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News articles about heritage, culture and history that supplement and complement
the objectives of
the Forth Junction Heritage Society
2020
Innisfail heritage
Innisfail Province ceases
newspaper operations
March 31, 2020, The Albertan (consolidated new name
including Innisfail Province) (Johnnie Bachusky)
In 1904 the town's new pioneer telephone directory was
released for 42 residences, businesses and services. The telephone number for town hall and police station was 17. The
Union Bank of Canada had 23. Six was reserved for the Innisfail Free
Lance, a local newspaper since Sept. 2, 1898. However, number 1 was
reserved for a new newspaper office called The Province, which
reportedly was about to buy out The Free Lance
(more)
2019
Innisfail heritage
Businesses sensitive to loss of art
Sept. 3, 2019, Innisfail Province (Johnnie Bachusky)
Wade Harris reached out for over a year to save history. But in the
end the owner of Innisfail Bowling Lanes had to let it go. The
Tribute to the Railroad mural, created more than 15 years ago but
badly faded on the west wall of his business at the intersection of
Main Street and 51st Avenue, was painted over during the weekend of
Aug. 24 and 25. Harris, who also owns bowling centres in Olds and
Drumheller, contacted Ruth Jepson,
(more)
Red Deer culture
Red Deer group is pushing to create a local 'international
village' to promote unity
A city made up of immigrants has no place
for intolerance, say group members
Jan. 18, 2019, Red Deer Advocate (Lana Michelin)
Disheartened by inflamed anti-immigrant sentiment, a Red Deer group
wants to revive a decades-old plan to start an international village
in the city. It's time to remind people where their descendants came
from -- and how various cultures make up the fabric of central
Alberta, says group member Betty Wulff, of the city's Norwegian Laft
Hus Society. "It's time to go back and be proud of what your parents
and grandparents
(more)
Innisfail
heritage
Celebrating a half century of Innisfail
history
Sinclair House open to public for one day
May 21, 2019, Innisfail Province (Kristine Jean)
For the past 50 years the Innisfail and District Historical Society
has been an essential part of the community. "It's our seasonal
grand opening and we are celebrating 50 years of the Innisfail and
District Historical Society," said Anna Lenters, president of the
historical society. "It's an important milestone." The season grand
opening and open house takes place May 25 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
but doors will be open an hour earlier for a
(more)
Innisfail heritage
Continuing family legacy at the historical village
Granddaughter of first curator now manager
April 23, 2019, Innisfail Province (Kristine Jean)
Family history has come full circle at the Innisfail and District
Historical Village. Twenty-eight-year-old Kayla Godkin, who hails
from Central Alberta, was recently chosen as the new museum manager.
Her grandmother, Dr. Margaret Godkin, was the museum's first curator
50 years ago. Godkin and her husband were veterinarians in
Innisfail. "It kind of feels a little bit like grandma wanted me to
work here," said Godkin, noting she never
(more)
2017
Innisfail heritage
Sinclair House will be the pride of Innisfail
Dec. 12, 2017, Innisfail Province (Johnnie Bachusky commentary)
There are a few citizens who have reportedly wondered why many
others in town have chosen to turn hard-earned money into the
restoration of the Sinclair House. The 125-year-old home was finally
brought to the Innisfail and District Historical Village last week,
and it was quite an emotional moment for village officials when this
relic was moved onto its own foundation. It was the culmination of a
two-year roller-coaster ride that
(more)
Innisfail heritage
Sinclair house is finally coming to town
Dec. 5, 2017, Innisfail Province (Johnnie Bachusky)
A year ago the future of the pioneer Sinclair House appeared grim.
The Innisfail and District Historical Society had all but given up
trying to save the 125-year-old home due to insufficient restoration
funds. But the community rallied after the project's plight became
known through the media. Private funding began to pour in. Tradesmen
offered their services for free. The town even approved a grant to
help. And sometime later
(more)
Innisfail heritage
Historical society to relocate pioneer's log
home
House from 1890 will be moved next month to historical village
Nov. 25, 2017, Red Deer Advocate (Lana Michelin)
The log home of one of Central Alberta's first indomitable female
pioneers is about to be moved to Innisfail Historical Village. "Our
boys and girls need to believe that they can do anything" -- and
Isabella Sinclair's story underlines this, said Anna Lenters,
president of the Innisfail and District Historical Society. "Bella"
-- considered by some to be the first white woman settler in the
area -- was an Ontario resident of Scottish stock, who
(more)
Red Deer
history
The
history behind some of Red Deer's parks
Oct. 18, 2017, Red Deer
Express (Michael Dawe)
One of the significant attractions of Red Deer is its extensive
parks and trails system. In various public surveys, those parks and
trails are often cited as our community's biggest asset. In early
Red Deer, there was initially not much concern about town planning
and the development of parks. The Town was a small collection of
frame and brick buildings with large open spaces between them.
