As for the prairies, that is my personal interest and the area I'd like to do more work in. Much of the Scottish history in Canada is cast in terms of Highlanders from the clearances, or in terms of Orkneymen working in the fur trade. However things often unfolded differently on the prairies. My grandfather's family came to southeastern Saskatchewan in the 1890s as highly-skilled, well-capitalized industrial agriculturalists who were well-established in the eastern lowlands and were looking to re-establish themselves where there was more room and more opportunity. Five or six like-minded families established themselves in the Moose Mountain area of southeastern Saskatchewan, built massive stone barns and houses, and made their fortunes raising the heavy draft horses that others used to plow the land.

They were truly cosmopolitan, travelling back and forth to Scotland and into the United States to grow, show and sell their herds. In one of these houses, known as Doune Lodge (which at one time was the largest Clydesdale farm in North America), there is a stunning "New Glasgow" fireplace in a style that was introduced only a year earlier in 1901 Glasgow international exhibition. I've attached a few recent pictures of what's left of these operations.

Unfortunately, the coming of steam and then gasoline tractors, followed by the environmental collapse and depression of the 1930s, and inevitable family squabbling and rivalry undid all that good work, and most of the empires, like the houses and barns they built, are in ruins. I'm working to restore my great-grandparents home, known as "Smithfield" and hope to retire there and write more of the history of the area then.

Doune Lodge Barn

Doune Lodge House

Smithfield