Humboldt's Historic Sites

Yuen's Cellular Centre

Fifth Avenue

The Yuen's building is comprised of three historic sites. The Cellular Centre along Fifth Avenue includes two pre 1905 buildings. The Family Clothing portion along Main Street was constructed in 1904 and was added on in the 1960s. The three buildings were amalgamated into one building in the 1970s.

Yuen's Cellular Centre is comprised of two smaller historic buildings, originally occupied by the Humboldt Liquor Store and the German American Land Company.

Liquor Store
The Humboldt Liquor Store building was constructed between 1904 and 1905 and owned by H. Haskamp. In March 1906, Haskamp sold the liquor store to Al Borget who ran the business until prohibition. The Government of Saskatchewan arranged a plebiscite to settle the prohibition issue. The voting took place in October 1916 and in Humboldt, the results were 207 in favour of prohibition and 33 opposed.

Beauty Shoppe and Grocery Store
The next known business in this building was the Florence Bell Beauty Shoppe which opened in 1937. In 1953, Wilfred Barnes opened a grocery store known as Barney's Grocery. Barnes operated this business until the spring of 1971. In August 1971, Lawrence Schmidt re-opened the grocery business as Smitty's Food Mart and Confectionary until the later 1970s.

This building was joined with the Murray's Men's Wear building in the 1970s and became Yuen's Cellular Centre in the 1990s.

Business Timeline
1904 - 1905   Humboldt Liquor Store
1906 - 1916   Wholesale Liquor Store
1937 - ?         Florence Bell Beauty Shoppe
1953 - 1971   Barney's Groceries
1970s            Smitty's Food Mart
1970s            Murray's Men's Wear
1990s -          Yuen's Cellular Centre

German American Land Company
This building was used as an office for the German American Land Company which was formed around 1903 by H. Haskamp and Moritz Hoeschen of Minnesota. The German American Land Company purchased 100,000 acres of railroad land in the district to sell to settlers who wanted more land than a quarter section. Fred Heidgerken arrived in Humboldt in 1903 with Haskamp and became the manager of the German American Land Company. The German American Land Company sold 75,000 acres of land in this district to the Luseland Company of Saskatoon in 1908, although they remained in business for many more years.

The building also served as the office for the Great Northern Lumber Company. The actual lumber yard was located on the east side of Main Street, just south of the railway tracks. Fred Heidgerken and Gus Kruse were two of the Humboldt businessmen associated with this store.

The Great Northern Lumber Company was sold to the Humboldt Builders Supply Company in 1920. This company operated until the mid 1960s. The building was also used for the subsequent business - Heidgerken Insurance until the 1970s.

This building was joined with the Murray's Men's Wear building in the 1970s and became Yuen's Cellular Centre in the 1990s.

Business Timeline
1904 - ?          German American Land Company Office
1904 - 1920    Great Northern Lumber Company Office
1920 - 1960s   Humboldt Builders Supply Company
? - 1970s        Heidgerken Farms and Homes and Heidgerken Insurance
1970s - 1992   Murray's Men's Wear
1990s -           Yuen's Cellular Centre