Canwood

History

Since it was settled, Canwood has gone through four name changes. Records kept by the post office show the original name of the settlement was "Parksiding," but no evidence has shown it ever operated under that name. The post office opened September 1, 1911, operating under the town name "McQuan"; this was a typographical error, and three months later the name was corrected to "McOwan." This name honoured Alexander McOwan, a pioneer settler who was an immigration agent, estate manager, and author. On June 1, 1912, the town name was changed again to "Forgaard," honouring Jens Forgaard, a Norwegian-born settler who had emigrated from Minnesota. Exactly one year later, on June 1, 1913, the name was changed for the last time to "Canwood," a portmanteau of Canadian Woodlands.

Education

Canwood Community School is the only educational institution in Canwood. Part of the Saskatchewan Rivers School Division #119, it educates students from Kindergarten to Grade 12. Higher education can be pursued out of town at the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology, University of Saskatchewan, or University of Regina.

Surrounding Area

Canwood is located along Highway 55, and neighbours the towns of Debden and Shellbrook.

The Canwood Regional Park is located 5 kilometres (3 mi) southeast from Canwood along Highway 55. It has 20 campsites, a 9-hole golf course, and three baseball diamonds, and is open May through September.

In Urban Legend

An urban legend says Albert Einstein played goal for the Canwood Canucks one winter while traveling to find peace and silence for his work on the Theory of Relativity. This story has been found to be implausible by media observers; in addition to the unlikeliness of Einstein visiting the rural community of Canwood, the Canwood Canucks hockey team was formed in 1958, three years after his death.