NORTH BATTLEFORD, Sask. — Each year, the Saskatchewan History & Folklore Society accepts nominations for the Everett Baker Award for Saskatchewan Heritage, recognizing individuals, groups or organizations who go above and beyond to preserve and promote the province’s heritage. This year’s award was posthumously awarded to Joan Brewerton, a historian who eventually became CEO of the Western Development Museum (WDM).
Brewerton was nominated for the Everett Baker Award by Les Oystryk, a past recipient of the award. Although Oystryk could not pinpoint how he connected with the award winner, he felt she was deserving of the award for all of her work and passion for Saskatchewan history and sharing those stories.
“I definitely had an appreciation of how disciplined she was in her research and how determined she was in following a story, getting to the point where there was nothing else left to find,” said Oystryk.
Born in northern Ontario, Brewerton spent five years living with her family in Redding, Cal., before another big move to the Prairie backdrop of Saskatchewan that became her home for the remainder of her childhood. It was here that she attended the University of Saskatchewan, earning a bachelor’s degree in history.
Brewerton began working in the collections department for the WDM in the 1980s. After the birth of her daughters, Emily and Laura, she returned to the U of S to earn her master’s degree in western Canadian history as a mature student. With her extensive research, exhibit creation and degree, Brewerton held the CEO position with the WDM for five years. During her time as CEO, she helped develop the current logo and branding of the WDM, leading the organization to connect with new audiences both in person and digitally. It was said that her proudest achievement was the creation of the Winning the Prairie Gamble exhibit, which can be seen at all four WDM locations. She retired in 2016 to join her husband, Gordon, in St. John’s, N.L.
Following her retirement, Brewerton’s passion for Prairie heritage did not stop. She continued to document stories of Saskatchewan’s history and found herself sharing those stories. She shared her work through her online newsletter, “Shards of Memory,” and as a regular columnist for many Saskatchewan newspapers, writing as Joan Champ.
In 2017, the couple returned to Saskatchewan, and she began sharing tidbits of history and memories in her column “Passages” for the Prince Albert Daily Herald. It was at this time that Brewerton’s attention turned to further research and writing on Nan Dorland, a New York radio star who became a Saskatchewan prospector. Her writings were frequently found on a blog, “Railway & Main: Small Town Saskatchewan Hotels,” and in many other western Canadian magazines. Her writing was recognized several times by numerous Saskatchewan Weekly Newspaper Association awards for best arts/history column over the years.
In the early 2020s, Brewerton shifted her research focus to the British Home Children in the early 1900s, when children of all ages were shipped to St. Patrick’s Orphanage in Prince Albert. Many of these children were sent to Canada through “charities” to work as domestic labourers or farmhands. In her research, Brewerton uncovered stories of individuals and families whose experiences had been lost to time.
After years of preserving the historical stories of the province, the historian’s own story came to an end. Brewerton courageously battled a lengthy illness and passed away on July 13, 2026, surrounded by her loved ones.
Brewerton’s nominator did not know the award winner until her retirement years and shared that the two had never met in person.
“I really wish I could have met her. It was one of those wonky things that happen nowadays. Anybody who does serious research knows we have several people that you sort of meet over the phone or email from all over, so you never personally meet people,” added Oystryk. Although he had nominated Brewerton before her passing, Oystryk said it was unfortunate that she could not be here to accept the award.
"I attended the official presentation along with Emily, Laura and their families. We were beyond honoured to be there and see Joan's many accomplishments recognized by this wonderful organization," said her husband, Gordon.
The Everett Baker Award was named after the SHFS’ first president, who was a strong believer in understanding the past to build a better future and worked endlessly to preserve local history.
Brewerton’s meticulous research, whether at the WDM, an online blog or an old copy of a newspaper or magazine, will continue to educate the public about the province’s history.
