Humboldt, Saskatchewan
Encyclopedia
Humboldt is a Canadian city located in the province of Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, 113 km east of Saskatoon
Saskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
at the junction of Highway 5
Saskatchewan Highway 5
This article focuses on the current designated Saskatchewan Highway 5, for Provincial Highway 5, Evergreen route portion, north west of Saskatoon see Saskatchewan Highway 16....
and Highway 20
Saskatchewan Highway 20
Highway 20 is a major road intended for travel by the public between Highway 11 Lumsden to Highway 3 at Birch Hills. Saskatchewan's main roadways are located in the central/southern geographical land area of rolling prairie and grass land in a western Canadian prairie province. This highway is one...
. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Humboldt No. 370
Humboldt No. 370, Saskatchewan
Humboldt No. 370 is a rural municipality with a population of 842 . It is centred about the city of Humboldt, which is a separate entity from the similarly named R.M...
.
History
Alexander von Humboldt
Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander Freiherr von Humboldt was a German naturalist and explorer, and the younger brother of the Prussian minister, philosopher and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt...
, Humboldt began as a telegraph station located on the Carlton Trail
Carlton Trail
The Carlton Trail was the primary land transportation route connecting the various parts of the Canadian Northwest for most of the 19th Century. It stretched from the Red River Colony up to what is today Fort Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan via Fort Ellice...
, a wagon route used in the early days of Canada as a route from Fort Garry
Fort Garry
Fort Garry, also known as Upper Fort Garry, was a Hudson's Bay Company trading post at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers in what is now downtown Winnipeg. It was established in 1822 on or near the site of the North West Company's Fort Gibraltar. Fort Garry was named after Nicholas...
(Winnipeg) to Fort Edmonton
Fort Edmonton
Fort Edmonton was the name of a series of trading posts of the Hudson's Bay Company from 1795 to 1891, all of which were located in central Alberta, Canada...
.
The name "Humboldt" was approved in 1875 for the site in the North West Territories along the Canadian Pacific Telegraph Line at which a repair station was built (8 km south-west of the present city site). Built in 1878, the
Humboldt Telegraph Station played an integral part in communications for the developing west.
With the Métis
Métis people (Canada)
The Métis are one of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who trace their descent to mixed First Nations parentage. The term was historically a catch-all describing the offspring of any such union, but within generations the culture syncretised into what is today a distinct aboriginal group, with...
uprising led by Louis Riel
Louis Riel
Louis David Riel was a Canadian politician, a founder of the province of Manitoba, and a political and spiritual leader of the Métis people of the Canadian prairies. He led two resistance movements against the Canadian government and its first post-Confederation Prime Minister, Sir John A....
taking place at Batoche just 100 km northwest, Humboldt became the communication link between Prime Minister John A. Macdonald
John A. Macdonald
Sir John Alexander Macdonald, GCB, KCMG, PC, PC , QC was the first Prime Minister of Canada. The dominant figure of Canadian Confederation, his political career spanned almost half a century...
and his forces in the west, thus a site of strategic significance. General Middleton arrived in April 1885 with 950 soldiers, established a garrison at the station and used it as his base for scouting operations. At that time, the Humboldt station was crucial, since the telegraph line further west was periodically cut, so Humboldt was the last secure link to the east.
On May 1, 1885, Humboldt became the site of a large supply depot under Maj. Lt.-Colonel G. T. Denison, of the Governor Generals Body Guard. A combined force of approximately 460 men built an elaborate series of entrenchments, converting the station into a fortified military encampment to protect the supplies. The troops left Humboldt in July 1885. The area was also the site of the first stagecoach robbery in Western Canada. Parts of the Carlton Trail in the form of wagon tracks still exist in the Humboldt area.
Humboldt in its beginnings was primarily German Catholic. Immigration to the area from both the Northern Plains states of the USA and Germany was promoted by the German American Land Company. St Peter's Abbey at Muenster
Muenster, Saskatchewan
- Education :Muenster is home to St. Peter's College, an affiliate of the University of Saskatchewan. It was originally founded by the Benedictine monks of St. Peter’s Abbey in 1921. The college offers a full first year of Arts and Sciences classes and senior classes in several disciplines...
was established by Benedictine monks from St John's Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. Many immigrants from Germany settled in areas in and around Humboldt such as Muenster, Fulda, Pilger, St Gregor
St. Gregor, Saskatchewan
-External links:********-Footnotes:...
and Englefeld
Englefeld, Saskatchewan
- Economy :**- Arts and culture :Hog Fest - The Englefeld Hog Fest was originally organized by Father Florian Renneberg in 1972. The 40th annual fundraising event brought in 1270 people over July long weekend which included Canada day fireworks, carnival/farmers market festivities, culminating in...
. Immigrants from the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
who were ethnic Germans settled in the area west of Humboldt and south of the hamlet of Carmel
Carmel, Saskatchewan
Carmel is a small community in rural Saskatchewan, west of Humboldt and northeast of the City of Saskatoon. Carmel is within the Rural Municipality of Humboldt.The Carmel area is home to the Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel...
.
Until the 1940s, Humboldt had a small Jewish community which played a prominent role in its business and cultural life.
