[1] It was founded in the late 19th century by farmers and quickly became a flourishing small town.
Oakshela is no longer the town it once was, in fact, it only qualifies as a hamlet now, though its church still stands, unused, as a marker of what used to exist in this small community.
As recently as 1956, it supported two stores, two gas stations and two grain elevators with approximately 50 residents.
As of 2009, all of these were gone, the church abandoned and boarded up with about eight homes but no services.
A short video is posted on "Youtube" showing the remains of Oakshela in 2009.....sub nom "The Demise of Small Town Saskatchewan".