1880 - 1911

  • Some settlement in Bratt's Lake area (previously named Buck Lake) in late 1800's and early 1900's. The Soo Line came to Milestone in 1893 and that is how most of the pioneers arrived - and then by oxen and wagons (a day journey to our area). The first post office (Jesse Bratt Sr. home) and the first church (Buck Lake Methodist) were built near where the lake is today.
  • Fire Districts (or Statute Labour and FIre Districts SLF) were designated by the government to specify an area such that settlers could work together to create furrows/roads/whatever to discourage the spread of prairie fires - a major concern in those days. Residents could be exempt from taxes if they would give two days labour per quarter-section to fireguard tasks. As of 1898 these areas were called Local Improvement Districts (LID).

1905

  • Iowa School built. Multi-use facility - also used as community centre for meetings and social activities and for Methodist services with Reverend F.B. Ball.
  • Post Office John Beattie appointed as an inland postmaster and handled local mail from his home. 'Gray' was chosen (Sam Spiller (secretary-treasurer of the newly formed Iowa School District suggested 'Gray' after a town in Audubon County, Iowa) to designate the postal outlet. Seven years later Mr. Beattie proposed it as the name for the new town.

1908

  • IOA Society (social and literary club) was organized January 9. Debates, plays and social events for the whole community were held throughout the year. Membership fees were $0.15/yr.
  • Telephone service Milestone Rural Telephone Lines were extended to both the Gray and Buck Lake districts.

1910

  • Rural Municipality RM of Lajord #128 and RM of Buck Lake (now Bratt's Lake) #129 formed and organized. Prior were Local Improvement Districts with an overseer or administrator appointed by the Provincial Government.

1911

  • Grand Trunk Pacific Railroad surveyed, grade was built from Regina to Talmage with horses and scrapers.
  • Gray became the town name. A suggestion from the local area postmaster John Beattie.
  • Gray townsite surveyed and lots offered for sale.
  • General store built by Walter Greer (in a stubble field - nothing else around).

1912

  • Grand Trunk Pacific Railroad rails were laid and the first train come through Gray. Walter Greer took a photo - a copy of which is in the Gray Museum.
  • Gray Grain Growers Association was formed to act as a carlot or bulk lot trading company, to encourage new business enterprises and to serve the general welfare of the town and community in the promotion of local events.​
  • Business Rogers Lumber Company (309 2nd Avenue), Monarch Lumber Company (200 1st Avenue), Hepburn blacksmith, Tom Smith tinsmith, Courneya billiards/barbershop, Driscoll and Urey hardware and harness store. Postal service was centralized from Bratt's Lake and Beattie home to Greer's General Store.​
  • Gray Sports Day July 17 - the first! Organized by the Gray Grain Growers Association. Held on Dunning land (NW corner of town) until 1920.
  • ​Elevators built; Atlas Elevator Company and the Saskatchewan Cooperative Elevator Company (large community event November 14 for the opening).

1913

  • First automobile in the community was purchased by Bill Greenslade - a model T Ford. He set up a taxi service Gray to Regina return for $1.00/person. Because his service was to 'downtown' he did quite well as the Regina train station was 'way out' on College Avenue.
  • ​​Business Roseborough Brothers purchase the hardware store. Alex M. Cain opens a restaurant/short-line grocery store (sold to Lee Pong in 1922). Farm machinery warehouse (John Deere and Bissell) was built and also used as a town hall when needed. Walter Dunning operated the livery barn.

1914

1915

  • Business - Tom Ashbaugh establishes an IHC (International Harvester Company) agency for McCormick and Mogul implements. 
  • Gray Homemakers Club organized.
  • Gray Rink Walter Dunning constructs an outdoor rink.

1916

  • Gray Methodist Church struck by lightning.
  • Business - Eichenberger and Gillis formed a partnership and bought Roseborough Hardware store and John Deere agency. Also added an agency for Chevrolet and McLaughlin vehicles.
  • Elevators - Atlas Elevator Co. becomes Bunn Munro Ltd.
  • March 14 Saskatchewan women won the right to vote after 4 years of petitioning.

1917

  • Business B.F. Rose and Alex Cain formed a partnership and built a two-story store - later known as the Rose Building.

1918

  • Spanish Flu
  • New farm buildings constructed in the area (many sites by carpenters Jones and McCarthy). All new homes were equipped with 32 volt Delco lighting systems and had sewer and water serving the kitchen and bathroom.
  • ​Buck Lake Methodist Church services discontinued.
  • Joe Bueche patent  - he devised a mechanism using automobile parts  that allowed operation of the tractor from the binder - Patent #287446. He died the next year (Spanish Flu) at 35 years. ​More information welcome.

