Built in 1886 on the Dalrymple farm located at Archydale, Sask., it was the first house built in the Moose Jaw area. It became the first stopping place for travellers heading northwest out of Moose Jaw. This family raised horses; you can see the many championship ribbons on the wall. Read the story of the Dalrymple family here as copied from the posting just inside the door

THE ARCHYDAL HOMESTEAD

IN THE SUMMER OF 1882, ARCHIE DALRYMPLE LEFT HIS HOME IN HENSALL, ONTARIO AT THE AGE OF TWENTY TWO. HIS PLANS WERE TO HEAD WEST. AT BRANDON HE MET THE GETTY BROTHERS,SAM AND GEORGE,WHO HAD LEFT THEIR HOME IN SEAFORTH, ONTARIO IN THE PREVIOUS SPRING; THEY BECAME TRAVELLING PARTNERS.SETTING OUT ON THEIR EXPEDITION FURTHER WEST, THE MEN EQUIPPED THEMSELVES WITH AN AXE, ONE MUZZLE LOADING SHOTGUN AND SOME HARDTACK. AFTER CONSIDERABLE EXPLORATION THIS LAND DIDN'T SEEM TO SUIT AGRICULTURE WELL AND THE MEN HEADED BACK TOWARDS BRANDON; WHERE THEY FOUND JOBS ON THE CPR FOR TWO DOLLARS A DAY AND LATER ON A THRESHING CREW IN THE FALL FOR A CONSIDERABLE BOOST IN PAY, TWO DOLLARS A DAY PLUS BOARD.

AFTER HARVEST THE MEN BOUGHT A TENT, SOME TIN DISHES AND A SHEET IRON STOVE. THEY HAD DECIDED TO RIDE THE RAIL AS FAR AS IT WOULD TAKE THEM. STRAIGHT INTO REGINA. FROM REGINA THEY MANAGED TO HITCH A RIDE TO MOOSE JAW WHERE THEY SPENT THE WINTER.

THE MEN HAD FINALLY FOUND SOME GOOD LAND NORTH AND WEST OF MOOSE JAW AND IN THE SPRING OF 1883, ARCHIE DALRYMPLE AND SAM GETTY HAD CHOSEN TWO ADJOINING QUARTERS. THEY PURCHASED OXEN AND OTHER EQUIPMENT AND LIVED IN THE TENT WHILE WAITING FOR THE LUMBER THEY HAD ORDER FOR THE SHANTY. AFTER THE LUMBER ARRIVED OUT OF REGINA, THE TWO BUILT THEIR SHANTY ON THE DIVIDE LINE BETWEEN THE TWO QUARTERS. THIS SHANTY SERVED BOTH AS A RESIDENCE WHERE THEY RECEIVED MAIL AND SUPPLIES AT CARON AND WATER FROM BOHARM.

UNFORTUNATELY ARCHIE AND SAM COULD ONLY AFFORD ENOUGH EQUIPMENT FOR ONE, SO THEY TOOK TURNS, WHILE ONE WORKED THE LAND THE OTHER WORKED ON THE RAIL, THEY MANAGED TO SUCCESSFULLY BREAK ABOUT FIFTEEN ACRES A YEAR.

IN 1886 , THIS RESIDENCE OF 12 BY 16 FT WAS BUILT AT THE COST OF ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS.

IN 1887 ARCHIE MARRIED CATHERINE GETTY AND THEY CONTINUED TO LIVE IN THIS HOUSE UNTIL 1903; BY THIS TIME THE FAMILY HAD GROWN TO INCLUDE FOUR CHILDREN AND THE SHANTY COULD NO LONGER ACCOMMODATE. SO IN 1903 THE FAMILY MOVED INTO THE LARGE BRICK HOUSE THAT IS STILL IN USE ON THE FARM TODAY. IN 1905 ARCHIE AND CATHERINE HAD A SON, WILLIAM, WHO TOOK OVER THE FARM IN 1935 AFTER ARCHIE'S DEATH IN 1933. IN 1974 WILLIAM AND HIS WIFE LIL SOLD THE FARM TO THEIR SON GRANT AND HIS WIFE JUDY.

THE TOWN SITE OF ARCHYDAL IS LOCATED ABOUT 1/2 MILE FROM THEIR HOME AND IS NAMED FOR ARCHIE DALRYMPLE.