Humboldt: Through The Years

April: Humboldt was incorporated as a town; Humboldt was made a port of entry with J.T. Richardson as customs officer; Humboldt's first auction sale of horses, cattle, etc. was held at Howson Bros. livery stable with R.J. Kepkey as auctioneer; CNR paid $6580 to feed passengers held here for two weeks during a blockade; Seeding started on the 18th.
May: First civic election was held with E.T. Wallace as returning officer. The first council elected consisted of O.W. Andreasen as mayor and J.J. Stiegler, A. Zilliax, Otto Ritz, R. Morrison, E.G. Walker and J.J. Gable as counsellors; E.T. Wallace was appointed first secretaries of the town at a salary of $300; Humboldt celebrated its incorporation as a town with a sports day.
September: Humboldt was to spend $7000 to procure fire protection equipment.
October: New Catholic school opened.

1908
September: New two room Public School opened at a cost of $5000 with Percy S. Bailey, principal; Gottfried Hartung was awarded the contract for laying new sidewalks, the price being 2 cents a running foot.
November: Dr. D.B. Neely was elected to House of Commons for Humboldt.

1909
February: The opening event in Bushey Hall took place when a concert was put on by Mr. W. J. Weir with the assistance of local talent.
April: Humboldt Agricultural Society was organized with Herman J. Michels, president.
May: Farmer Hines was in town to propose the construction of the Farmers' railway from Regina to Melfort through Humboldt.
September: Curling Club was organized with J.A. Sterling, president; the first annual fair of the Humboldt Agricultural Society was held.
October: Children's Aid Society was organized to assist neglected and destitute children; Humboldt was to be a distributing point for Imperial Oil.
December: Hockey Club for new rink was organized with John Waddell, president.

1910
January: New skating and curling rink opened; Union Bank burned to the ground.
March: Farmers were preparing land for seeding.
June: A deputation went to Regina asylum, judicial district and land titles office.
July: Sir Wilfred Laurier visited Humboldt.
September: Taxes struck with general rate at 10 mills, public school rate at 8 mills and separate school rate at 2 mills.
October: Humboldt's new telephone system was completed with 66 phones installed and long distance connections as far as Warman, Prince Albert and Winnipeg.

1911
January: Humboldt held first annual bonspiel.
March: Town will build cement walks.
June: Site selected for new hospital; Moving picture show opened in Bushey Hall.

1912
The present Public School building was erected at a cost of $65,000.

1913
February: New Dominion government building opened to house post office and customs office.
April: The contract for construction of power house was awarded to A.E. Pike at a cost of $13,143; Humboldt was created a Land Titles Registration District and a high school district.
May: The judicial District of Humboldt came into effect with E.T. Wallace, sheriff and A.L. MacLean, clerk of the Court.
August: Installation of an electric lighting system was in progress and the power house was nearing completion.
October: Chief Justice Haultain presided at the first sittings of the supreme court in Humboldt; a clock was being installed in the tower of the post office building.
November: The new City Hall was in operation.

1914
January: Humboldt Land Titles office opened with Robert Smith, registrar, Gustav Fournier, deputy registrar, W.J. Payne, accountant, and Harold Smethurst, chief clerk.
April: Council awarded contracts for installation of waterworks and sewerage systems at an estimated cost of nearly $200,000.
December: Humboldt was made a recruiting station for receiving volunteers for overseas infantry service with Maurice Dunsford in charge and Dr. T.J. Gray as medical examiner; CNR waterline from Burton Lake to town was completed.

1915
January: Humboldt's car of flour was on its way to Belgian sufferers.
June: Humboldt was the scene of the convention of the Union of Saskatchewan Municipalities.
November: Humboldt had a Patriotic Fund.

1916
January: Humboldt had all night electric light service.
March: Waterworks and sewerage systems were completed.
May: A branch of the Salvation Army was opened; the town had electric light service every Wednesday morning from 8:00 to 12:00 noon.
December: Humboldt Rural Telephone Company was formed with a line to connect Humboldt and Waldsea Lake; town water was coming from the new reservoir.

