Tompkins, Saskatchewan

Tompkins is a village in the southwestern portion of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The village is located between Maple Creek and Swift Current, on the Trans-Canada Highway. The 2001 census put the population of Tompkins at 191. The village was named for Thomas Tompkins, a CPR railroad contractor. [Barry, Bill (1998) "People Places: The Dictionary of Saskatchewan Place Names", p. 359, Regina, Sask: People Places Publishing Ltd., ISBN 1-894022-19-X]

Tompkins has several small businesses which thrive on the local shopping and dedication which has always been an asset to the citizens of Tompkins, and is home to local owner Bernard Spuzak who owns two businesses in town: Tompkins Fine Foods (Grocery Store) and Spuzak Meats (Butcher Shop).

Tompkins' most famous celebrity was Gus Wickstrom who was known worldwide, and was featured on such programmes as the "Daily Show", numerous Canada-wide TV shows, and various other USA TV and radio shows. He predicted the weather by looking at raw pig spleens for their colour, width, length and fatty deposits. From this, he predicted temperature, extreme heat/cold periods, snow/rainfall and drought up to eight months in advance. This is a famous practice dating back to his Scandinavian heritage. Gus passed away in 2007.

The popular Canadian sit-com "Corner Gas" pays tribute to both Gus Wickstrom and Tompkins in having the publisher/editor/writer of the local newspaper "The Howler" named Gus Tompkins. The character, though often talked about, is never seen.

References

External links

* [http://www.villageoftompkins.ca/ Village of Tompkins]
* [http://www12.statcan.ca/english/profil01/CP01/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=4708012&Geo2=PR&Code2=47&Data=Count&SearchText=tompkins&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom= Census Community Highlights for Tompkins ]