The Historic Bell Barn
Saskatchewan’s First Round Barn
Being established over 100 years ago, the Bell Barn has existed in Saskatchewan through several historical moments and has seen generations of people pass through its doors. Starting as a functioning barn and later transformation into an educational museum and community events venue, the Bell Barn has cemented itself as a Saskatchewan landmark.
Have a look at our events page for exciting opportunities to visit >
An Experimental Beginning
The Bell Barn started as a corporate farm—an innovative approach to agriculture at the time—known officially as the Qu’Appelle Valley Farming Company. It was established over 130 years ago just north of Indian Head on the northern edge of the Great Plans of North America.
Major William R. Bell, one of the shareholders of the company, came west from Ontario to serve as the general manager of the Qu’Appelle Valley Farming Company. Under his leadership, the farm achieved its recognizable and memorable title as the Bell Farm. Though the experimental corporate farm structure didn’t survive, Saskatchewan's first round stone barn had cemented itself within local mythology. It lives on in history books, magazines and in the lives of the people of the Indian Head district.
Building the Round Stone Barn of Saskatchewan
Under the direction of A. J. Osment, the Bell Farm started construction in 1882 and, within a year, over 100 buildings were constructed on the Qu’Appelle Valley Farm across 53,000 acres (332 quarter sections).
Several historic documents available indicate the initial establishment of the Bell Farm in 1882 with proposals for its subsequent refinancing and revised operation in 1892 and 1896. Also discovered was a "prospectus," a legal document designed to portray a proposed business venture in its best light and encourage financial investors to join the enterprise. These documents and more are available for you to discover in our Archives. The originals are available at the Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan , in Regina.
The Bell Farm and Major Bell Timeline
A timeline has been compiled using copies and transcripts of historical records found in books, newspapers, archival files and several other sources. These documents have been placed in chronological order to tell the life of Major William Robert Bell and the history of the Bell Farm.
This information was compiled primarily by Michelle Cabana, Margaret Hryniuk and Frank Korvemaker. If errors or typographic mistakes are noticed, please contact the Bell Barn Society.