Porcupine Plain

Town, pop 820, located in east-central Saskatchewan, just NE of Greenwater Lake Provincial Park on Hwy 23. The Porcupine Provincial Forest lies immediately southeast of the community and to the east loom the Porcupine Hills. During the first two decades of the 20th century, prior to intensive settlement, the primary activity in the region concerned logging interests. After World War I, land was opened up for soldiers returning from overseas and by the mid-1920s civilian settlers were taking up land. In 1921, a Red Cross outpost hospital, the second in the province, was opened northeast of the present hamlet of Carragana; soon one-room schools and churches began to dot the countryside. With the arrival of the railway the Porcupine Plain post office was established (1929) and the townsite began to develop. As forestry was the primary basis of the economy, Porcupine Plain became known as the cordwood capital of Saskatchewan. It was incorporated as a village on April 9, 1942, and, on January 1, 1968, the community attained town status. Today, agriculture is the main industry in the region, forestry being second; cereal grains and oilseeds are the main crops grown. Over the past few years, intensive hog operations have been developed in the area. Porcupine Plain is the main service, supply, and business centre for a substantial trading area population. The region is very popular for hunting and fishing; there are a number of outfitters in the district, and nearby Greenwater and Marean Lakes are popular resort destinations.

David McLennan