454:, who accompanied the expedition, named area lakes in honour of its members: The lake now called Old Wives Lake became Johnstone Lake and Chaplin Lake received the name by which it is still known. Although the Canadian government officially adopted the designation "Johnstone Lake" in 1886, the First Nations peoples along with early ranchers and homesteaders in the area continued to refer to it as Old Wives Lake. In response to a petition by area residents to restore its traditional name, the Canadian board on geographical names formally renamed it Old Wives Lake in 1953.
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524:(IBA) of Canada is a protected area for birds that encompasses Old Wives and Frederick Lakes. The total area covered by the IBA is 434.91 km (167.92 sq mi). Frederick Lake is a shallow basin adjacent to the south-western shore of Old Wives Lake. The site is home to numerous different bird species, including the endangered
478:. Throughout the war, part of the lake and its surroundings were incorporated into a 23-mile bombing range used by trainee pilots. For some decades in the 20th century, especially during the 1950s and 1960s, sodium sulfate was harvested from the lake by diverting water into nearby Frederick Lake for
412:
territory and made camp near the lake. Blackfoot scouts discovered this band and attacked. Although the Cree were able to defend themselves, they anticipated an attack by a larger
Blackfoot war party the next morning. The older women volunteered to stay behind to tend the fires through the night in
465:
and other artifacts discovered near Old Wives Lake attest to a First
Nations presence in the area long predating their contact with Europeans. With the arrival of European settlers, ranchers and homesteaders occupied the area surrounding the lake. Until hunting was prohibited in the Old Wives Lake
426:
fleeing from pursuing
Blackfoot warriors abandoned the old women in their band who could not keep pace with everyone else. The women continued their effort to escape by wading across the lake. However, they misjudged the water's depth and drowned. An Assiniboine tradition associates the name with a
427:
battle which occurred at the lake around the beginning of the 19th century in which
Assiniboines vanquished their Blackfoot enemies. According to some First Nations traditions, the spirits of the dead women continue to haunt a small island in the lake from which their voices can be heard at night.
421:
near the lake. A variant telling of this narrative states that the
Blackfoot warriors were so impressed by the women's courage that they left them alone and allowed them to rejoin their own people. Another First Nations oral tradition describes how a band of
417:. When the Blackfoot arrived that morning they found only the old women, whom the Blackfoot killed in vengeance. This commonly recited version of the lake's naming has been commemorated by a historical marker situated beside
486:
military training aircraft were involved in a mid-air collision over the lake which caused one of the aircraft to crash into it. The two pilots in this aircraft were able to parachute out and inflate emergency rubber
413:
the hope of fooling the
Blackfoot into believing that they were not abandoning their camp to escape. Using this diversion as cover, the rest of the Cree successfully fled back to their home territory in the
986:
writes, "There are two Old Wives' Lakes, connected by a creek. These were named on maps, respectively, after the Rt. Hon. Henry
Chaplin and Sir Frederick Johnstone, who hunted buffalo near them in 1861."
498:
Drought conditions caused the lake to dry up completely in 1937, and 1988. In certain years, including 1951, 1959, 1980 and 1997, large numbers of ducks were found dead at the lake due to outbreaks of
729:
377:. The Old Wives Lake is a popular destination for birdwatchers; a 2.4-kilometre (1.5 mi) walking trail has been constructed along the lake's south shore, along with viewing and picnic areas.
1003:" is divided into two parts, each of which is about twenty miles long. The two divisions are united by a sluggish stream, about ten miles in length, into which Old Wives' Creek empties."
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Some early accounts describing the region state that the name "Old Wives Lake" was originally applied to both the lake that currently bears that name and to nearby
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At various times during the lake's human history, it has attracted interest from several First
Nations tribes, duck hunters, military trainers,
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bird sanctuary, duck hunters gathered at the lake in the autumn to hunt the plentiful wild ducks and geese. During
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The
Company of Adventurers: A Narrative of Seven Years in the Service of the Hudson's Bay Company during 1867-1874
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1001:. Geological and Natural History Survey of Canada. Vol. 1. Dawson Brothers. 1886. p. 22.
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in North
America". At the north-eastern part of the lake is the Isle of Bays Wildlife Refuge (
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but seasonal water relatively flattened the terrain, and as such results in significant
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316:. It was designated in April 1997, and is "one of the most important inland sites for
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809:"Old Wives Lake: Name officially decided for site on which old legend is based"
491:
enabling them to remain afloat until their rescue by a helicopter based out of
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was established at the lake on March 9, 1925. This lake, in conjunction with
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in 1874, sometime around 1840 a band of Cree hunters followed a herd of
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Hunting for Empire: Narratives of Sport in Rupert's Land, 1840-70
470:
a bombing and gunnery air training school established under the
393:
1349:
1141:"Drought Threatens Duck Species As Their Nesting Areas Dry Up"
1019:. Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press. p. 3.
