Tidbits of Alberta

[Red Bullets]

This is more of a relic of Alberta than a tidbit.... I won't even say much. The picture will make a few people smile and the younger people will be baffled.
I will say that back in the 1960's kids in Alberta worshipped this moosehead.
They dreamed of getting to ask Muskeg the moose a joke and then getting to dig in Klondike Eric's gold mine. Those were the days. Most kids couldn't wait to get home from school to watch Popcorn Playhouse. I'll bet there are a few Alberta outdoorsmen and women that have dug in the mine.

[trigger7mm]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

This is more of a relic of Alberta than a tidbit.... I won't even say much. The picture will make a few people smile and the younger people will be baffled.
I will say that back in the 1960's kids in Alberta worshipped this moosehead.
They dreamed of getting to ask Muskeg the moose a joke and then getting to dig in Klondike Eric's gold mine. Those were the days. Most kids couldn't wait to get home from school to watch Popcorn Playhouse. I'll bet there are a few Alberta outdoorsmen and women that have dug in the mine.

Popcorn Playhouse, I remember it well. Eric Nevell was the host, I believe, but Muskeg the Moose was the star.

[Jack Hardin]

If you drive north of Airdrie on their main street about 3 1/2 miles north from Hwy 567, you will find the location of one of the old Stage Coach Stopping Houses on the west side of the road. About 50 yds west of the road you will see a small area fenced off. This fenced off area is protecting a couple of graves next to the old site. One grave marker reads, "Unknown male stage coach passenger." It gives the date but, I can't remember it. Another is the child of the Stopping House operators by the name of Stevenson. It was called the Stevenson Stopping House.

There is a pedestrian gate you can walk through to get to the site however there is only room for one vehicle to park off the road.

The Airdrie museum maintains the site, whipper snipping weeds etc.

[Halfton]

Originally Posted by Newview01

Elk are seen on occasion wandering around about 10 miles northeast of Lethbridge. This would never have been seen 20 years ago. We have even seen a couple moose in the last couple years.

That is not necessarily a true statement. I saw elk in the Oldman River Valley between Diamond City and Shaughnessy several times in the early 1970ies and the odd moose. Even had a few black bears roaming the area now and then.

Jim

[KegRiver]

I saw my first Elk in Banff National Park. That was in the mid 70s.

There were a few scattered throughout the foothills and the occasional sighting further out, but back then we thought of them as a mountain species because for the most part that was the only place one could reasonably expect to see one.

But it wasn't just Elk.
Fox, Otter and Raccoons were even rarer, and Geese were not common.
Back then I saw more Black Brants the Geese. And Ducks were thicker then flies.

I haven't seen a Brant in over thirty years but Geese are everywhere now.

[Red Bullets]

Same with the cormorants. In the late 1970's the cormorant was put on the endangered species list. Now, 40+ years later just in the Lac La Biche area there are many thousand breeding pairs. One cormorant eats up to 1.5 lbs. of fish a day. And we wonder why the perch fishing isn't like it used to be. I have seen colonies of cormorants at places where trout are stocked.

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by Halfton

That is not necessarily a true statement. I saw elk in the Oldman River Valley between Diamond City and Shaughnessy several times in the early 1970ies and the odd moose. Even had a few black bears roaming the area now and then.

Jim

off track but...
Speaking of bears in the area.. recently grizzly bears were spotted in the
sweetgrass hills on their way to the Cypress Hills 150km east.

http://medicinehatnews.com/news/loca...cypress-hills/

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by trigger7mm

Popcorn Playhouse, I remember it well. Eric Nevell was the host, I believe, but Muskeg the Moose was the star.

Ahhh Klondike Eric, Gaby Haas, Ed Kay, Miss Pat, Laura Lindsay. I grew up at CFRN in the 60's My old man worked there. I spent evenings there while he was taping shows, digging in the gold mine or pulling Muskeg's string.

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by Okotokian

Ahhh Klondike Eric, Gaby Haas, Ed Kay, Miss Pat, Laura Lindsay. I grew up at CFRN in the 60's My old man worked there. I spent evenings there while he was taping shows, digging in the gold mine or pulling Muskeg's string.

How about Pat Ohara and "Kids Bids"?

I was on the last taping in about '63. I called the station to see if they had archives but they didn't. You had to save up Old Dutch chip bags and box tops for points and then you got to bid on toys in an auction. Some heavyweight kids had like 300K points and hey out bid pretty well everybody.

