History of 
Macklin, SK.
Early in 1906, T. D. McCallum
arrived in what is now know as Macklin, and a few months later the
settlement took the name of Macklin. The town was named after the famous
executive of the Winnipeg Free Press, and today all the streets in the
town are named after men who have made their mark in Canada's
journalistic world. Two days after McCallum arrived, after a long trek
from Saskatoon, he was followed by W. Scott, who was the first Mayor of
the town following its incorporation in 1912.
The first store was
Braddon's general store and the first hotel was built in 1909. The first
post office in the settlement was located a mile out of town and has
now disappeared as has the Richmand ranch house which was destroyed by
fire in 1953. The hospital in Macklin was built in 1927 and was operated
by the Sisters of St. Elizabeth. At that time Dr. F. L. Eid was
practicing in the district and has been followed by many other wonderful
physicians.
After the Second World War the community cooperated
in erecting a splendid Memorial Community Arena, the new church
buildings and stores added to the general appearance of the town. Many
of these facilities have been replaced since this time with the
community continuing to prosper.
Macklin has survived a number of
disasters, commencing with a miniature cyclone which hit the settlement
in 1909. The cyclone destroyed the hotel while it was being constructed
but rebuilding was started immediately. A few years later fire wiped out
almost an entire block, including a drug store, bakery and furniture
store. Then in 1934 the school was razed and the same fall the Pool
elevators went up in flames. These setbacks did not deter the community
and today Macklin is growing fast and on a sound basis. Many of the
original structures have been replaced by modern facilities, new
commercial enterprises have been established and a ever increasing
oilfield industry has been established. The stories about the community
are many and can be found in the community history book.
When in
Macklin visit the memorials to our two most famous former residents:
Agnes Bernice Fenwick Martin and Clarence Sutherland Campbell at 5002
and 4902 Herald Street respectively.
Agnes Martin, the most celebrated minimalist painter ever to come from Canada, died at age 92 in Taos, New Mexico.
Agnes
Bernice Fenwich, daughter of Malcolm and Margaret (Kinnon)Martin, was
born near Macklin Saskatchewan, on the homestead on NW 19-38-27-W3,
March 22, 1912.
One of the most innovative of the 20th century
artists, Agnes is known for her minimal style in acrylic, oil,
watercolor and graphite. In 1974 she began her association with the Pace
Gallery, the highest of the high-end galleries on Manhattan's luxurious
57th Street gallery row.
With masterpieces selling for a record
of $2 million in 2000, Agnes Martin has enjoyed great commercial success
and international critical acclaim.
"Although
Campbell scored no goals, he did more for hockey than any man in its
history." From the late 1940s to his retirement from the NHL President's
Chair in 1977, Clarence Sutherland Campbell, MBE QC MA LLB, though
highly controversial, was the most powerful man in hockey.
Born in
Fleming, Saskatchewan, on July 9, 1905 to George Alexander Campbell and
Annie May Haw, Clarence Sutherland Campbell had two brothers and three
sisters. Clarence attended school in Macklin, SK during his early teens
learning his hockey skills and love of the game.
Campbell was an
exemplary student of Law, earning honors at the University of Alberta in
1924 before going on to Oxford where he earned admission as a Rhodes
Scholar. He returned to Alberta during the Depression and supplemented
his income as a lawyer by refereeing amateur hockey games. His
proficiency as a referee impressed NHL officials and he was hired by
League President, Frank Calder, at the start of the 1936 season.
Campbell quickly established himself as one of the better referees in
the League and officiated in the NHL for 155 regular-season games and 12
more in the playoffs. In 1946 he became President of the National
Hockey League, a position he held until 1977
But Campbell put his
legal and refereeing careers on hold during the Second World War, where
he was a major and commanded the 4th Canadian Armoured Division. However
he took a reduction in rank to captain in order to participate in the
D-Day attack.
He married Phyllis Lorraine King in November 1955. They had no children.
Macklin Centennial 2012
Macklin - A Historic Must See