Motherwell Homestead
Encyclopedia
The Motherwell Homestead is a National Historic Site located just south of the community of Abernethy, Saskatchewan. The site commemorates the life and achievements of William Richard Motherwell
William Richard Motherwell
William Richard Motherwell, PC was a provincial and federal Canadian politician.-Biography:Born in Perth, Canada West....
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
's first minister of agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
and federal minister of agriculture for the Mackenzie King administration.
The homstead fieldstone house, called Lanark Place after Motherwell previous Ontario home and modeled after similar farmsteads built in Ontario. The homestead is surrounded by a shelter belt.
The 3.59 farmstead in addition to main house, includes fields defined by fences and shelter belt shrub and tree lines, and agricultural buildings.
Visitors to the park are immersed in 1907 agriculture. The Motherwell house, barn
Barn
A barn is an agricultural building used for storage and as a covered workplace. It may sometimes be used to house livestock or to store farming vehicles and equipment...
, and outbuildings have been restored to their 1907 appearance. Employees at the park dress in period clothing. During operational months, livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
, including hog
Domestic pig
The domestic pig is a domesticated animal that traces its ancestry to the wild boar, and is considered a subspecies of the wild boar or a distinct species in its own right. It is likely the wild boar was domesticated as early as 13,000 BC in the Tigris River basin...
s, cows, and chicken
Chicken
The chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...
s, are all on site.
The Friends of the Motherwell Homestead operate a restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
and gift shop
Gift shop
A gift shop is a store primarily selling souvenirs relating to a particular topic or theme. The items sold often include coffee mugs, stuffed animals, t-shirts, postcards, handmade collections and other souvenirs....
on site.