However, as the Town began to rapidly grow and
(more)
Innisfail heritage
Site nearly ready for Sinclair House
Sept. 19, 2017, Innisfail Province
Preparations for the arrival of the Sinclair House at the Innisfail
and District Historical Village are nearing completion. With the
house expected to be moved sometime before the end of September, the
foundation at the village for the new addition was set to be filled
with sand last week. Lawrence Gould, treasurer of the historical
society, said last Monday (Sept. 11) that work had just finished on
the foundation. The foundation
(more)
Central Alberta history
Canada 150
Land company shaped immigration to region
July 1, 2017, Red Deer
Advocate (Paul Cowley)
The merits of Central Alberta were obvious to aboriginal people for
thousands of years. It was not until the relatively recent past that
the first European immigrants arrived and began to leave their
imprint on the area. "A lot of it was shaped by what was known as
the Saskatchewan Land and Homestead Company," said Red Deer City
Archivist Michael Dawe. "It bought 115,000 acres of land in and
around Red Deer so that had a really
(more)
2013
Central Alberta history
Wimborne comes
alive again
with new book
Historical society works more than two and half years to
preserve its hamlet's history
November 19, 2013, Innisfail
Province (Johnnie Bachusky)
Alex Benedict remembers a time in Wimborne when Friday night was the
special time of week when the Central Alberta hamlet came alive with
the passing of the train.
"Friday night was the busiest night of all. There was as many people
there as in Innisfail," said Benedict. "The train brought in the
supplies, like all the groceries. There were two grocery stores in
Wimborne."
Benedict, 74, has lived in the Wimborne area his entire life. His
(more)
Red Deer heritage
Remembering the Labour Day weekend
of
1913
August 28, 2013, Red Deer Express
(Michael Dawe)
Another Labour Day long weekend will soon be upon us.
It is often regarded as the unofficial end of summer. For many, it
is often the last holiday before the start of school.
Labour Day is also one of the oldest of Canada's national statutory
holidays. On July 23, 1894, the Conservative Government of Sir John
Sparrow Thompson made the first Monday in September into a
nation-wide public holiday.
For much of its early history, there was little labour union
activity in Red Deer. Because the Calgary-Edmonton Railway (C.P.R.)
was the biggest
(more)
Red Deer history
Interest in Red Deer's history keeps
growing
Local officials continue to create
ways to explore City's past
July 31, 2013, Red Deer Express
A rich and varied emphasis on exploring facets of local history
continues to unfold in the city. There are lots of fascinating ways to learn about Red Deer's past
including several newly-developed walking tours. They were
officially introduced last month, but officials say their popularity
continues to grow as folks tap into the stories of the City's early
days. Several walking tours were mapped out in the early 1980s, but
City staff felt it
(more)
Central Alberta
heritage
Heritage projects share grant funding
July 17, 2013, Red Deer
Advocate
Several Central Albertan heritage projects are among the 71 that
received a portion of the $1.3 million in grant funding from the
Alberta Historical Resource Foundation heritage grants.
The Canadian Northern (Meeting Creek) Historical Society received
$24,940 to help with the conservation of the Canadian Northern
Railway Station and Roundhouse in Big Valley.
"The pride Albertans take to preserve our colourful history is
a result of the (more)
Red Deer
history
Residential school artifacts contributed to
project
Truth and Reconciliation hearings held in City
June 12, 2013, Red Deer Express
(Erin Fawcett)
A red brick and a piece of sandstone from the Red Deer Industrial
School has become part of a monumental sculpture of remembrance and
reconciliation of residential schools. Carey Newman, a master
carver, will use the historic artifacts from the Red Deer Industrial
School in his national Indian Residential School Commemorative art
project 'Witness: Pieces of History'. "This work will recognize the
atrocities of the Indian Residential
(more)
Red Deer history
New heritage walking tours and signs
introduced
June 12, 2013, Red Deer Express (Mark Weber)
There are new ways to experience Red Deer's past with your family. Three new heritage walking tours, a children's activity map and 58
new heritage signs were launched recently and all Red Deerians were
invited to join in the celebrations. The materials are part of the new Red Deer Revealed collection and
were unveiled at Red Deer Museum and Art Gallery. "The launch of
these heritage walking tours and the official unveiling of
(more)
Red Deer history
A Remarkable hit
New permanent exhibit at museum
earns accolades
April 15, 2013, Red Deer Advocate (Susan Zielinski)
Red Deer Museum and Art Gallery's new permanent exhibit on the
history of the Red Deer area earned accolades from visitors at its
grand opening on Sunday. The $1.5 million exhibit -- Remarkable Red Deer: Stories from the
Heart of the Parkland -- takes up 4,800 square feet of display space
and features more than 400 photographs and 300 artifacts from the MAG collection and Red Deer Archives.
