Eston’s gopher is over 30 years old

By Joan Janzen

Eston has been home to the world’s largest gopher, since June, 1989 - 34 years ago when it was placed on Main Street. The sculpture was built by Michael Martin in 1987, stands 8 feet tall and weighs 3,000 pounds. It’s made from tyndalstone taken from a quarry in Manitoba. It was erected to commemorate the town’s World Gopher Derby.

The World Gopher Derby began twenty years prior to the statue’s construction, and ended some time shortly before 1989. Anyone who happened to attend the Gopher Derby in days gone by would recall it operated much like a horse race. Eight lucky gophers were selected to participate. If anyone knows the specifics of the selection process, they can let our readers know.

The gopher runners were placed on a track shute, and the first one to reach the end, enter the winning gopher hole tipping the tube downward, was declared the winner. The gopher wasn’t the only winner; everyone who placed bets on the creature also became a winner. This was an annual event held every July beginning in 1969.

Perhaps someone knows what happened to the winning gophers and the other competitors after the gopher derby concluded. But according to information from Eston’s “Grass to Grain” history book, we do know the stone gopher was unveiled at the head of Eston’s Main Street on Thursday, June 30, 1989 to commemorate the culmination of the Eston Lions Club’s World Gopher Derby.