History buffs and those looking to learn more about the city they live in (or someone just looking to get outdoors away from their screens) have a good chance to do so in Estevan. The city is trying to bring a little more local history into the spotlight with a new walking tour. 

In a release this morning, the city announced they were launching a redesigned historical walking tour in a partnership with the Souris Valley Museum. The walking tour was originally designed in the 1980s, and was due for a bit of an update.

"It showcases different historic buildings in the community and tells little stories about them," said Rebecca Westling, destination marketing and communications consultant for the City of Estevan. "We're doing a revamp of that and bringing it into the 20th century with a guided tour kind of like the backroads tour."

The tour focuses on original buildings in Estevan, such as the original school and city hall, as well as a look at how the courthouse was built and some history of the old brick plant. Other historical events, like the miner's strike of 1931, will also be prominent parts of the tour. 

"Each stop has a little bit of a story about who lived there, what's significant, even architecturally, what's significant about the property," Westling said. 

The tour takes about an hour to complete on foot and covers roughly two kilometers of distance on a similar route to the tour in the 1980s. At a time when COVID-19 has limited what people can do in terms of physical activity and travel, discovering things in people's own backyard, so to speak, has been a bit of theme for the city. 

"Taking a look at different perspectives on things, and maybe you're not really into history but the way we adapted it, some of the content is a fun little tidbit," Westling said. "There's trivia, there are photos of the before and after, and it's a really neat way to do something different."

The city will partner with the Souris Valley Museum for this tour, and they provided some help in revitalizing the old tour. 

"We are thrilled to partner with Tourism Estevan on this one-hour audio-guided tour," said Souris Valley Museum Executive Director Mark Veneziano, "where participants can explore the historic downtown core and listen to fascinating commentary about the city's architecture, vibrant culture, and storied past."

The tour is free of charge.