447:
482:. The sodium sulfate plant operated until 1977. In 1975, two
288:, Canada, about 30 kilometres (19 mi) south-west of
474:
operated near the lake's shoreline, three miles east of
392:
explain the origin of the lake's name. According to a
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1388:
1246:"Bird botulism killing off many thousands of ducks"
870:. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. 10 June 1965. p. 24
815:. Regina, Saskatchewan. 19 November 1953. p. 3
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1225:. Regina, Saskatchewan. 26 August 1980. p. 3
1173:. Regina, Saskatchewan. 20 August 1951. p. 2
780:. Canadian Plains Research Center. Archived from
1199:. Regina, Saskatchewan. 4 August 1959. p. 9
1067:"Air Warriors: In the Making at Mossbank School"
1047:. Regina, Saskatchewan. 18 June 1936. p. 33
923:"Wah-gan-Kana Tee: The legend of Old Wives Lake"
312:, forms a site of hemispheric importance in the
123:
1093:"The Colourful Past of Mossbank & District"
950:"Rural Route: Their laughter still mocks enemy"
362:producers, conservationists, and birdwatchers.
1121:. Regina, Saskatchewan. 22 May 1975. p. 1
1361:
1073:. Regina, Saskatchewan. 9 May 1941. p. 3
921:Kennedy (Ochankugahe), Dan (15 August 1953).
836:
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832:
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649:"Saskatchewan Migratory Bird Sanctuary Facts"
8:
314:Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network
1115:"Pilots and plane end up in Old Wives Lake"
767:
765:
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1219:"Large number of dead ducks found at lake"
889:
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355:encompasses the entirety of Isle of Bays.
20:
864:"Markers and Ox-Carts Recall Old Legends"
803:
801:
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683:Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences
528:. The most commonly found birds include
1272:"Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas"
981:. Toronto: William Briggs. p. 263.
896:"Our Natural Heritage: Old Wives' Lake"
606:
595:List of protected areas of Saskatchewan
519:The Old Wives-Frederick Lakes (SK 031)
514:Chaplin - Old Wives - Reed Lakes WHSRN
472:British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
213:16,850 km (6,510 sq mi)
87:
54:
1193:"Botulism outbreak kills 3,000 ducks"
7:
1537:Important Bird Areas of Saskatchewan
1302:Canadian Geographical Names Database
1041:"Beaches and Lakes Haven For Summer"
708:Canadian Geographical Names Database
434:. In 1861, the British politicians
35:Old Wives Lake, as seen from space.
1244:Pollick, Steve (23 October 1997).
929:. Regina, Saskatchewan. p. 13
14:
956:. Regina, Saskatchewan. p. 2
948:Longman, Harold (7 August 1962).
16:Salt lake in Saskatchewan, Canada
1493:
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442:visited the area to hunt bison,
86:
79:
53:
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29:
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842:"The Legend of Old Wives Lake"
704:"Isle of Bays Wildlife Refuge"
679:"Chaplin Old Wives Reed Lakes"
1:
1147:. New York City. 28 June 1988
902:. Calgary, Alberta. p. 3
894:MacEwan, Grant (9 May 1964).
590:List of lakes of Saskatchewan
506:Old Wives-Frederick Lakes IBA
373:. Access to the lake is from
111:
778:Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan
744:"Old Wives Lake Nature Area"
623:Geographical Names Data Base
1324:"Old Wives-Frederick Lakes"
365:Nearby communities include
1553:
1252:. Toledo, Ohio. p. 37
1167:"Thousands of ducks dying"
730:"Old Wives Lake Watershed"
238:663 m (2,175 ft)
1527:Endorheic lakes of Canada
1475:
1416:Newfoundland and Labrador
554:double-crested cormorants
402:North-West Mounted Police
292:. The lake is fed by the
40:
28:
1013:Gillespie, Greg (2007).
628:Natural Resources Canada
536:. Other species include
400:guides accompanying the
396:tradition, recounted by
302:Migratory Bird Sanctuary
70:Show map of Saskatchewan
67:Location in Saskatchewan
1377:List of lakes of Canada
1095:. Mossbank Town Website
772:Marylin, Lewry (2006).
