When we hike up the northeast shoulder of Mount Mara we pass by the Damgaard Homestead, occupied from 1912 – 1919, but now part of Lac du Bois Grasslands Protected Area.   The property was settled under the terms of the Canadian Homesteads Act which promoted settlement of the west from 1872 – 1918.   The Damgaards emigrated from Denmark to work 160 acres of land.   The land was for free to any male farmer who agreed to cultivate at least 40 acres and to build a permanent dwelling within three years. The only cost to the farmer being a $10 administration fee. This condition of “proving up the homestead” was instituted to prevent speculators from gaining control of the land.

This parcel of land was up on a bench of the mountain above Pruden Pass.

Back in 1970s there were several buildings still partly standing but now there is only one smaller dwelling above the shores of the pond.

A neighbor of the Damgaards was Bill Harris and he was interviewed for a book called Treasures of Lac du Bois (1981), written by Karen McLaren and Kenna Cartwright.   He recalled that the Damgaard Homestead burned down when parcels of clothing and gits they received were burned in the stove.   The parents went out to take care of the farm and the children overfed the fires.   The home burned down with all their possessions so they stayed with the Harris family while the father converted a chicken shed to living quarters.

Mr. Damgaard enlisted to fight in World War 1 and the family continued to live in that small building while he was away.   He was badly wounded in the war and when he returned, the family sold the quarter to Tranquille Farms.

We can walk the old 40 acre pasture and still find cairns and rockpiles marking the edges of the grazing lands on the bench.

We have also hiked down the old track into Pruden Pass and have located the remains of the Sorenson Homestead (1912) on the north slope of Mount Mara.   There is also a series of buildings still standing in the Harris Homestead (1912 – 1926) in the other side of the pass.