The Canadian Encyclopedia states: "No individual has been more honoured than Queen Victoria in the names of Canada's public buildings, streets, populated places and physical features." Likewise, Yorkton had its share of names honouring this monarch: Queen Victoria Cottage Hospital, Victoria School, Victoria Park (now Shaw Park), and Victoria Avenue - all names dating back to the early decades when Yorkton was a town almost exclusively populated by Anglo-Canadians and people from the British Isles, both staunchly loyal to the Crown. Queen Victoria was born May 24, 1819, became monarch at age 18 and died January 22, 1901. After her death, Canada declared her birthday, May 24 as an official holiday known as "Victoria Day." It was decreed as "Empire Day" in the rest of the Commonwealth.
Contact Terri Lefebvre Prince,
Heritage Researcher,
City of Yorkton, Box 400
37 Third Avenue North
Yorkton, Sask. S3N 2W3
306-786-1722
historian@yorkton.ca
