Check out a new story about a cabin on the lake, this time a local farm family ( The Lesters) who took advantage of the nearby watering hole. Click here. (last one on story index). The next regular meeting of Chestermere Historical Foundation will be Tuesday August 18th at the …
A Scottish born ditchrider next, Edward Ross, who arrived in Canada 1909 bringing wife Elizabeth ( Betty) and daughter Edna over in 1910. Living in Winnipeg, then Wardlow, they eventually settled into the Winona District ditchrider home, near Baintree, close to Rockyford. They lived there until 1939. That year, Ed …
James Henry May was born in Butte, Montana, one of five children, the only one born in the USA to the May family. Mr May, his wife Beatrice and their family moved to Chestermere in the spring of 1938. The little Chestermere ditchrider house was swelled with happy guests when …
Join CHF Members for their regular meeting 10am on Tuesday June 16th. On the agenda, discussion of the Policy on Aquisitions, AND workers for the upcoming Casino July 29/30th. And at 11am stay for a 45 minute program ” What Kay Saved” with a sampling of the wonderful scrapbooks left …
Unlike his predecessors in this job, John Smith McKay was born in Canada. After marrying Alice Walls, the family moved from Chatham NB, to Calgary where six sons were born ( one died as an infant). After a stint of farming near Strathmore, John took on the job of ditchrider …
One of eight children, Frederick George Woods was like many who left England to seek a better life. Born in Midsomer Norton, Somerset, he set forth from Liverpool in 1906 and never looked back. Eventually arriving in the Calgary area he signed on as a CPR ditchrider …
The third in a series of stories about the men who managed the water at Chestermere Lake, Reservoir #1 of the CPR Western Irrigation Section. The second of our fellows Joseph McKay Bannerman was also born in Scotland and like many young men came to Canada to find work and …
Got an hour on your hands? Join Chestermere Historical Foundation for their April meeting 6:30pm on Tuesday April 21st and stay around until 7:30pm for a short program on ” Growing Through Time” The Cabin Owner Stories. Join via this Zoom link, you will be invited into the ‘room.’ Hope …
Chestermere’s early history is a big part of the story of irrigation in Southern Alberta. The CPID men ( and their families) who lived in Chestermere and kept the valuable irrigation water flowing, kept the ditches clear, and sent water to the farmers when they needed it were the ‘Ditchriders’. …
Spanish Flu in Chestermere 1918 “In 1918 the flu came to Chestermere as well as many other parts of the county. Travel was restricted but not to the same extent as it is now. Many newspapers were reporting deaths in Calgary and it was with great trepidation that anyone went …
