PWHS to celebrate Heritage Week at Heritage Manor in Eston

By Joan Janzen

ESTON—The Prairie West Historical Society (PWHS) in Eston has been busy planning events for the upcoming year. The 2025 events will begin with a Heritage Week Social on February 28 at Heritage Manor in Eston. Even though February is the shortest month of the year, many events are held throughout the province to celebrate Saskatchewan's rich heritage.

Maureen Jacobson, treasurer, said Eston's event will honour our province's heritage, as well as celebrate the local museum. Members of the PWHS will serve a light lunch and bring history books and scrapbooks from the museum to share with the residents. Maureen is confident many conversations will be created as the images in the books bring back fond memories.

She encouraged people to come out to the social and visit someone they haven't seen in a while. "It's good for the public and for the people at the Manor cause they don't get many visitors in the winter," she said. Although no one is obligated to make a donation, there will be a silver collection at the door.

In preparation for the museum's opening in the latter part of May, members of PWHS have been arranging the main display, which will feature items from the 1940s to the 1980s. Items will include books, computers, records, toys, clothes, and furniture. Maureen described them as "things you no longer see very often."

Each year, local residents look forward to the museum's Saturday barbecues, which will begin on May 24. The museum is also hoping to secure a grant so they can once again hire a summer student.

PWHS is putting a shoutout to local artists who would like to display their art in their Heritage Gallery. Each artist would showcase their art for three or four weeks, beginning with a showcase event.

The remainder of 2025 will include a July 1 celebration, Raspberry Tea in August, a pie social in September, a Bizarre Bazaar in November, and Christmas in November. "We hope to have some school programs in the spring and summer if we get a grant, which we're working on," she added.

"We have a minimal board of six members, but we can always use more," she explained. "As someone who has been with the museum for a long time, I can tell you the work never ends." There's paperwork, grants to apply for, and preparation for events.

"We're always looking for new board members, as well as anyone who would like to come out and help once in a while," she concluded.