Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, is a city nestled in the boreal forest of northwestern Canada. It is approximately 246 kilometres northeast of Lloydminster and 156 kilometres north of North Battleford. Established as a trading post in 1799, Meadow Lake has grown into a bustling city and the main business centre of northwestern Saskatchewan.
The history of Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, dates back to 1799 when Peter Fidler built Bolsover House near "Lac des Prairies", the first name given to Meadow Lake. The city saw a significant population increase following a fire in 1919 and the migration of settlers during the Great Depression from the Dust Bowl of central and southern Saskatchewan to northern communities.
Peter Fidler, a representative of the Hudson's Bay Company, was informed by Indian guides about the potential of Meadow Lake for fur trading. On August 30, 1799, he reached the mouth of the Meadow Lake River and decided to build a 12-foot by 12-foot log fort, which he named Bolsover House after his hometown in England. Although the exact location of Bolsover House is unknown today, a monument to Peter Fidler stands in Meadow Lake's Elk's Park.
According to the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Meadow Lake had a population of 5,322. The city is the second-largest community in Saskatchewan's Census Division No. 17, after Saskatchewan's portion of the interprovincial city of Lloydminster. The Meadow Lake Indian Band, now known as the Flying Dust First Nation, was established in 1889.
Meadow Lake is located in an area that was once covered by a large glacial lake, remnants of which still exist today. The city is part of the Southern Boreal EcoRegion, with the Northern Boreal EcoRegion to the north and the Parkland EcoRegion to the south. The city's terrain features the Meadow Lake Escarpment, a significant landscape element visible when looking south from various points in the city.
Meadow Lake experiences a subarctic climate that is just shy of being classified as a Humid continental climate. The city has seen temperatures as high as 38.0 °C and as low as -51.7 °C. The city also holds records for snowfall and rainfall, with 19.4 centimetres of snow recorded on November 16, 1984, and 57.8 millimetres of rain recorded on May 17, 1984.
Meadow Lake is accessible via SK Highway 55 and SK Highway 4. The city also has a railway station and an airport, Meadow Lake Airport, located 2 NM west of the city.
Meadow Lake offers a variety of attractions for visitors. The city's Tourist Information Centre is located in the Meadow Lake Lions Park, which is shared by the Meadow Lake Museum Society, Northern Saskatchewan Tourism, and the Meadow Lake Chamber of Commerce. The city is also home to the Meadow Lake Golf Club, an 18-hole golf course built in 1952. Other nearby parks include Meadow Lake Provincial Park, Nesset Lake Recreation Site, and Saint Cyr Hills Trails Recreation Site.
