Doc’s Town opens for 2018 starting this Sunday
Doc’s Town will open for the season on Sunday, June 17 when the Country Pleasures Tea Room hosts its traditional Fathers’ Day event Sundae Sunday starting at 1 p.m.
The day’s special on Sundae Sunday will be a variety of ice cream treats.
Following the opening event on Father’s Day, Doc’s Town will be open Friday to Sunday (and holiday Mondays) until the end of September. Operating hours are 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Summer students and volunteers act as hosts on the grounds.
The collection of heritage buildings begun by “Doc” Burton Allen is in its 37th year of operation. Now under the auspices of the city, but managed by a volunteer Board of Directors, Doc’s Town keeps our prairie past alive. The site consists of 11 buildings which have come from various places in the southwest including Leinan, Tuberose and Swift Current. Turnhill School, Ball’s Blacksmith Shop and the Leinan Hall (now Country Pleasures Tea Room) are over 100 years old. The furniture and artifacts displayed in all the buildings have been donated by many individuals and groups. This summer a new exhibit of early telephone equipment will be set up in the Airmen’s Billet courtesy of Sasktel Pioneers. Theatre style chairs have been donated by the Waldeck Golden Age Club.
Activities at Doc’s Town reflect the history of the buildings. Ball’s Blacksmith Shop is a place where the age-old skill is kept alive. The forge is fired up every Sunday in the summer and in the off-season is utilized for instructional workshops. Several kinds of pies are made and served in the Tea Room.
Admission to Doc’s Town is free. Proceeds from Country Pleasures Tea Room and other activities undertaken by the Board are used for upkeep and maintenance. Prior to this season, the entrances to Mclatchie House have been rebuilt, and the station has a new foundation as well as a traditional platform.
If you are interested in volunteering at Doc’s Town, whether serving in the kitchen, hosting in a building or assisting with maintenance, contact a board member or call 306-778-1626.