After being established as a city, Humboldt became an important location in Saskatchewan known as the Heart of the Sure Crop District for its reliable growing weather, which led the town to become a centre for farming equipment and supply businesses.
Climate
Humboldt is positioned near the centre of the continent having a relatively high latitude. It is a great distance from the moist and moderating influence of oceans influence its atmospheric environment. The latitudinal difference of Saskatchewan can typically explain a 6–8°C difference mean in annual temperatures across the province.Humboldt's lands are grasslands which are suitable for the agricultural economy. The lands are primarily flat with small rolling hills.
Humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters....
(Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Dfb).
Demographics
According to the 2006 censusCanada 2006 Census
The Canada 2006 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 16, 2006. The next census following will be the 2011 Census. Canada's total population enumerated by the 2006 census was 31,612,897...
, Humboldt has a population of 4,998 people which is a decrease in 3.2% from the previous census in 2001. Once the 2011 Census results are released, Humboldt is expected to have experianced significant growth.(citation needed) Around 16% of the population consists of youths under the age of 15. The 2006 Census states that the median age of the Humboldt population is 45.
The above land area figure was provided by the City of Humboldt in 2006.
According to the 2006 Census
Canada 2006 Census
The Canada 2006 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 16, 2006. The next census following will be the 2011 Census. Canada's total population enumerated by the 2006 census was 31,612,897...
, Humboldt consists of mostly Caucasian and Aboriginal people. 97.8% of the population is occupied by Caucasian ethnicity as well as a small portion of visible minority. The other 2.2% is occupied by Aboriginal peoples.
Economy
Wheat, grain, canola, flax, peas, rye, lentils, canary seeds and barley are mainly grown in the area. Beef cattle production, pork production, as well as other livestock, is significant for the community. With many farmers in the area, agricultural related businesses were formed. Some of the services offered are trucking and financial management, finance, business services, wholesale trade, transportation, etc. These jobs became significant for the farming community as well as the manufacturing community.
Notable people
Notable people who were born, grew up in or established their fame in Humboldt:- Cori BartelCori BartelCorinne "Cori" Morris is a Canadian curler from Calgary, Alberta. She played lead for Cheryl Bernard from 2005 to 2011....
, Athlete (curling) - Kelly BatesKelly BatesKelly Bates is a former professional Canadian football guard and current assistant offensive line coach for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted by the BC Lions in fourth round of the 2001 CFL Draft...
, Edmonton EskimosEdmonton EskimosThe Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
guard - Al DuerrAl DuerrAlfred Herman Duerr is a former Canadian politician who served as the 34th Mayor of Calgary, Alberta from 1989 to 2001, and a city alderman from 1983 to 1989. He is the Chief Executive Officer of Emergo Projects International, and serves on the board of directors for two other companies in Calgary...
, former mayor of CalgaryCalgaryCalgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, AlbertaAlbertaAlberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces... - Glenn HallGlenn HallGlenn Henry "Mr. Goalie" Hall is a former professional ice hockey goaltender. During his National Hockey League career with the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Black Hawks, and St. Louis Blues, Hall seldom missed a game and was a consistent performer, winning the Vezina Trophy three times, and the...
, professional ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
goaltenderGoaltenderIn ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring... - Ross LonsberryRoss LonsberryDavid Ross Lonsberry is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Boston Bruins, Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins...
, professional ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player, 2 Time Stanley Cup Champion with the Philadelphia FlyersPhiladelphia FlyersThe Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... - Otto LangOtto LangOtto Emil Lang, PC, OC, QC, is a Canadian politician.In 1963, he was appointed Dean of Law at the University of Saskatchewan, the youngest person to be appointed to that position, and served until 1969....
, Rhodes Scholar, Law School Dean, Federal Cabinet Minister, and Executive - Brad LauerBrad LauerBrad R. Lauer is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former professional ice hockey player. Lauer was drafted 34th overall in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders and played in the National Hockey League for the Islanders, Chicago Blackhawks, Ottawa Senators, and Pittsburgh...
, former professional ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player - Kyle McLarenKyle McLarenKyle Edgar McLaren is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman.-Playing career:McLaren was drafted by the Boston Bruins in the first round, ninth-overall, during the 1995 NHL Entry Draft...
, San Jose SharksSan Jose SharksThe San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
defencemanDefenceman (ice hockey)Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring... - Brendan WittBrendan WittBrendan Witt is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He most recently played for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League, affiliate of the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League ....
, New York IslandersNew York IslandersThe New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
defenceman - Nathan PaetschNathan PaetschNathan Paetsch is a professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for EHC Wolfsburg of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga .-Playing career:...
, Florida PanthersFlorida PanthersThe Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the...
defencemanDefenceman (ice hockey)Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring... - William Dutton, speed skater
- Jeremy WotherspoonJeremy WotherspoonJeremy Lee Wotherspoon is a Canadian speed skater, widely recognized as one of the greatest speedskating sprinters of all time....
, speed skater 67 time world cup champion - Lyndon RushLyndon RushLyndon Rush is a Canadian bobsledder who has competed since 2004.Rush also won a bronze medal in the four-man event at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver....
, 2010 Olympian, Canadian bobsledder