Doukhobor Dugout House Provincial Heritage Property Plaque Unveiling

A Provincial Heritage Provincial plaque commemorating the Doukhobor Dugout House was officially unveiled by the Honourable Lieutenant Governor Dr. Lynda HaverstockOn Saturday, June 25, 2005.  

More than 150 people madethe trip to the site, located eight kilometres south of Blaine Lake.  In addition to speeches commemorating the property and the early Doukhobor settlers by Norm Rebin, Master of Ceremony and descendant of the Doukhobor group who initially settled in the Blaine Lake area, Glen Hagel, Chair of Saskatchewan Centennial 2005, and the Lieutenant Governor Dr. Lynda Haverstock, visitors were treated to the traditional sharing of bread and traditional Doukhobor singing.

Brenda Cheveldayoff, property owner, felt that the provincial designation "will raise awareness of the Doukhobors' history to the people of Saskatchewan."  The Doukhobor Dugout House was designated as a Provincial Heritage Property on June 14, 2005, and became the 41st provincially-designated property.  The designation of the Doukhobor Dugout Site recognized the property's association with early Doukhobor settlement in Saskatchewan and serves as a representative example of how many other early settlers adapted to the harsh prairie conditions.