In 1907, Richard Patrick, druggist, built The Big Drug Store. The pharmacy contained the usual dispensary, a huge inventory of stationery, a stock of veterinary supplies, and books for sale and to borrow. During Prohibition, (1915-1923) liquor was available only through the drug stores, with a prescription from a doctor. The pharmacies did a thriving business as customers arrived with an assortment of aches, pains and ailments requiring the "medication." Anyone interested in the history of Prohibition in Yorkton can read about it in the book THE WHISKEY MAN. (Excerpt from K. Morrell's article "The Patrick Boys.") - Richard Patrick was a member of Town Council when Saskatchewan entered Confederation as a province. He served in the medical corps in the First World War and later became an active member of the Royal Canadian Legion. His first wife, Dr. Christina Head, was the first female practitioner in the area. The couple divorced in 1923. Richard Patrick married Gladys Gibson in 1926.
The City of Yorkton Archives is seeking histories of Yorkton businesses.Contact Terri Lefebvre Prince, Heritage Researcher, City of Yorkton, Box 400 37 Third Avenue North, Yorkton, Sask. S3N 2W3306-786-1722 historian@yorkton.ca