1917
January: The CNR agreed to connect up with town electric light service with a guaranteed minimum consumption of $25 a month.
February: First moccasin dance held in the skating rink was a big success.
July: A serious fire destroyed the Palace Livery on Livingston St. and damaged adjacent buildings.
November: Humboldt formed a Victory Loan committee with Mayor J.G. Yoerger as chairman and O.W. Andreasen, A.J. Kruse, F. Heidgerken, R.J. Kepkey, R.A. Telfer, and Sheriff E.T. Wallace on the executive.

1918
March: The Dominion Land Office in Humboldt was closed.
July: Tax rate was set at 60 mills based on a total assessment of $2,179,836; Humboldt had never had a total crop failure and was now known as "The Sure Crop District".
August: Humboldt would get no supply of hard coal.

1921
July: Humboldt's war memorial, a cenotaph on the Court House grounds, was dedicated.

1922
August: Arthur Driver constructed the first radiophone in Humboldt.

1923
January: Humboldt Hotel, one of the oldest buildings having been built about 1904, was completely destroyed by fire.
March: Operation of the old Government Telegraph Station southwest of Humboldt was discontinued.

1924
April: Curling rink torn down to make room for new three sheet rink.
October: Town changed the source of water supply from Stoney Lake to Burton Lake by an agreement made with CNR.

1927
January: A snowmobile designed and owned by H.B. Pitzel was a first on the streets of Humboldt.

1928
February: Humboldt extended power line to four farms west of town.
April: Humboldt celebrated its 21st anniversary.

Humboldt's 21st anniversary as a town was fittingly celebrated on Monday, April 2. The town was gaily decorated with flags and bunting, and the electric illuminations in the evening gave the streets a fine effect. Souvenirs of the anniversary were distributed to the children and to the public.

It was principally children's day, and the programme during the afternoon was for their benefit and entertainment, and they appeared to have had a happy time.

The corner stone of the city hall was laid by Mayor Crawley at 11 o'clock in the forenoon. The Mayor explained that as the stone had not been received at the time the hall was built, it could not be laid at that time. It was therefore thought fitting to perform the ceremony on this 21st anniversary of the town. Coun. E.S. Wilson acted as chairman of the proceedings, and Rev. F.J. Stevens offered the blessing.

The following were deposited in the stone: List of mayors and councillors, from 1907 to 1928, history of the town, by Mrs. Kepkey, coins, copy of The Humboldt Journal, 21st anniversary badge, plan of the town, a cheque, note forms and pencils.

At three o'clock the school children gathered at one point, and headed by the citizen's band, playing patriotic selections marched through the streets. The senior grades went to the town hall and the junior grades to the parish hall, the two buildings being filled to their capacity. The younger children were taken to the public school, where suitable entertainment was provided for them.

Addresses were given by A.J. Kruse, at the parish hall, and R.A. Telfer, at the town hall, both ex mayors, dealing with the history of the town from its inception to the present time, reviewing its growth, its early citizens and comparing the Humboldt of today to that of 1907. Choruses of "O Canada" were sung, also choruses by a troupe of high school girls, one entitled, "Hail Humboldt," specially written for the occasion by Miss G. Moffat. This proved very popular. Miss Phyllis Thompson also gave a solo. The Hon. S.J. Latta, provincial secretary, and Mayor G.W. Norman, of Saskatoon, visited each hall in turn and delivered appropriate addresses. L.A. Lowney, an animal imitator, and J. Knight, a magician, both of Saskatoon, delighted the children with a few stunts. Coun. A.M. Kelly was chairman of the town hall meeting, and Rev. F.J. Stevens presided at the parish hall.

At the conclusion of the programmes, bags of candy and Eskimo pie were distributed, bringing to a close an enjoyable afternoon for the children.

Anniversary Banquet

Nearly one hundred people attended the 21st anniversary banquet at the Arlington hotel in the evening, and which was one of the most enjoyable and successful functions of its kind ever held here. Mayor Crawley presided.

A toast to "The Old Timers" was proposed by Mr. A.M. Kelly, who said that all honor was due to the old timers who had helped to make the town what it is today.

A.J. Kruse, replying said he was one of the real old timers, coming here in 1904, when there were only a few shacks south of the tracks. An indication of the development of the district was the fact that in 1906 the first elevator was built and this handled all the grain from a radius of thirty and forty miles.

Mr. F.I. Hauser also spoke to this toast. He referred to a trip he made in 1895, from Prince Albert to the old Humboldt station, south of the present Humboldt. He travelled by way of Crooked Lake and Basin Lake. In 1901 he was taking the census, and the only settler he could find in this vast territory was a rancher near Prud’homme.