542:Semipalmated sandpipers
538:American white pelicans
436:Sir Frederick Johnstone
339:50.1167°N 105.9172501°W
100:Old Wives Lake (Canada)
1532:Saline lakes of Canada
1304:. Government of Canada
868:Saskatoon Star-Phoenix
844:. Tourism Saskatchewan
710:. Government of Canada
515:
146:50.10000°N 106.00056°W
1522:Lakes of Saskatchewan
1457:Northwest Territories
1381:province or territory
1278:. Nature Saskatchewan
975:Cowie, Isaac (1913).
513:
344:50.1167; -105.9172501
1431:Prince Edward Island
998:Annual Report (1885)
450:for sport. Explorer
151:50.10000; -106.00056
1276:Nature Saskatchewan
784:on 30 November 2011
522:Important Bird Area
335: /
142: /
1145:The New York Times
900:The Calgary Herald
750:. Town of Mossbank
653:Environment Canada
534:Baird's sandpipers
516:
103:Show map of Canada
1509:
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1500:Canada portal
562:ring-billed gulls
415:Qu'Appelle valley
284:in south central
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235:Surface elevation
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1298:"Frederick Lake"
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655:. Archived from
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618:"Old Wives Lake"
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566:California gulls
558:Franklin's gulls
550:American avocets
546:stilt sandpipers
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194:Primary outflows
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659:on 11 June 2011
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484:Canadian Forces
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258:Sand Bar Island
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180:Primary inflows
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1330:. Birds Canada
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275:Old Wives Lake
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385:A variety of
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1441:Saskatchewan
1332:. Retrieved
1327:
1318:
1306:. Retrieved
1301:
1292:
1280:. Retrieved
1275:
1266:
1254:. Retrieved
1250:Toledo Blade
1249:
1239:
1227:. Retrieved
1222:
1213:
1201:. Retrieved
1196:
1187:
1175:. Retrieved
1170:
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1149:. Retrieved
1144:
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1123:. Retrieved
1118:
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846:. Retrieved
817:. Retrieved
812:
786:. Retrieved
782:the original
777:
752:. Retrieved
747:
738:
724:
712:. Retrieved
707:
698:
686:. Retrieved
673:
661:. Retrieved
657:the original
643:
631:. Retrieved
621:
570:common terns
518:
517:
497:
468:World War II
463:Teepee rings
461:
432:Chaplin Lake
429:
384:
364:
357:
310:Chaplin Lake
286:Saskatchewan
274:
273:
255:Isle of Bays
199:
117:Saskatchewan
18:
1450:Territories
1421:Nova Scotia
1256:2 September
1229:2 September
1203:2 September
1177:2 September
1151:2 September
1125:2 September
1099:2 September
1077:2 September
1051:2 September
984:Isaac Cowie
960:2 September
933:2 September
906:2 September
874:2 September
848:2 September
819:2 September
788:2 September
578:canvasbacks
530:sanderlings
480:evaporation
424:Assiniboine
375:Highway 363
342: /
330:105°55′02″W
149: /
137:106°00′02″W
124:Coordinates
1516:Categories
1334:21 January
1328:IBA Canada
1308:21 January
1282:21 January
754:21 January
633:14 January
601:References
327:50°07′00″N
294:Wood River
266:References
186:Wood River
134:50°06′00″N
1389:Provinces
419:Highway 2
410:Blackfoot
367:Old Wives
306:Reed Lake
290:Moose Jaw
282:salt lake
279:endorheic
172:salt lake
168:Endorheic
1486:Category
1406:Manitoba
748:Mossbank
584:See also
574:mallards
500:botulism
489:dinghies
476:Mossbank
452:John Rae
444:antelope
371:Mossbank
298:mudflats
113:Location
1462:Nunavut
1426:Ontario
1396:Alberta
688:6 April
663:6 April
560:,
458:History
351:). The
248:Islands
1436:Quebec
1023:
714:6 June
576:, and
446:, and
225:Canada
1467:Yukon
408:into
406:bison
398:Métis
219:Basin
1379:(by
1336:2023
1310:2023
1284:2023
1258:2012
1231:2012
1205:2012
1179:2012
1153:2012
1127:2012
1101:2012
1079:2012
1053:2012
1021:ISBN
962:2012
935:2012
908:2012
876:2012
850:2012
821:2012
790:2012
756:2023
716:2024
690:2011
665:2011
635:2021
532:and
438:and
394:Cree
381:Name
369:and
308:and
300:. A
201:None
163:Type
448:elk
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