The end of the year is a nostalgic time. It’s a brief pause in our lives where we can step away from day-to-day busyness for a moment. We can reflect on the year that was, thinking about the good (and the not-so-good) things that defined the last 12 months.
But why limit your trip down memory lane to just 2017? Yorkton’s history stretches back decades. It’s filled with great stories and fascinating tidbits.
For a special article today, we decided to plumb the depths of Yorkton’s history. We’ll be discussing five event’s that shaped Yorkton into the town we all know and love. We’ll be moving through the list chronologically. Without further ado, let’s begin.
5. The founding of city
We couldn’t start this list without the reason Yorkton exists, now could we? In 1882, a group of enterprising businessmen and investors formed the York Farmers Colonization Company. They toured the Prairies, eventually discovering a piece of Crown land near the Saskatchewan-Manitoba border. They liked the area so much they established a trading centre, attracting settlers from Ontario and elsewhere. The centre would come to be known as the York Colony.
4. Railroaded
As a trade centre, Yorkton needed a railway running through the town. But residents had to wait quite a while before they heard the high-pitch whistle of a train. Finally, on January 9, 1891, the first train rolled into Yorkton carrying two carloads of cattle and one carload of horses. Thus began the long history of trains waking up everyone in Yorkton at 2 a.m.
3. Prohibited
Like most provinces in Canada in the early 20th century, Saskatchewan struggled with alcohol. The provincial government closed bars in 1915 before passing prohibition legislation in 1917. In Yorkton, that created a golden opportunity for Harry Bronfman, who became a supplier for the thirsty folks in town and elsewhere. Bronfman’s success with liquor was legendary. Others followed in his footsteps until the province repealed prohibition in 1924.
2. New Church
Yorkton’s been home to plenty of “firsts” and 1914 was no exception. The St. Mary’s Catholic Church was built in that year, making it the first Ukrainian Catholic church in Saskatchewan. It attracted followers from Manitoba, Wynyard and America.
A west wing and a third floor were added in 1920. An east wing was built in 1955. St. Mary’s still stands as a beacon for Saskatchewan Catholicism.
1. Flying High
Yorkton played an important role in World War Two. A flying training school was built outside of town in 1940, preparing pilots for the war. The base created a boom for Yorkton. After the war, the base became the Yorkton Airport.