A toast to "The Canadian National Railways" was proposed by Dr. J.C. King, who said the railway had helped more than anything else in the building up of the town. The officials of the company had always been good friends of Humboldt and those who had occupied public positions knew of the co operation the town had always received from the railway officials.

M.E. Dohm, a pioneer engineer on the railway, replied. Any town, he said, that happened to be made a divisional point, such as Humboldt, was fortunate, as it undoubtedly had a great deal to do with the town's growth and development.

Mr. F.H. Bence, in proposing a toast to "Our Visitors," reminded them of our popular little sea, known as Waldsea Lake, and thought that every visitor to the town missed something if they were not taken out to see this beauty spot. Mr. Bence drew the attention of the department of municipal affairs to the fact that no provision for remuneration for mayors and councillors was provided, such as is provided in cities and rural municipalities.

Mr. H.M. Therres, M.L.A., also spoke. Humboldt was a good town, he said, and one thing he liked was the optimism of its citizens, who seemed to overcome all obstacles and were doing their best to promote the best interests of the town.

His Honor Judge Dickson and Mr. Jos. Burton also spoke briefly.

Musical numbers included solos by Rev. F.J. Stevens, and Mr. H.B. Pitzel, and numbers by the Jolly Boys orchestra, which were loudly applauded.

June: Main road south of Humboldt was designated a provincial highway.
July: Lightning struck the power plant causing an outage.

1929
February: Royal Grain Inquiry Commission held sittings in Humboldt.
August: CPR steel reached Humboldt.
September: North Western Business College opened a branch in Humboldt located above Mr. Brandon's office on the corner of Main Street and Railway Ave.; The town power plant was sold to Saskatchewan Power Commission.
December: CPR began operation.

1930
November: Humboldt had a new power transmission line and sub station.
December: CPR opened a freight express office; Humboldt to play hockey under the name of Red Indians.

1931
June: There was a two day exhibition of electrical appliances at City Hall.
August: Salvation Army operated a soup kitchen.
September: Town reverted to Stoney Lake for its water supply.
November: As a relief measure Main Street was being reconditioned by ploughing, levelling and gravelling with N.W. McConnell, foreman.

1932
January: The skating rink was severely damaged by fire.
March: A public library opened.
August: The Customs office closed; the new arena was completed.
November: New town well was put into operation.

1936
July: Work started on Highway 20.
October: New Separate School opened at an estimated cost of $30,000; the new tannery was ready for operation.

1937
September: Humboldt Business College opened in the dining room at the Arlington Hotel, sponsored by Mr. Geo. A. Jordan of Success Business College in Prince Albert.

1938
June: 75 barrels of crude oil caught fire at the Home Oil and Refining Co. plant.

1939
June: Streets in the business section were oiled.
August: Harvesting operations began on the 10th.
September: Canada was at War with Germany.
December: Laskin's store suffered heavy fire loss.

1940
April: Work started on a new water supply near Stoney Lake.

1941
February: Humboldt organized for a war savings certificates drive.
May: RCMP took over policing the town.
August: Humboldt recruiting depot was opened once again.

1942
February: The new creamery managed by B.J. Hansen opened on Park St.
December: Humboldt had a reserve army section.

1944
June: Streets in the business area were completely reconditioned and oiled.
November: Town purchased arena rink and property.

1945
May: War in Europe was over - Germany surrendered; Humboldt observed VE Day.

1946
June: Buildings from Dafoe airport for housing for ex-servicemen were moved to Humboldt.
October: Humboldt Indians entered the Sask. Junior Hockey League.
November: Town purchased a new fire truck; connection of the new water supply from the well at the corner of Main St. and 8th Ave. was made.

1947
March: A pasteurization plant was installed at the creamery.
December: Air ambulance operated by Grest Motors Flying Service with Alf Butterley, pilot, carried the first stretcher case out of Humboldt.

1948
February: Wheelers Automotive Wholesale was gutted by fire with estimated loss of $30,000.
June: Children's paddling pool built by the Lions was opened to the public; town returned to Burton Lake water supply.

1949
March: The Humboldt Collegiate rink composed of Jack Thompson, Fred Langen, Balfour Laskin and Garry Fletcher won the Dominion curling title.
August: Cenotaph memorial plaques were dedicated.

