History

The story of Yorkton goes back to 1882, when a group of settlers from York County, Ontario, established a settlement. They had been recruited by the York Farmers Colonization Company, and originally founded York Colony about two miles north of the present-day city, on the banks of a small river.

In 1889 the railway was extended to Yorkton and the colony moved to be alongside the new railway line. The railway brought with it a major influx of European settlers at the turn of the century, giving the community a population boost, and a new vitality.

As was the case throughout much of Saskatchewan, the promise of farmland was the greatest attraction for early settlers. In the case of Yorkton the fertile region was settled primarily by immigrants from Ukraine who were experienced with farming on the plains and could maximize the agricultural potential around Yorkton.

They were joined by settlers from other east European countries, from Germany, and by Europeans who came north from the American plains. These pioneers also brought with them much more than farming skills.

From them, following generations inherited a tradition of community co-operation and cultural pride.