Saskatchewan’s famous snowplane returns home to Moosomin

Lisl Gunderman and Darrell Hunter began restoring this unique piece of history back in 2022. The snowplane was originally owned by Gunderman's grandpa in the 1940's. (Courtesy: Darrell Hunter)

A couple from Alberta, who restored a snowplane with deep ties to southeast Saskatchewan, spoke about their efforts while visiting the community of Moosomin earlier this week.

Lisl Gunderman and Darrell Hunter began restoring the unique piece of history after coming across it by chance while visiting the Antique Automobile Museum in Elkhorn, Manitoba.

The snowplane was once owned by Gunderman’s late grandfather, Dr. Gerry Galloway, who worked a practitioner in the communities of Alameda and Oxbow in the 1940’s. He originally bought the machine from Moosomin-based Fudge Snow Sedans.

“Roads weren’t reliable [for] winter transportation, and there were some really severe winter storm years in the 1940s. So, when he was starting out of his practice in the Oxbow area, most of his work would have primarily been going up to people’s places to do house calls,” Gunderman explained at the meeting.

“My grandfather had, he had a sense of humor,” she added. “He painted an emblem on either side of it, keeping to the stork holding a baby bundle, and he called it the delivery wagon.”

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Gunderman says she recalls seeing the stork decal as a child. However, when her grandparents passed away, the snowplane was lost.

Gunderman and Hunter were on vacation in 2022 when they travelled to the Antique Automobile Museum. They had heard of an old snowplane being stored at the establishment – but nothing could’ve prepared them for the moment when they finally spotted that faded emblem of a stork on the side of the antique.

“I have a real care about history and a real sentimentality about southeast Saskatchewan. That is a key reason why I couldn’t just leave it there. [We] felt that we had to do something about it,” Gunderman said.

“So, we went in to [a five year] agreement with the Elkhorn museum to restore the machine.”

Hunter, a tradesman, took up the work. Several years later and the snowplane is finally operational.

As per their agreement with the museum, the couple has until the fall of 2027 to tour it around the country before the vehicle goes on permanent display in Elkorn.

The couple bought a 24 foot trailer not only to haul the machine but to showcase the other memorabilia they have collected over the years.

“Given that I’m a schoolteacher, I’m super interested in having it be very interactive for people and a real hands-on experience,” Gunderman explained.

The couple’s goal is to fundraise in support of museums over the course of their tour – with one example being the Sukanen Ship Pioneer Village and Museum in Moose Jaw.

They hope their exhibit will inspire children to go into trades. Gunderman was also sure to highlight the machine’s return to its original home.

“With the Fudge factory being in Moosomin and being that the snow sedan is a Fudge machine, there’s a lot of history that has to go with the shop and industries,” she explained.

The pair also connected to members of the Fudge family.

The meeting on Tuesday was fruitful, as Dr. Galloway’s snow sedan will make an appearance at the Moosomin Chamber of Commerce parade on July 12.

Future co-operation between the town and the couple are underway.