Humboldt Post Office - Humboldt, Saskatchewan - Western Canadian Heritage on Waymarking.com

Constructed in 1911-12, the Humboldt Post Office features a 2 ½-storey two Romanesque Revival style red brick building with a corner clock tower.

A compatibly styled addition to the north side of the building was constructed in the 1950s.

The heritage value of the Humboldt Post Office lies in its architecture. Designed by chief architect David Ewart, it is a representative example of one of several Romanesque Revival style post offices erected by the federal government to serve medium-sized communities across the country prior to 1914. The Humboldt building displays many of the features common to post offices designed by Ewart during this period including: red brick façade, mansard roof with dormers, arched windows and doorway openings, two articulated street facades requiring a corner site, and a distinctive corner clock tower. The Humboldt Post Office is one of three surviving Saskatchewan examples of this style, the others being Melfort and Battleford both of which continue to house federal postal services.

The Humboldt Post Office is also significant for its important role in the history of community. Constructed during the golden age of pre-First World War prosperity, public buildings such as this were a visible symbol of the federal government in the newly populous regions of Canada and were an expression of optimism and the expansion of the nation. For a community such as Humboldt, the construction of a substantial and dignified public building signified an important step in the development of a new community and was a symbol of its growing status. In addition to serving Humboldt and the surrounding area as a post office for over 60 years, the building also accommodated a number of additional functions including a customs office, inland revenue offices, an examining warehouse and offices for the local RCMP detachment. Since 1982, the building has continued to serve an important function in the life of the community as a museum, art gallery, and venue for community meetings and cultural events.

The Humboldt Post Office is also significant for its contribution to the streetscape. With its four storey clock tower, the building is a prominent landmark at the corner of Main Street and Sixth Avenue in Humboldt's historic business district.

Official Heritage Registry: [Web Link] Address: 602 Main Street Humboldt Saskatchewan Canada Heritage Registry Page Number: Not listed

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