Several of Red Deer's prominent
(more)
Red Deer history
Looking back to when Red Deer
landed
city status
March 20, 2013, Red Deer Express
(Michael Dawe)
This weekend, Red Deer will be celebrating a very significant
milestone in our community's history. It was 100 years ago, on March 25, 1913, that Red Deer was
officially incorporated as a City. Red Deer, at the time, had a population of only 3,000, usually
considered too small to become a city. However, in 1901, when Red Deer was incorporated as a town, the
community had 323 residents. Twelve years later, the population had surged
(more)
Central Alberta
history
The history of the Village of
Sylvan Lake
January 9, 2013, Red Deer Express
(Michael Dawe)
The year of 1912 was a very exciting one for Sylvan Lake.
The community was enjoying one of the greatest booms in its history.
Two railroads, the Alberta Central and the Canadian Northern
Western, were building rail lines through the area on their way to
the rich coalfields west of Rocky Mountain House. All of the rail
construction meant that there were lots of good paying jobs. Farmers
had a great local market for their
(more)
2012
Innisfail heritage
Last Poplar Grove relic is saved
Nov. 13, 2012, Innisfail Province (Johnnie Bachusky)
Brian Rice moved backwards in the present to save the past for
Innisfail's future. With a forklift, Rice, the 54-year-old founder
of Innisfail's Red Willow Welding, drove in reverse on Oct. 24,
almost a kilometre and a half through the streets of town to
transport an ancient relic to its forever resting place at the
Innisfail and District Historical Village. After 30 minutes the
coveted historical artifact successfully arrived at its new rightful
(more)
2011
Red Deer
history
Marking a significant historic milestone
North Red Deer celebrates attaining village status one century ago
August 24, 2011, Red Deer Express
(Mark Weber)
Organizers are gearing up for a very special day of celebration
marking the 100th anniversary of North Red Deer becoming a village.
Things get underway at 1 p.m. on Aug. 27 at the North Cottage School
and Koinonia Christian School with master of ceremonies and local
historian Michael Dawe. Cake-cutting and speeches start at 1:15
p.m., the Youth Aboriginal Dance Troupe performs at 2 p.m. and local
musicians Donna Durand
(more)
2010
Red Deer history
Laurier's 1910 visit
huge event for City
August 4, 2010,
Red Deer Express (Michael Dawe)
Next week marks an important
anniversary in our community's history.
It was 100 years ago, on Aug. 10 to 12, 1910, that Sir Wilfrid
Laurier, Prime Minister of Canada, made an extended visit to Red
Deer. It was one of the most exciting official visits by a national
political figure that Red Deer has ever experienced.
The visit was part of a two-month long tour of Western Canada. The
prairies were the fastest growing part of the country.
(more)
Indigenous and pre-1900 settlement heritage
Fort Normandeau
celebrates 125 years
Historic Central Alberta site
originally constructed
during the Riel Rebellion
May 29, 2010,
Red Deer Advocate (Michael Dawe)
One of Red Deer's oldest and
most interesting historic sites is Fort Normandeau. Originally
constructed 125 years ago during the North West or Riel Rebellion.
It is one of only three forts constructed in Alberta during a time
of war.
The original portion of the Fort was constructed in 1884 by Robert
McClellan as a two-storey stopping house or hotel near the spot
where the old Calgary-Edmonton Trail crossed the Red Deer River. In
March
(more)
Red Deer history
Red Deer a leader in heritage
preservation
May 26, 2010, Red Deer Express (Michael Dawe)
One of the sources of pride in our community is the fact that Red
Deer has often been on the leading edge of heritage preservation in
Alberta and across Western Canada. In 1964, Red Deer's City council established the first municipal
archives in the province. In 1972-1973, the Red Deer and District
Museum was created and was later named the model museum of its size
in Canada. Meanwhile, the provincial government began a
(more)
Innisfail
heritage
New exhibits call
Historical Village home
May 10, 2010, Innisfail Province (Michaela Ludwig)
Two new exhibits at the
Innisfail Historical Village tell more about Innisfail's founding
years.
As a 40-year anniversary project, the Innisfail and District
Historical Society set about restoring the Village's Bowden CP Rail
station. And through the doors of that old station, visitors will
find several displays depicting Innisfail in its early years and
what the railroad meant to central Alberta. Scaled-down model trains
chug along the tracks
(more)
Innisfail
heritage
'Sleeper' village grand opening set
May 10, 2010, Red Deer
Advocate (Paul Cowley)
Innisfail Historical Village
has been a bit of a sleeper among Central Alberta attractions.
Curator Dean Jorden and other members of the Innisfail and District
Historical Society plans to use their 40th anniversary celebrations
to change that.