[Talking moose]

Originally Posted by KegRiver

I saw my first Elk in Banff National Park. That was in the mid 70s.

There were a few scattered throughout the foothills and the occasional sighting further out, but back then we thought of them as a mountain species because for the most part that was the only place one could reasonably expect to see one.

But it wasn't just Elk.
Fox, Otter and Raccoons were even rarer, and Geese were not common.
Back then I saw more Black Brants the Geese. And Ducks were thicker then flies.

I haven't seen a Brant in over thirty years but Geese are everywhere now.

I think it was 1972/73 that 100 head of elk were transplanted to the manning/North Star area. They distributed fast between the meikle and whitemud River. I remember Ralph C telling me about it. I beleive he helped with it.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

I think it was 1972/73 that 100 head of elk were transplanted to the manning/North Star area. They distributed fast between the meikle and whitemud River. I remember Ralph C telling me about it. I beleive he helped with it.

Ralph was involved! I didn't know that.

Did you know he still works his tower, and he's over seventy now!
Climbs that ladder like a squirrel.

And he's still the firearms course instructor. Wish I could do half the things he can do at that age.

The Elk sure took hold that's for sure. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not.

[Ronji]

What a great thread Red!
Its kinda hard to get any work done as keep reading the additions.

[^v^Tinda wolf^v^]

Ranch History

In the early 1900's the Brewster Brothers Transfer Company obtained a grazing lease in the area. By 1908 they were raising and breaking horses here for their guiding and outfitting business. Horses were wintered in the area and trailed to Banff and Lake Louise for the summer.

The Ya Ha Tinda ranch area was formerly within the boundaries of Rocky Mountains National Park. The boundary changed a number of times before the present day Banff National Park Boundary was established. In 1917, National Parks took over the area as a winter range, breeding and training facility for park horses.

Prehistoric Use

Archaeological evidence indicates that the area has been used by aboriginal people for over 9,400 years. Many camps, tipi rings and artifacts have been found. Remains of pre-historic bison have been found here as well. The Red Deer River may have been a major trading route since more camps exist west along the river towards the continental divide. Ya Ha Tinda means 'Mountain Prairie' in Stoney.

The surounding valley is also rich in history

Located north of the Tinda is the Forty Mile cabin, a historic forestry facility built in 1954 that is still used for patrols by Fish and Wildlife and Forestry staff and a great place to visit along with the spectacular views.

[^v^Tinda wolf^v^]

The Kootenay Plains located west of Abraham lake has always been another favourite place of mine to visit that is loaded full of history. In the early days way back before the highway was put in and the dam was built my family used to hunt and camp this area every year. They would spend the whole day driving the old road to a location just east of the three sisters mountains where they would stay for weeks at a time. I remember my grandparents telling me stories how the natives would sing and dance along the upper banks above two o'clock creek. My family would quite often sit along the south side of the north Saskatchewan river and watch this magnificent display by the natives.

Here's a great link for further reading



http://hikingwithbarry.com/2014/09/1...hiking-alberta

[Fish along]

This is a great thread thanks for starting it.

[Newview01]

Originally Posted by Halfton

That is not necessarily a true statement. I saw elk in the Oldman River Valley between Diamond City and Shaughnessy several times in the early 1970ies and the odd moose. Even had a few black bears roaming the area now and then.

Jim

My dad has been farming the area I spoke of for 40 years, and has never seen moose or elk there.

[JustMe]

Rumour has it that stren-wheelers used to run up the Sturgeon River from thr NSR to Big Lake. Hard to believe today with water levels in the Sturgeon being what they are. Amazing how dams change our world........

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

Where the bridge that crosses the Sturgeon river in St. Albert... this was the location of the first bridge built west of the great lakes. Built in 1862 by Father Lacombe.

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by JustMe

Rumour has it that stren-wheelers used to run up the Sturgeon River from thr NSR to Big Lake. Hard to believe today with water levels in the Sturgeon being what they are. Amazing how dams change our world........

Not just dams. Deforestation has dried up creeks too.

The dams on the NSR did change the river a lot. It used to still be somewhat of a cold water stream down as far as Edmonton before the dams. In the early 1800's here used to be bull trout caught in the mouth of the Sturgeon river that averaged 8 to 12 lb in size. David Thompson mentions it and so do early HBC men mention it.

