Wallace Stegner (1909–1993) was a Pulitzer Prize–winning author and one of the great voices of the American West. He was often called “The Dean of Western Writers”. But the genesis of his writing can be traced to southwest Saskatchewan.
He lived in this house in Eastend from age 7 to 12 — years that left an indelible impression and inspired much of his work, including the celebrated memoir Wolf Willow.
The one-and-a-half storey house on the banks of the Frenchman River was built in 1917 by Stegner’s father. The family left for Montana in 1921, but Eastend — which Stegner fictionalized as “Whitemud” — stayed with him for life.
“Home is a notion that only nations of the homeless fully appreciate,” he wrote, “and only the uprooted comprehend.”
In 1990, the Eastend Arts Council restored the house and established it as a residence for visiting artists and writers. It has since hosted over 300 residents from around the world.
It’s a Heritage Property, a living creative hub, and one of the most meaningful literary landmarks on the Canadian prairies.
Photos: Google Street View; http://www.dipity.com/timeline/Wallace-Stegner/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33725051
