Official Name: | Davidson |
Nickname: | Community In Motion |
Settlement Type: | Town |
Pushpin Map: | Saskatchewan#Canada |
Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of Davidson in Saskatchewan |
Coordinates: | 51.16°N -105.58°W |
Subdivision Type: | Country |
Subdivision Name: | Canada |
Subdivision Type1: | Province |
Subdivision Name1: | Saskatchewan |
Subdivision Type2: | Region |
Subdivision Type3: | Census division |
Subdivision Name3: | No. 11 |
Subdivision Type4: | Rural Municipality |
Subdivision Name4: | No. 252 |
Leader Title: | Mayor |
Leader Name: | Elaine Ebenal[1] |
Leader Title1: | Governing body |
Leader Name1: | Davidson Town Council |
Established Title: | Post Office established |
Established Date: | 1903 |
Established Title2: | Village Incorporated |
Established Date2: | March 7, 1904 |
Established Title3: | Town Incorporated |
Established Date3: | November 15, 1906 |
Area Land Km2: | 4.49 |
Population As Of: | 2011 |
Population Total: | 1025 |
Population Density Km2: | 228.4 |
Timezone: | CST |
Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
Postal Code: | S0G 1A0 |
Area Code: | 306 |
Blank Name: | Highways |
Blank Info: | Highway 11 |
Blank1 Name: | Waterways |
Blank1 Info: | Lake Diefenbaker Last Mountain Lake |
Footnotes: | [2] [3] |
Davidson is a town in south central Saskatchewan, Canada. It is 104km (65miles) south-east of Saskatoon beside provincial highway 11 as well as Highway 44, in the Rural Municipality of Arm River No. 252. Approximately halfway between Saskatoon and Regina, it is a popular stopping point with many restaurants and gas stations located adjacent to the highway.
In 1902 Colonel Andrew Duncan Davidson, an enthusiastic entrepreneur from Glencoe, Ontario, came to Saskatchewan in hopes of creating a 'midway' settlement between the cities of Regina and Saskatoon. With agriculture as one of his driving passions, Davidson, through the Saskatchewan Valley Land Company, purchased 700000acres from the railway and the federal government[4] in an area where the soil was particularly suitable for grain farming. Davidson organized a train route that travelled from Chicago to Saskatoon; making one stop in Davidson on the way. This train route brought American bankers, entrepreneurs and newspapermen in hopes of starting up new businesses in the area. With the expansion of the community underway, Davidson also managed to sell more than 180000acres of land in the area.[5]
Within a short period of time, Davidson, which was declared the name of the community, was nicknamed the 'Midway Town' because of its central location. On 15 November 1906, Davidson was officially declared a town.[6]
During World War II the Royal Canadian Air Force built and operated RCAF Station Davidson as a component of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.[7] The station was constructed on a site east of the town. This site should not be confused with Davidson Municipal Airport which is adjacent to the town, on the south end.
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Davidson had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of 4.05km2, it had a population density of in 2021.[8]
Hockey, baseball, fitness, curling, figure skating, dance, gymnastics, and riding are some of the activities offered to members of the community. The Davidson Cyclones of the Long Lake Hockey League play at the Davidson AGT Centre.[9]
Davidson is home to the 9-hole grass green, Davidson Golf and Country Club.
The swimming pool beside the local campground offers swimming lessons.
Davidson Elementary School and Davidson High School were formerly part of the Davidson School Division, which also included schools in the communities of Kenaston, Craik and Eyebrow. As of January 1, 2006, DES and DHS are part of the Sun West School Division. In a small community, the school is at its core. This allows many opportunities for the community to get actively involved in the school and vice versa. Some of the partnerships between the school and the community include working for "Communities in Bloom," contributing to the recycling program at SARCAN, and planting trees around the newly established walking trail. Davidson School's mission statement is "Developing, Encouraging, Succeeding; Creating the Future"
The community newspaper is The Davidson Leader, publishing since 1904.