1919

  • Business Gray Grain Growers Association purchased the Rose and Cain building for $3500. Upstairs was converted to be used as a community hall. The ground floor had the front designated for the new Standard Bank branch (a large concrete vault with steel doors was added later in the year on the north side of the building) and in the back, a community rest room/social centre and telephone office.

1920

  • Canadian National Rail takes over Grand Trunk Pacific Railway.
  • Mr. A. Marty, the blacksmith on Railway Avenue, started building a rod weeder of his own design. It used a non-revolving rod and was designed for use with horses. It worked quite well and he sold a number of the machines.
  • Business Greer store sold to Tom Swan.
  • Gray Methodist Church added concrete basement.

1921

  • Gray School construction begins.
  • Business Harvey Bannister purchases the Heckner building for a garage and repair shop.
  • Gray Rural Telephone Company organized. Lines were constructed with two-wire circuit system. Milestone lines cut off.
  • Gray Sports Day relocated to new site on the east end of town when sports ground developed.
  • Gray Methodist Church - the Tuxis Boys church group purchase a projector (a 12 volt hand-cranked moving picture machine) to host movie nights.
  • Elevators - Bunn Monroe Ltd. becomes Bunn Brothers Ltd.

1922

  • First Radio - purchased by school teacher A.J. Cann. He set it up in Tom Ashbaugh's implement dealer office so more people would have a chance for a turn on one of the four single earphones - there was no external speaker. One of the distant stations was KOA Denver.
  • The first Fowl Supper was organized and hosted by the Gray Homemakers Club. It was held during Thanksgiving weekend.
  • ​​Gray School opens January 4. Iowa School closes.
  • Business Lee Pong purchases the restaurant building - remains in the community for 25 years.

1923

  • Gray Cemetery established.
  • Gray Masonic Lodge instituted. First year of meetings held in the school.
  • Business Homer Ashford bought the Swan general store and post office. Telephone office built (with living quarters) - Mrs. M. Mattatall is hired as operator.
  • Elevators Reliance Grain Co. (elevator burns down in November and rebuilt) becomes Province Elevator Co. 

1924

  • Walter Eichenberger contributes many hours to developing a mechanical stooking machine (places the sheaves in drying piles). Unfortunately with the coming of the combine method of harvesting in 1927-28 his efforts were short-lived.



1925

  • ​​Gray United Church had a ceremonial 'burning' of the mortgage and later in the year became part of the United Church of Canada.
  • Gray Masonic Lodge purchase and relocate Buck Lake Methodist Church to the corner of King Street/Second Avenue.

1926

  • Gray Station the "Skunk" (Car #15823) passenger train in operation. A daily service to and from Regina. Travel there in the evening and coming back each morning.
  • Grand Trunk Pacific Railroad becomes Canadian National. 
  • Gray Rink construction begins.
  • Business Wayne LaFoy purchases the store and post office from Homer Ashford.
  • Elevators - Bunn Bros Ltd becomes  ​Northern Grain Co. Ltd. Saskatchewan Co-operative Elevator Co. becomes Saskatchewan Wheat Pool No. 244 "A"

1928

  • Business L. R. Hebb purchased store from Wayne LaFoy. Wayne moves Post Office to separate location.
  • Elevators Federal Grain Company built.

1930

  • Business Hebb's general store burns down. Eichenberger sold share of the hardware business to C.C. Gillis. C.C. Gillis sets up a grocery department in hardware store. Standard Bank - sold to Canadian Bank of Commerce - all accounts moved to Regina. J.W. Mitchell sets up store lower level of the Rose Building (where the Standard Bank was).

1931-37

  • CN Rail suspended passenger and express service (Skunk continues to operate).
  • Gray Station became a private residence for the station master family.
  • Dirty Thirties - this was a tough time for farming and subsequently businesses. Many businesses either shut down temporarily or permanently.
  • Business Rogers Lumber buildings sold to Dunnings (should this be 1942?). Blacksmith loaded his tools and left. Barber and Billiards couldn't last. Mitchell's out of business. Tom Ashbaugh briefly moved to Manning AB - returned in early 1937 to sell International Harvester and Oliver machinery, also at that time Wayne Ashbaugh became Massey Harris dealer.
  • Gray Station - becomes a private residence for station master family.

1936

  • Gray Booth is purchased and moved from Milestone to Gray Sports Grounds.
  • Grid Road constructed (highway #306 today) from Riceton, through Gray to Estlin. Ernie Dunning and Gerald Cook were employed by the Rural Municipality of Lajord 128 for the summers of 1936 and 1937. They operated municipal equipment (caterpillar tractor and grader) for 25 cents an hour. Kitty (Ernie's wife) cooked for free while they lived in the bunk cars.

