You can listen to this episode on my podcast on iTunes here: It is also available on all other podcast platforms. Wherever you look in Canada, you will find a unique local history story. These stories can be funny, tragic or just strange. One...
Cardston sent many young men overseas to aid in the fight against the Nazis during the Second World War. Some did not come back, some proved to be heroes, and all served their country and risked their lives. Others not only served their country, but...
When we want to get a look at what the community of Castor was like in the early 20th century, one of the best sources of information is Morest L. Skaret, who wrote a book called Morey’s Bench: Stories from the Life and Times of Morest L. Skaret. In...
The Original Milltone During the early years of the Stettler area, before the railway came through and made travel much easier, a simple trip to get food was an all-day affair. Pioneers would have to travel to Red Deer to get supplies for the farm...
The Prestville Store To look back at the origin of the tiny community of Prestville, we must dive back in time to 1916, when a man by the name of Prest oversaw giving names to the communities along the railroad line. At the time, there were only a...
When we dive into local histories, some of the most interesting stories come from the regular individuals who called the community home for a time. Such is the case with the Bartschies brothers, who may have been born in Switzerland, but would head...
Have you ever wondered about the names of the communities around Vermilion? How did those communities get their names? What made one name stick and stand the test of time, while other names faded away in history? In this column, let’s look at the...
Mills Stopping House in 1907 As the new pioneers came to the Stettler area, they began to follow routes set forth by those who came before. These trails served as the early highways for settlers, both when they arrived and as they traveled...
Early Log Home In Breage It was way back in 1902 that a man by the name of Matthew Brimacombe settled on land near what would one day be Vermilion. One year after he settled in the area, the community of Breage was born and he would become the first...