1950
February: New medical clinic opened at 7th Ave. and 9th St.
July: Memorial Building was officially opened.

1951
March: Artificial ice plant installed at arena.
June: Blacktopping of main streets began.
July: Town started using the new water supply from Wolverine Creek dam.
September: The first female jurors namely Eva Pitzel, Agnes Chamney, and Agnes Bauer served the court.
December: Humboldt won first place in sanitation inspection in this section of the province.

1952
April: $4000 loss in fire occurred at Grest Motors.
May: Tax rate boosted 41/2 mills for a rate of 64 1/2 mills.

1953
March: Water bills were sent out quarterly instead of monthly.
May: Town street sweeper went into operation.
July: Parking meters in town went into effect.
December: The first CNR diesel arrived in Humboldt; Central Motors was destroyed by fire.

1954
June: Cornerstone laid for All Saints Church.
September: Marker was erected at old telegraph station site.

1955
February: CNR put teletype communication into operation.
August: Red River Cart marker was placed west of Humboldt.
September: New St. Elizabeth's Hospital was officially opened.
October: Wolverine water supply provided for the town; Humboldt Collegiate opened.
December: The $260,000 dial telephone plant was put into service.

1956
January: Fire destroyed McNab Flour Mill.
June: The new vapour lights were turned on in Humboldt.
October: Flame lighting ceremony marked the arrival of natural gas in Humboldt.

1957
October: Community Apartments were taken over by the Town from the provincial government.
December: Flasher traffic lights were installed on the highway in front of the Separate and Public Schools.

1958
May: Citizens favored mixed drinking in Humboldt.

1959
May: Humboldt girls namely Roberta Urquhart, Gale Kulcycki and Margie Bence were pictured on the cover of Macleans magazine.
October: St. Dominic School was officially opened.

1960
March: Humboldt was chosen for a health region centre.
April: The last steam engine made its run through Humboldt; railway relics were donated to the town.

1961
February: Humboldt placed first in its respective class in the National Fire Prevention contest.
July: Waldsea Lake Regional Park was established.
September: Electors favored a change to Central Standard Time all year round.
October: Humboldt changed from a five to a seven digit phone number system.

1962
September: CPR crossing lights were installed at the east end of town on No. 5 highway.
October: New traffic bylaw set out truck route.
November: Humboldt Volunteer Fire Brigade's five man team comprised of Fire Chief Ray Bernhard, Walter Buchacher, Ken Curle, Ernie Gasmo and Dick Lemmerick took top honors in the Provincial Fire Team Competition.

1963
January: Night depository service was inaugurated at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.
May: CNR passenger trains 9 and 10 made their last runs through Humboldt. Mail and express will be transported by truck.
August: No. 5 highway was being constructed through town; St. Mary's Villa was officially opened.
December: Shareholders sold the artificial ice plant in the Humboldt Arena to the town for $5,000.

1964
February: A Recreational Board for the Town of Humboldt was set up under the control of Town Council.
June: The town sold City Hall and the property to Shelley Brothers who proposed to build a new OK Economy store.
July: Parallel parking replaced angle parking on Main Street from Railway Avenue to No. 5 highway; Fairgrounds were moved to present location from east of Arena.
December: The RCMP moved their offices from the Post Office to their newly completed barracks on 11th Avenue.

1965
May: New Town Hall was ready for occupancy.
June: Main Street was being paved.
August: An artificial ice plant was to be installed in the curling rink.
December: A serious fire destroyed the Saskatchewan Cooperative Creamery on New Year's Eve.

1966
March: The commercial office of Sask. Government Telephones in the telephone exchange at Humboldt was closed.
September: Town required all buildings to connect to sewer and water.

1967
January: Street names were changed to numbered streets.
July: Old CNR roundhouse which was built about 1907 was torn down.
October: Humboldt's Centennial cairn which contains native stone from each of the Canadian provinces and the NWT and is topped by the bell from the last CNR steam engine to pass through Humboldt was a unique project. It is located on the grounds in front of Town Hall.
November: A town bylaw permitted certain sports activities to be held between 1:30 and 6:00 pm on Sundays.
December: A 40 passenger bus was purchased by the Recreation Board at a cost of $5000; Town Council learned that for some years to come water from the Saskatchewan River would not be brought to Humboldt.