1940

  • Elevators - Northern Grain Co. Ltd. becomes National Grain Co. Ltd

1946

  • H. A. Lewis designed and built the first discer for Canadian Co-op Implement Company.
  • Extraordinary snowfall with a resulting spring flood in town.
  • Elevators Saskatchewan Wheat Pool No. 244 "A" rebuilt.
  • Business Ross Houghtaling took over Massey Harris dealership from Wayne Ashbaugh in 1940's. At this time both Hi-Way Oil (Bill Muller) and Imperial Oil (W.F. Ford) were in business - gas pumps were on both sides of Main Street.

1948

  • Elevators - Province Elevator Co. Ltd. becomes Parrish and Heimbecker

1950

  • Business C.C. Gillis built a cindercrete block store on Main Street.
  • ​Gray Memorial Hall built when Grain Growers transferred property for community centre. 
  • Gray United Church Moderator of the United Church of Canada Reverend Dr. Nicholson preached on September 16.

​1951

  • Elevators - Western Elevator Co. becomes Pioneer Grain Co. Ltd. No. 1

1952

  • Power lines come to rural Saskatchewan.

1954

1955

  • Business Gillis' demolish hardware store and repurpose Lee Pong Chinese Emporium. K.C. Gillis and Son evolved as General Motors and John Deere dealerships.

1959

1967

  • Business Gillis' demolish Lee Pong Chinese Emporium and construct quonset garage.

1969

1972

  • Elevators - Federal Grain Co. Ltd. becomes Saskatchewan Wheat Pool "B".

1974

  • Gray Rink plans and construction begin.
  • Elevators -  National Grain Co. Ltd. becomes Cargill Grain Ltd.

1975

  • Iowa School demolished by Hugh McGillivray (it had been used as a granary for many years).​​

1977

  • Hamlet of Gray formed with a three-member council.
  • Gray Rink Grand Opening March 4-6 

1978

  • Business Rural telephone lines buried. Gray Farm Equipment established by Bill Carnegie and Dave Helstrom - farm machinery, short line equipment and steel granary sales. Bill Carnegie also did welding and general repair work in the shop.  
  • Elevators  Cargill Grain Ltd. becomes Pioneer Grain Co. Ltd. No. 3.

1979

  • Hamlet of Gray provides water and sewage services. [Error in the ties that bind - resident recalls building in 1977 and having to install a cistern.]
  • Pumphouse/Water treatment plant built north corner of 2nd Avenue and Main Street.
  • Sewage lagoon installed about 1 mile east of town.
  • Main Street improvement program - there was extensive tree planting and a small Main Street park was developed.
  • CN Rail derailment between Estlin and Gray. Does anyone recall any details?

1981

  • Elevators Pioneer Grain Co. Ltd. No. 1 becomes Saskatchewan Wheat Pool "C". Both Pioneer Grain Co. Ltd. elevators (No. 2 and No. 3) are closed. Buildings removed the next few years.
  • Gray United Church construction begins.

1982

  • Services - Direct dial, free calling telephone service with Regina.
  • ​Gray United Church opens June 20 1982.
  • ​Gray Masonic Lodge amalgamates with Milestone. Building now privately owned.
  • ​​Business General Store bought by Rich and Brenda Collacott.

1983

  • Gray United Church old building sold for demolition.
  • Gray Rink Heritage Room addition complete.
  • Live It Up (CTV program with Liz Grogan) came to Gray for a 'wheat' fest in July. Menu included wheat chili, wheat pie, wheat/vegetable bread

1984
  • Heritage Raffle was held November 28 at the Turvey Centre in Regina. Tickets were $150/couple. Everyone left with a prize; Ron Macdonald (from Bechard) won the GMC C15 half-ton truck. Most left with a pen inscribed "this pen cost me $150". Fundraising was to cover the cost of ordering 'extra' history book sets. Some of these books were still being sold to new residents into the 2000's. 

1987

1995

  • Rail line 'out of service'.

1996

  • Elevators - Saskatchewan Wheat Pool No. 244 "A" closes.

2005
  • RM of Lajord and RM of Bratt's Lake contract Bill Carnegie (local welder/artisan) to construct signs with school name, number and years of operation. These signs are installed at every land location where a rural school was located.
  • October 24 - CN Railway announces discontinuance of our branch line.

2007

2009

  • Western Potash exploration underway throughout the RM of Lajord.
  • CN Railway contracts Cando Consulting to remove rail and tie (originally the Grand Trunk Pacific Railroad).
  • Gray Shortline Railroad constructed on Main Street 

2010

2011

  • Gray Rink renovation begins to include museum display space and additional dining.

2017

  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau researching canola production - farm tour to Lewis Lands (Don, Rod and Todd Lewis) with a stop at Gray rink for a press conference.

2019

  • Western Potash began construction of a pilot project NW 20-14-17 W2.
Hamlet of Gray has present day info.