With the village site being the end of the rail line, Arcola flourished and reached town status on November 20, 1903. The Arcola Opera House is a Municipal Heritage Property occupying a large corner lot on the Main Street of Arcola. The heritage value of the building lies in its association with the civic administration and cultural life of the community. Constructed in 1906, the building served a
s the first consolidated location for many municipal services, including the fire hall, jail and town offices. The building also housed the first civic auditorium for the community; an opera hall located under a 2-storey high vaulted ceiling on the second floor.The architecture is incredible. Built of local brick in an unadorned version of the Queen Anne style of architecture, the three storey building displayed both functional and prestigious qualities desired by the community. The High House continues to dominate Arcola's business district streetscape and to serve as a community gathering place. In 1989 Williston Wildcatters Oil Corporation moved its head office to Arcola. The Head Office was located in the Old Court House and in 1991 they restored The High House to become the Arcola Land Cattle & Oil Co. with fine dining and dancing, private dining rooms, and a saloon. The bar is one of the longest in Western Canada and was built by Paul Twietmeyer from Carlyle. We now have a restaurant on the main floor, Buddy’s Pub on the second floor, and a private event space on the 3rd floor, it is a provincial site, one of three opera houses that remain in Saskatchewan. The historic building with its exposed brick, tin ceilings, elaborate woodwork, hardwood flooring, and original staircases, made Wendy fall in love instantly!!! It has been called the High House, as it can be seen long before you arrive and it is truly a name that fits the incredibly impressive historic building that is so full of stories and has so much history to tell. It is the well-preserved heritage buildings that led Souris River Films Ltd. to chose Arcola as a typical prairie setting for their production of W.O. Mitchell’s “Who Has Seen The Wind – Saskatchewan’s first full-length movie. The movie takes place in the 1930s and uses Arcola’s buildings as the backdrop. In 2003, Arcola celebrated its 100th anniversary, marking the fact that it predates the province by two years. Arcola is known as Saskatchewan's "Heritage Town" due to its many historical brick and wood-frame structures. Settlers in the area originally built a community known as Clare, located two miles north-east of where Arcola exists today, but almost all the buildings of Clare were moved when the CPR announced in the early part of 1900 that the railroad would run south of town. Arcola was the "end point" of the southern branch line running west from Souris, Manitoba for four years, during which time it became an important hub for westward migration. At one point it was the 11th largest town in Saskatchewan. With flourishing settlement and economic growth, many thought Arcola would achieve city status. It was during this heyday, and using bricks made in the town's own brick plant, that many of today's heritage homes and buildings were erected.
