Alberta Archives - South Peace Regional Archives

I’ll Meet You in the Far Pasture

Posted on 17 December, 2013 by SPRA

This filming was of the August 4, 1991 Drama Club production of “I’ll Meet You in the Far Pasture”. The play was written and directed by Steve Cregg, with assistance from Pauline Cregg and Greg Donaldson. Actors include Angele Cloutier, John Pawluski, Denise Cotton, John Morgan, Tom King, Frieda King, Denise Ouellet, Donna Gillon, Carmen Lunn, Gary Chmara, Beth Chmara, Steve Cregg, Tom Morgan, Alex Doucet, Michelle Chaput, Faith Peachey, and Tom Peachy.

The play was written in honour of Eaglesham’s homecoming celebrations and based on the memories of Ann Donaldson and Peggy Ulland of the 1950s Lassiter Project, north of Eaglesham.

We have uploaded the film to our You Tube channel.

We do have another video about Eaglesham, this one was filmed in 1952 and was uploaded a few months ago to our You Tube Channel.

Snowplane Travel

Posted on 11 December, 2013 by SPRA

The weather is getting challenging for travelers this year. We dug thorough our photos to see how snow days were conquered in the past. We came across this photo of a snowplane.

The photo includes Jack Alloway, Mr. & Mrs. McQuat and daughter beside their snowplane on the Wapiti Trail. This early form of the snowmobile, made by George McQuat, was used for such emergencies as taking doctors to patients (or vice versa) or entire hockey teams to a game when the roads were drifted. Obviously taking hockey players to a game would have been considered emergency travel!

The Silent Vote

Posted on 16 October, 2013 by SPRA

Grande Prairie’s first County Council

With Civic Elections coming up on Monday October 21, this excerpt from the Editorial of September 27, 1935 seemed appropriate reminder that votes not cast don’t count!

Oct. 16 blog

The next article is from the December 20, 1917 paper and tells of a man who walked 100 miles to cast his vote.

Oct 16 blog2

The third was written, presumably by the Editor of the Frontier Herald, shortly after legislation had been passed in Alberta in 1916 allowing women to vote or run for public office.

Oct. 16 blog3

The Information Held in One Scrapbook

Posted on 11 October, 2013 by SPRA

Edna Greber’s Scrapbook

A wonderful collection has arrived at the Archives. Clayton Greber came in and donated a large amount of information from his grandfather’s family. The collection is mainly from the Hodgson family who settled in the Hythe area in the 1920’s. Included with the collection is a scrapbook that belonged to Clayton’s mother Edna Mae (Hodgson) Greber, and was created by her during her teenage years in the 1950s and 1960s.

Hodgson collage

It’s wonderful how one item can be packed full of information, that depicts an era, a community and a person. There are wedding invitations, napkins from an anniversary, pianoforte exam results, graduation photos, fair entry ribbons, report cards, a speech, news clippings, letters, photos from plays, sports teams, and classmates.

Edna was Carnival Queen, a Catholic Women’s League Scholarship winner, a basketball player and a pianist; all of that can be gleaned by the wonderful scrapbook she created. With this donation not only does her family know all these wonderful things about her – now you will too!

An Apple A Day

Posted on 25 September, 2013 by SPRA

We take it for granted that we can buy fresh fruit year round, but it hasn’t always been that way. This article in “Local Happenings” and ads from the Sept. 27, 1932 Grande Prairie newspaper refers to two train car loads of apples coming in from the Okanagan!

There are locally grown apples but not enough to meet demand. Here is an article found in the same paper about apples grown by W.D. Albright in Beaverlodge.

1928 Apple tree
W.D. Albright, Beaverlodge, Alberta

W.D. Albright’s 1932 Apple crop from Beaverlodge Experimental Farm.

The Wapiti Ferry

Posted on 17 September, 2013 by SPRA

This week in history we are focusing on the Wapiti Ferry.

The Wembley Ferry c.1937

This article sparked the interest of our “This Week in History” author who started to investigate and see what she could learn about the Ferry. Mike Lett provided her with a photo and she was able to uncover a bit more information. The Wembley Ferry was still operating but was used less after a bridge was built over the Wapiti, south of Grande Prairie (replacing another ferry) in 1958. A group of people had purchased shares in the ferry south of Wembley for $1.00 each, in order to keep it running. The Ferry was kept operational until a flood in 1970 washed out the approaches. Recently, restoration was considered by the County, but time had taken too great a toll. The old ferry is now being swallowed up by vegetation at Pipestone Creek Park.

Ferry June 19, 1970
Photo taken by Mike Lett.

Kathryn was able to find the remnants of the Ferry by the Pipestone campgrounds just last week.

The Ferry Sept 14, 2013
Photo Taken by Kathryn Auger

Contest Alert – We Want to See Your Fashions

Posted on 11 September, 2013 by SPRA

In celebration of Archives week the South Peace Regional Archives (SPRA) has dedicated their annual Film and Story Tea to fashion. In conjuncture with that we have decided to host a contest, and we want your fashion photos! Our contest begins on September 12th, time to start digging through your photo albums. We will be accepting fashion photos through our Facebook page, e-mail (spra.technician@telus.net) or you can drop them off at the Archives.

Kinette Club

We want to see your fashions, from any time period. What was your favorite outfit as a child, teenager, what do/did you wear to work? We can’t wait to see your fashion choices! It doesn’t have be a current photo – we are looking for photos of you from any time period! Get your friends involved, see what they were wearing — did you both have the same sense of style?

The photo above shows the lovely ladies from the Kinette Club modeling their wonderful hats, this can be you – featured on our Facebook page.

You may be wondering what the prize is? We will have a wonderful basket of assorted items from local businesses. The basket will be awarded to the winner who has submitted a photo that best represents the fashion of the era.

We cannot wait to see your pictures and what your wore!

Contest closes October 8th.

Lake Saskatoon Comparable to Italy

Posted on 21 August, 2013 by SPRA

Here is an article describing the natural beauty of the Lake Saskatoon area. It is no wonder that it was one of the first choice of pioneers when deciding where to settle in the Peace Country. Lake Saskatoon was bypassed by the railroad in 1924, not to be deterred the towns folks packed up, buildings and all and resettled in Wembley.

Lake Saskatoon is Arcadia

“…the beautiful lake lapping its shores, and the broad expansive view, lends somewhat of an Italian aspect, and would remind the experienced traveller of the Bay of Naples…”

This article is taken from the Grande Prairie Herald on Aug 22, 1916.