Adanac was established as a rural settlement around 1908, coinciding with the opening of its first post office on February 1 of that year, under postmaster William Hordle Wheatland, who held the position until his resignation on August 30, 1949. Wheatland, a farmer and early pioneer who arrived in the area in 1907, played a key role in organizing initial community services from his general store, which also housed the post office and an early telephone switchboard.

The initial settlement was driven by homesteading efforts within the Rural Municipality of Round Valley No. 410, as part of Saskatchewan's broader prairie expansion following the province's creation on September 1, 1905. Homesteaders, attracted by the Dominion Lands Act's offers of 160-acre quarter-sections for a nominal fee, began claiming land in the region after surveys in 1903 and the townsite layout in fall 1907, transforming the open prairies into a network of family farms.

Early infrastructure included the construction of Adanac Hall in 1910, a simple wood-frame building that served as a vital community gathering space for meetings, dances, and classes. An upstairs room was dedicated as a Masonic Hall starting in 1911, further establishing the structure as a center for social and fraternal activities amid the sparse frontier conditions.

During these formative years, Adanac functioned as a central hub for surrounding farms in the Battleford-to-west district, providing essential services like mail, supplies, and social events to isolated pioneers over vast distances. This role solidified its importance in the early 20th-century frontier, drawing settlers for trade and community interaction before the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1909 enhanced connectivity.

During the 1910s and 1920s, Adanac experienced a significant economic and infrastructural boom, driven by the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway on June 19, 1909, which facilitated rapid settlement and commerce in the region. This period saw the establishment of key businesses, including multiple general stores—such as W.H. Wheatland's, opened in spring 1907 and expanded by 1908—and three grain elevators by 1909, operated initially by agents like Jim Goodfellow for Inland Grain. Educational growth paralleled this expansion; Adanac School District No. 2210 was formed on October 23, 1908, with initial classes held in Wheatland's store before a frame school was built in 1909, laying the foundation for later developments like the 1950 reconstruction following a fire. These establishments supported the influx of farmers cultivating wheat and other grains on the surrounding prairies, transforming Adanac into a vital supply hub west of Battleford.

By the early 1920s, Adanac had solidified its role as the "central metropolis" of the local district, boasting a comprehensive array of essential services that catered to residents and nearby homesteaders. Blacksmith shops, such as Bob Rae's pre-1909 operation, provided critical repairs for farming equipment, while hotels like the New Arlington—built in fall 1907—offered lodging until 1915. Churches further anchored community life: St. Thomas Anglican Church was constructed in 1908 and consecrated in 1909, with its first service held on October 4, 1908, and Adanac United Church (initially Presbyterian) opened in fall 1909, becoming self-supporting by 1922. Other amenities included a livery barn, hardware stores like Moorlend & Son from 1909, and a Union Bank branch established in 1909, all contributing to a vibrant local economy centered on agriculture and trade.

World War I profoundly influenced Adanac's growth, with many residents enlisting between 1914 and 1918, including at least five who were killed, such as Jack Akrigg and Rev. W.H. Davis, the community's first Anglican minister. The war and the subsequent 1918 influenza pandemic strained the population but also spurred post-war immigration from Ontario, England, Scotland, Ireland, and Manitoba, boosting agricultural development as returning veterans and new settlers expanded farmland. This influx, combined with earlier pioneer hardships like the severe 1906-07 winter, underscored the resilience that fueled the hamlet's peak as a social and economic center through the 1920s.

A notable example of Adanac's connectivity during this era is preserved in mailed correspondence from 1920, such as postcards depicting local scenes, which highlight daily life, community interactions, and the post office's central role under postmaster W.H. Wheatland (serving 1908-1949). These artifacts illustrate how mail services linked isolated farmers to broader networks, facilitating trade and social ties amid the district's agricultural prosperity.

Decline and Modern Status The decline of Adanac began in the mid-20th century, driven by broader rural depopulation trends across Saskatchewan, where mechanized farming reduced the need for agricultural labor and encouraged consolidation into larger operations. Post-World War II economic shifts further accelerated this process, as improved machinery and capital-intensive practices displaced small-scale farmers, leading to the abandonment of many rural hamlets like Adanac. The closure of the local post office on August 16, 1985, symbolized the end of formal community services, after which stores and other buildings were progressively vacated.

Today, Adanac persists as an unincorporated hamlet with only remnants of its past, including collapsing structures, boarded-up buildings, and rusted vehicles scattered amid the prairie landscape. The population has dwindled to approximately two residents as of the 2010s, reflecting its status as a near-ghost town sustained by a handful of holdouts in the surrounding farmland. Despite these changes, the site's minimal infrastructure underscores the enduring impact of agricultural modernization on small prairie communities.