Little Red Deer School #362

I read somewhere that fresh snow absorbs sound which is why it can seem so quiet during and after a snowfall. It certainly felt this way when I stopped here on New Years Day, it was quiet and serene and the low winter sun through the trees made beautiful patterns on the snow.

I have stopped by this school a couple times before since it is close to home and I like it. Looking back I never posted it! Weird.

Little Red Deer is a typical looking one room schoolhouse but something about makes it one of my favourites. It's also one of the older ones I have seen, opening in 1896. There aren't too many from before 1900. Little Red Deer operated until 1955 and then became a community centre. In 1941, instead of creating another school district, Little Red Deer #2 was built nearby to accommodate senior students. This school closed in 1957 and became a residence.

A local group looks after the upkeep on Little Red School, ensuring it will be around as a reminder of our local history. They also host a barbecue here each summer. I have reached out to them and should be able to get inside the school later this spring.

May 2016

 Are there any remaining one room schoolhouses in your area? I'd love to see them!

Hay Lakes: A Creamery, a Barn and More!

I did say a few posts back that, this year, I would boldly go where I haven't gone before. So far the year is off to a good start as I visited a bunch of unexplored places already and returned to some old local spots. I also have a couple of trips coming up that will be full of unexplored back roads!

Hay Lakes, AB was one of the new to me places. It wasn't on my list of places to go that day but the friends we were meeting suggested we meet there to see a couple of the local sights, as they are very familiar with the area.

First we stopped at the old Creamery. It was built in 1923 by Edmonton City Dairy, in 1924 it was taken over by Burns and Company. They constructed additions to the creamery to include a cheese making plant and an egg grading station. The Creamery was then sold in 1944 to the Northern Alberta Dairy Pool. It closed for good in 1969 and was sold the following year.

I love this building. I understand that the current owner uses it but it's too bad it likely will never be restored to it's former condition. It think it should be a designated historic building.

c. 1929 Alberta Provincial Archives

c.1940 Alberta Provincial Archives

c.2018 Jenn 

Just down the block on the east edge of town is what's left of a homestead. There is a big barn, a couple of outbuildings and an old water pump. This land is potentially being slated for redevelopment. It would be a shame to lose this old barn but that is the reality these days.

Here are a couple of interesting buildings on Main Street:

Former garage or implement dealer?

An old store front

Google Image

Hay Lakes has another interesting bit of history attached to it that I read about after I was there so I didn't actually see the site. In 1876 Hay Lakes was the location of the western terminus of the telegraph line. However, by 1879 the line was extended to Edmonton and the Hay Lakes location was closed. The area is now known as Telegraph Park the site was given Provincial historic designation in 1976.  There is more on this here.

In conclusion, I am glad we took the time to explore Hay Lakes and always stop and explore something new.

Have you found something cool or unexpected while out for a drive?

Sunday Service: Holy Cross Ukrainian Catholic Church

Church and Bell Tower

I grew up and lived most of my life in Calgary. I don't recall seeing many Ukrainian Churches in Calgary or southern Alberta, I know there are some but not compared to the number of churches in central and northern Alberta. Once you are about an hour north of where I live, they start appearing on what seems like every other road. One day last year in the span of a couple of hours I stopped at 6 of them and I wasn't even looking. I love their architecture with the unmistakable domes. The amount of domes present on the church all have significance.

Here is some info on the significance of the amount of domes or cupolas: a single dome over the centre of the church represents Christ, 3 is for the Holy Trinity, 5 is for Christ and the 4 evangelists, 7 is the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit, 9 refers to the 9 ranks of Angels, and 13 is Christ and the 12 Apostles.

I recently drove by Holy Cross Ukrainian Catholic Church. This area, originally known as Ellswick, was rapidly settled between 1896-1915. Establishing churches and schools was of the utmost importance to these communities. Church services were held in other established churches and homes of the parishioners up until 1910 when a small church was built in the Ellswick area and served 2 congregations, the Roman Catholics and the Eastern Rite Catholics. The 2 congregations eventually split up and private homes were used for the Ukrainian Services until 1921 when construction commenced on the Ukrainian Catholic Church. In 1929 financial help allowed the inside to be completed and for the interior and exterior to be painted.

I am not sure of this church still has regular services, but it is still served by the clergy. It became an Alberta Designated Historic Building in 1988.

3 Domes: The Holy Trinity

Are there churches like this where you live?

Big. Old. Barn.

This last trip out exploring has sure provided a lot of pictures and subjects for me to research more about.

One quick stop was at this big old barn near Duhamel, AB. It is definitely not your traditionally shaped red barn. Someone suggested it was once a horse barn, which I could see being a possibility judging by it's shape. I was also told that there also used to be a home here at some point and that the same family has always owned this land. In any case, it's a lovely old barn.

