Humboldt

Humboldt, city, pop 5,562, was named after Baron Alexander von Humboldt, a famous 19th-century German naturalist. The city is located in central Saskatchewan, approximately 113 km E of Saskatoon and 231 km N of Regina. The Humboldt area was established as far back as 1878, when it was landmarked by the Dominion Telegraph Station, along the Carlton Trail route from Fort Edmonton to Fort Garry, which became known as the Humboldt Telegraph Station and operated until 1923. In 1903, a group of Benedictine Fathers from Minnesota received rights for colonizing approximately fifty townships around Humboldt and became an integral part of the initial population in the area. The construction of the Canadian Northern Railway line in 1904 between Regina and Rosthern encouraged further settlement; on April 7, 1907, with a population of 425, Humboldt was officially incorporated as a town. Humboldt was declared Saskatchewan's thirteenth city on November 7, 2000. The city continues to grow, both in population and industry: manufacturing, agriculture and agriculture-related services are key economic activities in the Humboldt area. As a mixed Farming region, the Humboldt district is part of the largest hog-producing regions in Saskatchewan. The Humboldt community is home to St. Peter's Cathedral and Abbey, whose design and artwork highlight the region's German heritage. Other attractions include the Humboldt and District Museum and Gallery, which features exhibits of the telegraph station, the railway station, and prairie Pioneer homes.

Lauren Black