The R.M. of Barrier Valley No. 397 was organized in 1917, and went into operation in 1918. The first meeting was held January 7 of that year.

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Many settlers moved here years before this was an R.M. They travelled partly by following the old Indian trails, of which part of these trails can still be found. They then made their own roads from farm to farm in order to move their produce to the closest towns.

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Gradually, with men and horses, and a lot of hard work clearing bush, the road allowances became passable. Much was done with scrapers and horse drawn graders. The progress of time and equipment, have brought us to the present day all weather roads.

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Since the beginning of the R.M., there have been eleven secretary-treasurers (Administrators), the first being W.S. Pierce, salary five hundred dollars a year; 17 Reeves, the first Walter Pierce. Fifteen councillors Div. 1, the first, C. Mainse. Ten councillors Div. 2, the first, H.H. Pierce. Fourteen councillors Div. 3, the first being J. Pederson. Thirteen councillors Div. 4, the first Frank Evans. Twenty-five councillors Div. 5, the first Herbert McKague. Twenty-one councillors Div. 6, the first Lorne Hainstock. In 2007, the RM expanded with adding Division 7 for representation of the resort at Barrier Lake. Two councillors Div.7, the first B Ehalt.

There was one other councillor who should be given special recognition that was the late J. Westberg, who was councillor in Division 2 for t34 consecutive years. This must be close to a record.

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In the early years, meetings were held in various places, one of them a small log building on the SW 24-41-15-W2, nicknamed, “the sheep pen."

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In 1938 the office was located in McKague. It remained there until the end of 1981, at which time a share of the former Credit Union building in Archerwill was purchased. It has been in operation from there since January, 1982. The R.M. office in Archerwill still has the original typewriter.

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On June 17, 2017 the R.M. celebrated 100 years along with Canada’s 150th birthday; an enjoyable evening was had by all that attended.