Now the NSR transitions from a cold water river to a warm water river between Rocky and Drayton.

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by ^v^Tinda wolf^v^

The Kootenay Plains located west of Abraham lake has always been another favourite place of mine to visit that is loaded full of history. In the early days way back before the highway was put in and the dam was built my family used to hunt and camp this area every year. They would spend the whole day driving the old road to a location just east of the three sisters mountains where they would stay for weeks at a time. I remember my grandparents telling me stories how the natives would sing and dance along the upper banks above two o'clock creek. My family would quite often sit along the south side of the north Saskatchewan river and watch this magnificent display by the natives.

Here's a great link for further reading

http://hikingwithbarry.com/2014/09/1...hiking-alberta

Thank you for sharing. The area you talk of is a very interesting place with a long history. I think it should be one place held in deep respect. The animals come out of the mountains to winter there.

[bb356]

[Red Bullets]

At the turn of the last century aside from the paddle wheelers, gold dredgers and log drivers there were those unemployed bachelors that lived on the rivers too. During the dirty thirties I imagine there was an influx of bachelors living on our rivers.

This was a bachelor's houseboat on the North Sask river in the early 1900's. Living the life until freeze up...or flood.

[Red Bullets]

Hey BB, post 290... which dam is this?

[bb356]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

Hey BB, post 290... which dam is this?

Bearspaw ???

[Red Bullets]

Early in this thread there was mention of the Rocky Mountain Rangers. A mounted group of men that patrolled the foothills and prairie of now Alberta for a short time.

I found a good one page write up and couple of pictures of the Rocky Mountain Rangers online.

http://members.memlane.com/gromboug/p6rmr.htm

[Red Bullets]

In 1906 the Canadian Bank of Commerce opened their 'flaps' to business in Stony Plain. The bank was in an outfitter tent.

The bank has come a ways in 110 years.

[bb356]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

Early in this thread there was mention of the Rocky Mountain Rangers. A mounted group of men that patrolled the foothills and prairie of now Alberta for a short time.

I found a good one page write up and couple of pictures of the Rocky Mountain Rangers online.

http://members.memlane.com/gromboug/p6rmr.htm

Cool ... Thank's

[Neil Waugh]

As far as I understand it, the RMR had two roles during the Resistance (which PC says we're supposed to call it these days.)
Keep the wires up for the telegraph line to Fort McLeod.
Make sure Red Crow stayed put on the Oldman.
Old Kootenai Brown came out of retirement to scout for the Rangers.
After it was over they all got script.
That's how Brown and his Blackfoot missus ended up with those two quarters in Waterton.
The Steel Scouts provided cavalry cover for the Alberta Field Force that marched down the NSR to Battleford.
Which included a rifle company or two of the Voltigeurs du Quebec.

[Red Bullets]

Excellent info Neil. Thank you.

I know the singing wire caused lots of concerns with FN. The Hay Lakes telegraph line that came across just north of New Sarepta got taken down or broken regularly by FN. I don't know if the RMR watched the Hay Lakes line.

It is interesting to piece this part of history together. If the rebellion had played out differently where would we be now? The people of that time were living in very dangerous times.

Ole Kootenai Brown certainly lived a colorful life and ended up with a little piece of paradise. From buffalo hunter to wolfer to ranger to superintendent. All from the back of a horse.

(PS: I enjoy your writing and articles. You most likely know several tidbits regarding the tidbits of years gone by.)

[Neil Waugh]

I know there's been a lot of crazy gone down over the years about Metis script and river lot surveys.
Like it was all a big rip off and everyone suffered except maybe the McDougals.
I'd love to know if there are any AO members - Metis or Alberta Field Force descendants - who are still living on their script land.
Wouldn't that be beyond awesome.

[Red Bullets]

An unknown historical fort site...

Several years before the Hudson Bay company built forts in Alberta territory....

In 1751 Legardeur de Saint Pierre sent "DeNiverville" into the west from a trading post the french had built at the forks of the North and South Saskatchewan rivers.
The Legardeur sent 10 men in canoes up the North Saskatchewan river who supposedly got as far as the rocky mountains. DeNiverville built a fort somewhere up against the mountains and traded there but no one knows where it was made along the river. Some historians think the men canoed up the possibly South Saskatchewan river and built a fort there. Most believe it to be the North Saskatchewan river.