Gold Rush On The Prairies

Gold Rush on the Prairies
by Roderick E. MacDonald
Published by Roderick E. MacDonald
Review by Toby A. Welch  
$30.00 ISBN 9781069362704

Gold Rush on the Prairies is a must-read for all history enthusiasts, especially those interested in the olden days of southern Saskatchewan.

The amount of time, effort, and research that went into Gold Rush on the Prairies is obvious from the first page. This was clearly a passion project for Roderick E. MacDonald. The retired lawyer dug deep researching the history of the Town of Radville and the mysterious death of the town’s namesake, Conrad Paquin. Tourism Radville assisted MacDonald with his research and the end result was Gold Rush on the Prairies. 

This book is a glimpse into the Radville area during the time that Conrad Paquin lived his life there. (Radville is in southern Saskatchewan, one hundred and thirty kilometres south of Regina, fifty kilometres southwest of Weyburn.) It was during the gold rush era, which adds a unique element to the story. But there are so many more levels to the mystery including politics at that time, railway issues, legal maneuvers, and complicated family dynamics. 

The real-life story that unfolds in these pages is fascinating. Had Conrad Paquin lived in modern times, I can almost guarantee that a podcast or two or twelve would’ve been made about his life and his mysterious death. 

This book is bigger and more beautiful than it looks online. It’s almost one square foot and is filled with amazing pictures of documents and historical memorabilia. It features never-before-seen images and stories that haven’t been told before.

As I devoured the story in Gold Rush on the Prairies, I found the documents in the book engrossing. Some of them are hard to read as time has faded the papers but it’s worth the struggle to make out the words. The history that oozes off the pages is so cool. My favourite documents are the ones pertaining to the investigation of Paquin’s death, over thirty pages worth. They include investigation reports from the Royal North West Mounted Police that cover the circumstances of Paquin’s disappearance and the eventual finding of his body. The crime report detailed how they found the sum of twenty cents on Paquin’s body, which the corporal in charge temporarily took possession of. It’s the numerous details like that which make this such a compelling read.

You can pick up a copy of Gold Rush on the Prairies at the CN Station in Radville; all proceeds go to the CN Station Museum. If you don’t live near Radville, you can send an e-transfer to Tourism Radville and let them know your mailing address – they will get a copy headed your way. This book needs to be on the radar of all history buffs!

YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS BOOK AT WWW.SKBOOKS.COM