The Humboldt Water Tower is getting ready to open their doors for their third summer of tours on July 3.
Humboldt and District Museum and Gallery supervisor Jean Price says this has been a great way to show off the hard work that went into restoring the water tower; from the age old construction that provided running water to the people of Humboldt, to the modern construction that turned the tower into a Humboldt tourism destination.
The 103-year-old water tower has also been receiving national attention through travel blogs.
In August of 2017, Sue Slaght made her way to the Humboldt Water Tower and was amazed at the “landlocked lighthouse.”
Slaght’s enthusiasm also lead to the Humboldt landmark being recognized as a major Canadian tourist destination by fellow travel blog The World Pursuit who held a contest to find the 50 best places to see in Canada.
Even with her mother in Humboldt, Slaght did not pay much attention to the Humboldt water tower until she returned for a visit in 2017.
As soon as she saw the application for the top 50s article, she knew that the water tower fit the bill.
The water tower made the list alongside places like Grasslands National Park, the only other Saskatchewan destination on the list, Parliament Hill in Ottawa, the Anne of Greene Gables house, and many destinations in British Columbia.
The water tower certainly adds to Humboldt as a tourist destination, she says.
“It’s such an unusual building and it’s such an unusual thing that’s been done to it. You can go into it and learn the history but also you can see an amazing contemporary piece of engineering in the staircase.”
Uniqueness is something that caught her eye, said Slaght in an email.
“To us, the lighthouse in the middle of the landlocked prairies is such an ingenious architectural design. Perhaps what struck us more profoundly was the immense community spirit and effort to not only to save the building but to restore it in such a stunning way.”
At one point in time, the water tower was also in danger of being lost, but was saved by a hardworking group who did not want to see the tower gone from the Humboldt skyline.
With only four such water towers left in Saskatchewan, that side of its history is also a fascinating side of the water tower that makes it an interesting destination, says Price.
“It was brought back and given a purpose and a function, which is also really unique in Canada. We lose a lot of significant architecture over the years.”
The 143 step climb also takes visitors to a 360 degree view of the Saskatchewan prairie, says Price, which is also a big selling point to the uniqueness of the building.
People always try to find their houses, she says.
The water tower will be open from July 4 until September with openings on Wednesdays 10 am to 1 pm and Saturdays 1 to 4 pm with the last tours starting 30 minutes before closing.