1968
February: The Town purchased a garbage disposal truck.
June: An explosion in the Marshall Wells hardware store rocked Main Street.
November: The first 22 units in the 50 unit low rental housing project were turned over to Humboldt local Housing Authority; the new Burton Lake pumphouse and equipment which was necessary to increase the pumping capacity to meet the growing consumption of water and the raised level of the lake was completed.

1969
July: Humboldt Municipal Airport was officially opened.
August: Monday store closing was implemented.
October: The old Humboldt Apartments in town since 1946 were being torn down; a stamp honoring Humboldt's namesake, Baron Alexander von Humboldt, was issued by the Republic of West Germany.

1970
May: Construction started on Mobile Village.
June: Town hosted the Japanese Consul General, Mr. and Mrs. Tomohiko Hayashi.
July: Humboldt Broncos joined Junior Hockey League.

1971
June: Homecoming tourist booth opened.
August: Work started on Premier Products $1.2 million food processing plant; Humboldt hosted an all girl rodeo.
December: Sunset Manor was opened for senior citizens.

1972
March: Humboldt Broncos under coach, Dr. E.T. Henning defeated Melville Millionaires to capture the provincial title.
July: Traffic signal lights were installed at the intersection of Main Street and Sixth Avenue.
August: A crowd of 1300 attended Humboldt's first demolition derby.
October: Direct Distance Dialing was implemented in Humboldt.

1973
January: Traffic lights were to be installed at the intersection of Highways 5 and 20.
August: The new aeration equipment at the lagoon went into operation; Chapman Place was opened for tenants.

1974
May: seeding operations which began in mid May were latest in memory.
August: The town sold 30 residential lots to the Saskatchewan Housing Corporation; the new recreation park east of the Arena was named after Glen Hall.

1975
June: Humboldt's swimming pool was opened.
October: The new Federal Building which housed the Post Office, Dept. of Agriculture and Dept. of Veterans Affairs was completed.
December: The Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute at Humboldt was being occupied.

1976
March: Name of Humboldt Arena was changed to The Leo Parker Memorial Arena to honor a man who for years was "Mr. Hockey" in Humboldt.
June: Hurricane force winds ripped through the Humboldt district causing considerable damage; fire gutted St. Augustine School.
November: Judy Kunaman became Humboldt's first woman town councillor.

1977
February: A spectacular fire at the Gulf Oil Canada Ltd. bulk agency in Humboldt caused $130,000 damage; the new water treatment plant on Highway 20 north went into operation.
March: The pulmonary survey conducted in Humboldt was the first of its kind in the world.
September: The town agreed to purchase the old Post Office.
October: CN truck transport made its last haul out of Humboldt.

1978
March: Passenger service by CNR railiner was restored through Humboldt.
July: The homesteader's monument on the Town Hall grounds was unveiled.
August: Cargill opened its 132,000 bushel capacity elevator.

1979
January: The former Humboldt Post Office was declared a national historic site.
July: $300,000 fire destroyed Auction Mart; new paddling and learners' pools were ready for use.
August: Using bulrushes and cattails Humboldt's new sewage lagoon system was the first in Canada.
September: Construction was underway on the $2.6 million first phase of the Humboldt Community Centre.
October: The first refugee family from South Vietnam arrived in Humboldt.

1980
January: Rev. Irving Fraser of Westminster United Church was chosen Humboldt's first Citizen of the Year; Jan Weedmark was Humboldt's first Victorian Order Nurse.
March: Humboldt Old Plugs hockey team brought the National Cup home from Vancouver.
April: The Via Rail railiner made its last run through Humboldt.
June: The Arlington Hotel was demolished to make way for a new hotel and mall complex.
July: Humboldt opened a Celebrate Saskatchewan hospitality lounge in the old Post Office.
September: SEDCO and town signed industrial park agreement.
November: A carnival was the first event staged in Humboldt's new Centre.
December: Humboldt Uniplex was the official name selected for the new recreational facility.

1981
May: Town approved the takeover of Humboldt Historical Park from the provincial government.
July: Roller Skating started at the Uniplex; Humboldt Agri Services owned by Larry Benning and Ed Novecosky was the first business to locate in the new industrial park.
September: Town proceeded with construction of Phase II of the Uniplex: the arena/rink.
December: Town purchased Masonic Lodge.