Everett Baker was born in Blue Earth County, Minnesota on January 29, 1893.
| Graduating in 1916 from Hamline University of St. Paul with a Bachelor of Science degree, he came to Saskatchewan as a Book Agent for the R.C. Barnum Company of Cleveland, Ohio. His job was to sell a book entitledThe People's Home Library. After marrying Ruth Hellebo in 1918, the couple settled on a farm in the Aneroid district to raise their family. |
Greig Lake Saskatchewan, 1941 |
From 1935 until his retirement in 1957, Everett worked as a Field Man for the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool. This work took him to North Battleford, Regina and Shaunavon before his retirement at age 65. For a short period of time after his retirement, Everett worked as a researcher for the Glenbow Museum of Calgary.
During his years as a Field Man, Everett became interested in photography. His slides captured literally thousands of items of interest dealing with the social, natural and historic development of Saskatchewan. He became widely recognized for his presentations in local community halls. People flocked to hear him speak and witness his presentation of slides and silent movies. The movies were usually powered by a noisy portable motor in the back seat of Everett's car!
His skill as an amateur historian was widely recognized. In 1955, Everett self-published Trails and Traces of Rupert's Land and The North-West Territories as Seen from 1940-1955.
In 1957, Everett became the first president of the newly-formed Saskatchewan History & Folklore Society. Under the auspices of the SHFS, Everett became the driving force in the marking of the NWMP Trail from Wood Mountain to Fort Walsh. For his work on this trail, he was acknowledged with an Award of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History.
Besides his active interest in social history preservation, Everett respected natural history and conservation. His work in this aspect lead to the creation of the Pine Cree Park.
Shortly before his death in 1981, Everett gifted an 11,000 collection of slides to the Co-operative College of Canada. The collection found its way to SHFS and pictorial presentations of Saskatchewan heritage are once again available, as always intended by Everett Baker.
Everett Baker Slides on Video
If you have been watching the Saskatchewan Communications Network (SCN) on TV you may have noticed a series of vignettes appearing every once in awhile. These vignettes have been developed from SHFS's Everett Baker Slide collection. 3rd Eye Media Productions has been working very closely with SHFS in the production of these ten vignettes. Specific themes such as Couples, The Co-op, Houses, Families or Work are featured. In addition to showing each 3-minute piece as a separate filler SCN has shown all ten as a half-hour program. These colour images depict everyday life in Saskatchewan during the 1940s & '50s, and have been set to beautiful yet haunting music. SHFS's office has received calls with rave reviews on the program from as far afield as BC, where somebody caught the program off their satellite dish.
- DVD Collection I and II - $25.00 each
- Both DVDs as a set for $40.00
Taxes & shipping included. Please send a cheque or money order payable to SHFS. Mail to Sask. History & Folklore Society, 1860 Lorne Street, Regina, SK, S4P 2L7.
Alternatively, you may call the SHFS office at 306-780-9204 (toll free 1-800-919-9437) to make payment by credit card.
all photos © Everett Baker, property of Saskatchewan History & Folklore Society