Spare time on your hands? Kids need something interesting to engage them that is a bit different and of local interest? Try the Chestermere Historical Foundation webpage www.chestermerehistoricalfoundation.org and Twitter feed. Search unique stories of this community over the past 150 years. CHF is working to document “The Blackfoot Trail” as used by Indigenous peoples crossing through the south part of Chestermere—hence why a stone hammer was found on the west lakeshore.
Under ‘Stories’ read how the top of a house become a cabin, how George put his cabin on blocks and built a house underneath (see photo), and how a Chestermere farm site nearly became a jail. There are real ‘Fish Stories’ too. Seeing the small ‘fry’ we catch today from our lake, it is amazing to think of the many 10kg fish which were caught. For the young set, read the stories which were used to create the ‘Library Book Art Installation’ and check out Peggy the horse school bus, and ‘The Lakeshore Drive-in’, where you drove in for movies, not burgers.
Follow CHF on Twitter @ChestermereF to read about a bear kept in a pit at the local store, for entertainment of passers by…oh, Mr. Froslev, you couldn’t do that today! And where WAS that Chestermere Railroad Station?
Programming from CHF is cancelled but when gatherings again possible watch for “ The History of the Old Chestermere Hall” and “ Early Rodeos in Chestermere” (upwards of thousands would attend!).
Access to all digitized Chestermere history books is available through University of Calgary https://cdm22007.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p22007coll8 Search Chestermere to find “ Growing Through Time” 1981 and “Chestermere a Home for All Seasons” 2005 and search Calgary, for 1971 “Saddles Sleighs and Sadirons” ( published before Chestermere became its own municipality). And you can buy a REAL copy of the latest book, on the webpage using PayPal. Free delivery within Chestermere. Happy reading!
