Another year, another big winter exhibit we have planned!

This year’s exhibit is all about how the people of Humboldt and area have adapted to working and playing during the cold winter months. We know the winters around here can be long and snowy, but that’s never stopped us from making the most of it. And we want to showcase just how clever our community can be, that’s why we need your help! To truly make this a community affair, we’re asking for people who live or used to live in the Humboldt region to give us their stories about how they or their families adapted their work or outdoor activities to the wintertime.

Winter Work & Play in the Humboldt Area is divided into two sections, both of which you’re encouraged to contribute to:

Work
Outdoor work can be hard enough, but add a few feet of snow and negative temperatures and things get even tougher! What did you do to accommodate for this type of weather and what unique challenges did you face?

The following are questions to considers, but you’re certainly not limited to these topics:

• How did the wintertime change your job/routine when working on a farm? What were the challenges of caring for livestock?
• How was driving the train or tending to the railway different in the winter? How was the snow that covered the tracks dealt with?
• If you worked a winter-specific job like ice cutting, how did you get into that job? What kind of tools, vehicles, etc. were used and/or specifically designed for that job?

Play
Whether you’re swapping running shoes for ice skates, bicycles for skis, or soccer balls for hockey pucks, this time of years brings a whole new set of opportunities for fun. Where did you do these activities and are there any interesting stories that you can share?

The following are questions to considers, but you’re certainly not limited to these topics:

• Where in the Humboldt area did you participate in activities such as tobogganing, skiing, etc. or anything else that requires a hill?
• If you’ve ever been part of a ski club or other outdoor activity group, how and why did you join? Where did the group meet and what type of activities would you do?
• The Humboldt area has a history of hosting organised events such as the Quill Plains Winter Games, and if you’ve participated, what did you participate in and what was your experience like?

We’re also asking for any photos, videos, or objects that you’d be willing to loan us! If you plan on bringing something in, it will only be accepted at our discretion. It’s not you, it’s us! We have a limited amount of space, and while we’d love to share whatever you have, we want to be able to give everyone a spot. If you have an object that is larger than 3 ft x 3ft, please let us know in advance so we can make room for it. If you’d like to bring a video, it must be in a digital format. 

There’s a few ways to share your stories:

• In-person at the Museum or Gallery. Our regular hours are Tuesdays-Fridays from 1:00-5:00pm and Saturdays from 10:00am-12:00pm and 1:00-5:00pm. You can also request to come in during closed mornings.
• Email us at info@humboldtmuseum.ca.
• Call us at (306) 682-5226 anytime.
• If you’d like to do a more formal interview, contact us to set up a date.

Remember that whatever you share with us will be made public! If you’d prefer your name to not be included, just let us know.