Not sure which is the front..

This side looks the same...

Old Timey

Sunday Service: Formerly Known as the Zion Lutheran Church

We were headed home from our big exploring day out 2 weeks ago. Daylight was disappearing but I wanted to check out a village I have never been through before, Ferintosh, AB. It is always a good idea to stop in these places, you never know what you might find!

I saw this little old church on the side of the highway and stopped for a photo. It appears to have been converted to a home, there is no sign or indication of what church it used to be and it looks to be uninhabited now. The windows are boarded up on one side and I couldn't see any tracks at the front door. There is an old RV parked behind it though and possibly a back door. Hard to tell with some of these old places!

I asked a friend who lives in the area who checked her history books. It was the Zion Lutheran Church. Built in 1916 and closed in 1967 due to a dwindling congregation.

Thanks to Deb Trout and Little Beaver Tales.

Dinant: Gone but not Forgotten

Dinant, AB was abut 15km north of Camrose. There is nothing there now, no indication that there was ever a settlement, no houses, no stores, no train station, no grain elevators, no mine. All gone.

Along the main highway there is a roadside cairn dedicated to the town of Dinant. The actual town site is about a km east of the marker. I understand putting the marker on a roadside turnout so that more people will hopefully stop and read it. I always stop at roadside signs.

The most information I could find about Dinant, was from the roadside marker. Very little online.
I did read that both of the old school buildings were sold and moved to farm yards. Perhaps they still exist.

Have a read below:

The Provincial Archives had 2 photos of the Bush Mine that used to exist in Dinant.

Undated photo Provincial Archives of Alberta

c.1923 Provincial Archives of Alberta

So now you know there once was a place called Dinant.
Do you know any history about Dinant? I'd love to hear it!

References: Pioneering with a Piece of Chalk, Provincial Archives

Camrose: Now & Then

Camrose is an interesting city in East Central Alberta. I have driven through it a couple of times but time didn't allow me any exploring time. Last weekend, we had a nice lunch at the Skyway Restaurant in downtown Camrose, and then explored a bit. It's got a ton of great looking shops and old buildings and I want to go back an explore some more.

First we stop at the Bailey Theatre. The Bailey was built in 1911, and began its life as a Vaudeville Theatre. It has the distinction of being the oldest Vaudeville Theatre in Alberta. It moved into silent movies in the 20's and 30's and showed is first 'talkie' in 1930. It was in the 30's that the current marquee and black glass exterior were added. Movies were shown here into the 90's when a multiplex opened and the Bailey could not complete. In 1998 volunteers with the Bailey Theatre Society began restoration, but money ran out and all work stopped. Nothing more happened until 2006 when a benefactor came forward, this along with municipal, provincial and federal funding allowed the theatre to be restored to its former glory in time for it's 100th birthday in 2011. The final cost was $8.1M. Wow!! I would love to see the inside! Photos below from the Bailey Theatre website. 

C. 1930's 

c. 1979

2018 

Right across the street from the Bailey is the Alice Hotel. The Alice was built in 1928, but prior to that there was another 3 storey hotel on the same sight. The Windsor Hotel was built in 1904, and burned to the ground in 1919. From what I read in a local history book, the fire was a bit of mystery after the ownership and management changed a couple of times. Brick buildings don't change too much but I like seeing the old photos.

c.1930's

c. 1965

2018. I wish I had the same angle as the other 2. Not my best photo. 

Last but not least is the former Camrose Normal School. This building was built in 1915 as the second Normal School in Alberta. A Normal School is where teachers were trained before they went to teach in one of the thousands of one room school houses in Alberta. From 1915-1938 thousands of teachers received training here. The building was then turned over to the Department of National Defense. Not sure what happened here from 1938-1952...top secret perhaps? Since 1952 it has operated as Rosehaven Care Centre.

If anyone else, besides me, was wondering why it was called a 'Normal' School. I have a possible answer via the all powerful internet: Normal Schools derive their name from the French phrase 'ecole normale'. These teacher training institutions were intended to set a pattern or norm after which all schools would be modeled. The first such school was established in 1685 in France. I don't suppose there was an Abnormal School as an option.

Also as a brick building it hasn't changed much, you can see a new entrance added at what was below ground level originally. It is a beautiful and impressive building, even more so in person.

c.1916

You can still see where it said Normal School.  

If you know of any places I should check out in the Camrose area, or anywhere in Alberta, send me a message!


References: HeRMIS; www.baileytheater.com; www.prairie-towns.com; A Light Into the Past: Camrose 1905-1980