We were out driving random backroads and as we came up on this church, I said “That looks like an old school!” Slamming on the brakes and turning into the yard for a closer look, we soon noticed there was a plaque next to the door which confirmed my suspicions.
“This building, originally a schoolhouse, was moved to this site in 1918 to serve the families of the Acme Church of God (Seventh Day) who lived and farmed in the vicinity.”
Not sure which school this was, but if it was already being moved and repurposed in 1918, it must be one of the older remaining one-room schoolhouses left on the Alberta prairies.
We’re off on a Holland America cruise to Alaska aboard the M.S. Koningsdam and you’re invited to come along with us. Stops are planned for Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan, along with a full day of cruising in Glacier Bay.
In Banff and Yoho National Parks, there is a section of highway with an interesting history. Originally built in the 1920s, it served as the TransCanada Highway up until the highway was realigned in 1962. From that point on it became Highway 1A until it was closed to vehicle traffic 25 years ago.
Today it serves as a hiking, biking, and cross-country ski trail and we set out to explore a section of it.
This section of highway has special meaning to DanOCan as he has a photo taken of him with his car along this stretch of road in the late 1990s. The photo was taken at the Great Divide which forms the border between Alberta and British Columbia in this area.
DanOCan circa 1997 with his 1994 Pontiac Sunbird
Also known as the Continental Divide, this line separates the watershed which drains into the Pacific Ocean from the watershed which drains into the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans.
While there, we take the opportunity to explore an abandoned picnic area and also get up and close to do some train watching. It’s a great way to spend some time in a couple National Parks of Canada.
It’s our second in our series of videos about our stay in the badlands of Drumheller. This time, we explore sites along the Red Deer River valley, starting in the ghost town of Dorothy with its iconic abandoned grain elevator.
From there we visit the Atlas Coal Mine National Historic Site. The Drumheller area was home to 139 coal mines. The Atlas has the last remaining wooden tipple in Canada. We don’t do the underground tour on this visit but instead opt for the surface train tour conducted while riding along in a 100-year-old coal car.
And, we wrap our day at the East Coulee School Museum, a wonderful small town museum. The school building opened in 1930. While most rural schools at that time were simple one room affairs, the East Coulee School opened with four classrooms. This shows how much of a boomtown East Coulee was in its day. It’s population peaked near 4000 in the 1940s, comprised mainly of coal miners and their families. The mines closed as home heating moved to natural gas and the railroads moved to diesel and the town dwindled. Today it is home to about 160 people.
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We’re exploring the Alberta Badlands around Drumheller, Alberta for a weekend. Bella the Boler is here, but Mabel the Dog is safe at home with a dogsitter since so many of our activities aren’t going to be dog-friendly.
We camped at Bleriot Ferry Provincial Recreation Area. This small campground is located on the west bank of the Red Deer River and boasts 28 first-come first-served unserviced campsites. Some of the sites are small and nestled down in the cottonwood trees while others are more big-rig friendly and out on the open prairie. At the time of our visit, camping with $25 per night with payment needing to be either cash or cheque. Maximum stay is 16 nights but you can only register for up to three nights at a time. The campground is open from Victoria Day weekend through Labour Day weekend.
Our first full day starts off crossing the Red Deer River on the Beleriot Ferry. One of just six ferries still operating in the province, the Bleriot Ferry has been in operation since 1913, although the current ferry was built in 1997. It’s a short crossing of just 105m, but it provides a vital link on Highway 838.
We then travel to the “World Famous Gopher Hole Museum”. Don’t believe me that it is world famous? It’s right there on the sign! And, if you want even more proof, check out the pins in the map inside the museum showing where all their visitors have come from. The museum was established in 1996 using a one-time $9000 grant from the Province of Alberta. Admission is by donation, with a suggested amount of $5 – $10 per person. Inside you’ll find 44 dioramas featuring Richardson Ground Squirrels a.k.a gophers dressed in various scenes and poses. It isn’t a large place, but it is certainly worth a stop if you are into roadside oddities and offbeat places like we are!
From there, we make our way over to Rowley. Certainly one of our most-visited places, the Alberta ghost town is like visiting an old friend. It’s not their famous pizza night, but that just means there are a lot fewer people around as we visit some of our favourite old buildings such as the 1920s train station and the three grain elevators which remain in town.
