Bashaw began as a rural area called South Red Deer Lake, and Volga German settlers (among other German groups) began settling in the are in the mid-1890s.
In 1910, the Grand Trunk Railway Company built a line of the C.P.R. through the area that connected Edmonton and Calgary. A number of new towns sprang up along this line, and one of them was the town of Bashaw.
Colonía Susana was officially founded on 2 December 1886. A number of Volga German families settled there.
Colonía Esperanza (Colony Hope) was officially founded on 8 September 1856. Earlier that year, 200 families had arrived there from Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, and Luxembourg. Over the years, a number of Volga German families also settled there.
Colonía Convert was founded in 1878 by 44 families (of whom 33 families - 169 people - were Volga German) originally destined to settle near Sunchales. However, they desired a place near a river, and the government designated a new location near the town of San Javier.
They constructed their houses near the river, but these houses were flooded and had to be reconstructed at a higher elevation. The flooding also rendered part of the alloted farmland unarable, decreasing the per family allotment.
Winifreda was founded in the Conhelo Departamento (District) of La Pampa Province 3 April 1915, three months after the arrival of the new railroad line from Quemú Quemú passing Colonia Barón and Mauricio Mayer. For a while it was known as Punta de Rieles (End of the Rails). It was officially named in honor of one of the daughters of Joseph Norman Drysdale, Winifred, who owned the lots where the village was founded.
Both Catholic and Protestant Volga German families relocated to Winifreda in search of new farming opportunities.
San José was founded in the Quemú Quemú Departamento (District) in La Pampa Province on 19 July 1910 by the family of Joseph Schwab.
Santa Teresa was founded in the Gautraché Departamento (District) in La Pampa Province on 15 October 1921 on land donated by Alexander Rost.
The following men and their families were founders of the colony:
Santa María was founded in the Utracán Departamento (District) in La Pampa Province on 20 November 1910. It was never much of a village but more a center for the rural families living in the area.
The following Volga German men and their families were founders of the colony:
Mauricio Mayer was founded on 14 November 1914 as the railroad was constructed through the area. It was named after Mauricio Mayer, a railroad engineer of Hungarian origin. It was settled by Volga German Lutheran families from Colonia San Miguel Arcángel in Buenos Aires Province. There are also Black Sea Germans who settled in Mauricio Mayer.
Wheat and other cereal grains are the major agricultural crops in the area.
Colonía La Colorada Chica was founded right on the border of La Pampa Province and Buenos Aires Province, on the La Pampa side. It also went by the name "San Rosario" and the school there today bears this name.
Under the leadership of Father Teodoro Krämer, 72 Volga German families came to the area in 1920. Each was alloted 100 hectars and a lot for exploitation of the salt that was available in the area. A church and a school were constructed for the settlers.