Elfros, Saskatchewan

Elfros
Village
Village of Elfros
Icelandic settler statue in Elfros
Location of Elfros in Saskatchewan
Elfros, Saskatchewan (Canada)
Coordinates: 51°44′30″N 103°51′50″W / 51.74167°N 103.86389°W / 51.74167; -103.86389Coordinates: 51°44′30″N 103°51′50″W / 51.74167°N 103.86389°W / 51.74167; -103.86389
Country  Canada
Province  Saskatchewan
Region Central
Census division 10
Rural Municipality Elfros No. 307
Government
 • Type Municipal
 • Governing body Elfros Village Council
 • Mayor Arleigh Helgason
 • Administrator Tina Heistad Douglas
Area
 • Total 2.52 km2 (0.97 sq mi)
Population (2016)
 • Total 90
 • Density 37.5/km2 (97/sq mi)
Time zone UTC-6 (CST)
Postal code S0A 0V0
Area code(s) 306
Highways Hwy 16
Hwy 35
Railways Canadian Pacific Railway
[1][2][3]

Elfros is a village within the Rural Municipality of Rural Municipality of Elfros No. 307, in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. It is northeast of Regina and southeast of the Quill Lakes at the junction of Highway 16 and Highway 35.

Demographics

Canada census – Elfros, Saskatchewan community profile
2016 2011 2006
Population: 90 (+7.7% from 2011) 96 (-2.7% from 2006) 110 (-31.7% from 2001)
Land area: 2.52 km2 (0.97 sq mi) 2.52 km2 (0.97 sq mi) 2.52 km2 (0.97 sq mi)
Population density: 35.7/km2 (92/sq mi) 38.1/km2 (99/sq mi) 43.7/km2 (113/sq mi)
Median age: 54.5 (M: 53.0, F: 56.0) 49.2 (M: 48.0, F: 50.5) 46.6 (M: 46.2, F: 48.5)
Total private dwellings: 58 53 86
Median household income:
References: 2016[4] 2011[5] 2006[6] earlier[7]

History

Elfros was first settled by Icelandic immigrants, and many of the present inhabitants are of Icelandic descent. A post office was opened in 1909.[8]

From the Icelandic Pioneer Memorial in Elfros comes the following quotation.

"There were two waves of Icelandic settlement to and within Saskatchewan. The first group came directly from Iceland, paused briefly in Winnipeg, then moved on to Saskatchewan. The second group trekked north and west from older settlements in North Dakota and Manitoba.

In June 1882, the first Icelandic families came to Fishing Lake. The magnets were hay and water. Settlements followed at Foam Lake, Kristnes, Leslie, Mt Hecla, Holar, Elfros, Mozart, Wynyard, Kandahar and Dafoe, creating the largest Icelandic settlement outside of Iceland.

Icelanders were not natural farmers. They were poets, musicians and visionaries, people who saw work as a means to an end. Icelandic communities became cultural centres with bands, choirs and libraries. Icelanders built community halls. Many schools in the Vatnabyggd area have Icelandic names.

Important celebrations included Torrablot, the First Day of Summer, and Independence Day celebrations on June 17 and August 2.

For spiritual nourishment, Icelanders relied on traveling preachers, meeting in homes and community halls.

The Icelanders who came to Saskatchewan became competent farmers but saw the land as a means to improve conditions both for themselves and for their children. Aware of the value of family and community, they left a legacy of art, literacy, music and social responsibility." Elfros at Flickriver

The Rural municipality (RM) of Elfros held centennial celebrations July 24–26, 2009.[9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ National Archives, Archivia Net, Post Offices and Postmasters, archived from the original on 2006-10-06
  2. ↑ Canadian Textiles Institute. (2005), CTI Determine your provincial constituency, archived from the original on 2007-09-11
  3. ↑ Commissioner of Canada Elections, Chief Electoral Officer of Canada (2005), Elections Canada On-line, archived from the original on 2007-04-21
  4. ↑ "2016 Community Profiles". Canada 2016 Census. Statistics Canada. February 21, 2017. Retrieved 2017-03-15.
  5. ↑ "2011 Community Profiles". Canada 2011 Census. Statistics Canada. July 5, 2013. Retrieved 2012-10-14.
  6. ↑ "2006 Community Profiles". Canada 2006 Census. Statistics Canada. March 30, 2011. Retrieved 2009-02-24.
  7. ↑ "2001 Community Profiles". Canada 2001 Census. Statistics Canada. February 17, 2012.
  8. ↑ National Archives, Archivia Net. "Post Offices and Postmasters". Archived from the original on 2006-10-06. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
  9. ↑ "RM of Elfros #307". 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-12.


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