To draw more people to the society's impressive collection of
historic buildings, vehicles, equipment and other artifacts in the
middle of Innisfail, a project to restore the 1904 Bowden CPR rail
station has
(more)
Innisfail heritage
Business was good when Innisfail's first store
opened
May 10, 2010, Red Deer
Advocate (Paul Cowley)
The first day of business at George Washington West's general store
went well on that summer July 1st day in 1891. He sold five pounds
of apples at 25 cents a pound and four pounds of brown sugar went
out the door for another 36 cents. And then a Mr. Miller came in to
check out Innisfail's first store. He walked away with a red
handkerchief, according to a ledger preserved at Innisfail
Historical Village. Once-mundane entries in an
(more)
Indigenous and pre-1900 settlement heritage
Riel Rebellion impacted the Red
Deer area
April 25, 2010, Red Deer Express (Michael Dawe)
This spring marks an important, but unfortunately largely overlooked
anniversary in our province's history. It was 125 years ago that
Alberta and Saskatchewan experienced a civil war, usually referred
to as the Riel or Northwest Rebellion, but now sometimes referred to
as the 1885 Northwest Resistance. It is not difficult to determine the roots of this violent
conflict. For many years, it had been obvious that the vast herds of
(more)
Central Alberta
heritage
County heritage project
a
first
for Alberta
February 3, 2010, Red Deer
Advocate (Paul Cowley)
Red Deer County is credited with being the first rural municipality
in Alberta to take a systematic approach to identifying its heritage
sites and complete a detailed management plan.
County council unanimously approved in principle a Heritage
Management Plan on Tuesday that is designed to identify, preserve
and protect historical buildings and sites.
Councillor Jim Wood expressed his support for the initiative, which
has been in the (more)
Red Deer
history
A long memorable journey for Red Deer's museum
Jan. 27, 2010, Red Deer
Express (Michael Dawe)
On Monday, Feb. 15 (Family Day), the Red Deer Museum and Art Gallery
will be holding an official grand reopening after the completion of
a $2.8 million renovation project. The building has been closed
since last April as significant improvements have been made to the
galleries and front-end areas. The museum has been a major feature
of our community for nearly 40 years, but there had been an earlier
museum in Red Deer more
(more)
2009
Red Deer history
Red Deer's downtown hotels have
celebrated history
June 3, 2009,
Red Deer Express (Michael Dawe)
The recent demolition of the
Arlington Inn, Red Deer's oldest remaining hotel, and the closure of
the Valley, means the end of a major part of Red Deer's history.
No longer will the city have the cluster of old downtown hotels that
have been one of the landmark features not only of Red Deer, but
also of almost every community in Western Canada. There was a strong
reason for this pattern of development. The main means of travel,
(more)
Indigenous and pre-1900 settlement heritage
Ancient history: Story of our area before us
March 4, 2009, Red Deer
Express (Michael Dawe)
Most of the writings on Central Alberta's history start 250 years
ago when Anthony Henday became the first European to spend the
winter in the area, or 125 years ago when the first permanent
agricultural settlement started. However, while these are important
milestones in our community's history, this leaves out the more than
11,000 years of human history in Central Alberta that preceded these
two events. To put another (more)
2008
Red Deer
culture
Red Deer - Alberta's next great city
July 2, 2008,
Red Deer Express (Erin Fawcett)
Internationally recognized
planner Michael von Hausen said he believes Red Deer is the next
great city in Alberta.
He, along with planner Michael Gellar were in Red Deer last week to lead
the community in shaping a vision for downtown.
Over the course of the week they led an evening workshop on the
future of downtown and prepared key urban design concepts for
downtown Red Deer.
Concepts were then displayed for input June 24 and
(more)
Red Deer
history
The Arlington Hotel, a RD landmark
March 19, 2008, Red Deer Express
(Michael Dawe)
One of the oldest landmarks in Red Deer is the historic Arlington
Hotel. It has stood on 51 Ave., near the old C.P.R. station, for
nearly 110 years. The origins of the hotel actually go back to 1891.
That was when Stewart D. Mulkins built the Queen's Hotel to the
south east of the new Calgary-Edmonton Railway station on Holt (51)
Ave. Despite the impressive name, the Queen's Hotel was a very
modest building, 20 by 42 feet, with a
(more)
2003
Red Deer
history
John T. Moore
Feb. 9, 2003, Red Deer Express
(Michael Dawe)
One of the most influential people in the development of Red Deer is
someone who has generally been forgotten, John T. Moore. His company
at one time owned 180 sections of land in Central Alberta. Moreover,
he was so extensively involved in local business ventures that he
was often referred to as Red Deer's first capitalist. John T. Moore
was born in a log cabin in Markham Ontario in July 1844. As a
student, he first trained as a
(more)
News
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rail-related development projects in Central Alberta
News articles about related regional heritage,
history and culture
News articles about regional destinations, tourism
and miniature worlds
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