Summary information
| Repository: | South Peace Regional Archives |
| Title: | Municipal District of Grande Prairie No. 127 fonds |
| Reference code: | 0062 |
| Date: | 1946 – 1949 (date of creation) |
| Physical description: | 13 cm of textual records |
| Language: | English |
| Dates of creation, revision and deletion: | Processed by Mary Nutting Added to new database April 2023 – TD |
Administrative history / Biographical sketch
By September 1929, special meetings were being held to discuss combining the M.D. of Bear Lake No. 740 and the M.D. of Grande Prairie No. 739, with media and citizens present to hear the discussions. The reasoning behind the amalgamation was that a larger district would have more influence in decisions made by the province and better access to government grants, that there would be economies of scale in roadwork and administration expenses, and that unity would benefit the entire area. It was not until January 1, 1944, however, that the Municipal District of Grande Prairie No. 780 was formed. The M.D. was renumbered No. 127 in April, 1945.
The boundary lines of the new Municipal District encompassed more area than the combined preceding M.D.s. They extended from the Big Smoky on the east to the B.C. border on the west, and from the Wapiti River to the north line of township 74.
Organization of the new district was completed with the election of councilors E.J. Holtom, W.G. Hodges, Ralph Woods, Uri Powell, E.J. Grant, William Garrett, James Smith, Albert A. Kennedy, and Jean Lozeron. James Smith was elected Reeve.
The creation of the M.D. No. 127 paved the way for the district to become the County of Grande Prairie No. 1, the first and largest county in the Province of Alberta, when the county system replaced the old municipal districts system.
Custodial history
Records became the property of the succeeding organization, the County of Grande Prairie No. 1, and were deposited on loan by the County in the Provincial Archives in 1970. The records were transferred to the Grande Prairie Regional Archival by permanent donation in 2000. An accrual to the fonds, the 1944-1945, 1950 minutes and 1944-1951 bylaws, was transferred by the County to South Peace Regional Archives in 2013.
Scope and content
The fonds consists of minutes from 1944 to 1950, Bylaws from 1944 to 1951, and Financial Statements from 1944 to 1950. The bylaws contain some related correspondence and the minutes contain accounts, monthly statements, borrowing resolutions, estimates, a map of the government telephone line west of Sexsmith, construction job descriptions and rules, recommendations of public work to be undertaken, a Prairie Farm Assistance Act application, summary of election results, occasional minutes of other groups, and assessments for tax purposes.
Notes
Restrictions on access
There are no restrictions
Access points
- Textual record (documentary form)
- Government (subject)
- Politics and government* (subject)