against the Wood Mountain uplands.
The website outlines, “Because this area was not affected by the last glacial movement, our fossils are often not buried by tons of overburden. Over the years these hills have yielded trilobites from 425 million years ago and brontosaurus skeletons from 100 million years ago. A giant sea turtle from 63 million years past has been excavated in the Killdeer area, and many fossils of prehistoric mammals including the three-toed horse, squirrels, mice, rabbits, weasels and shrews from 15 million years ago have been unearthed just a couple of miles west of town.”
Other archeological finds have included petrified wood, imprints of tropical plants and other plant fossils.
Approximately after the last period of glaciation, some 18,000 years ago, mankind showed up as evidenced in discoveries of stone spearheads, scrapers, stone hammers, grinding tolls, tee pee rings and arrow heads.
Archeological discoveries, such as a trilobite fossil found by Effie Mattson on the top of a hill north of Rockglen leads to the realization that 400 million years ago, these hills were a sea floor where marine arthropods, such as trilobites lived and crawled.
Significant discoveries occurred near here such as a Brontosaurs, over 66 feet long, was excavated from an area west of Kildeer, and shipped to Ottawa in 1919. A number of years later, in 1965, a 15-foot Tyrannosaurus, was excavated in a similar area in Kildeer and sent to Ottawa.
The Town of Rockglen website, https://rockglensk.ca/, outlines a number of features, benefits and attractions of their community that complements the historical significance of their community and surrounding area.
Why not see for yourself all the that a road trip to this southern Saskatchewan community can offer you and your travelling partners this summer.
