The Bendix Company, founded in the 1920s and absorbed by a competitor in the early 1980s, was a well known producer of automotive parts, avionics equipment and the like. At one time they also manufactured retail electronics, TVs, Radios and so on. Interesting, during the recreational vehicle boom of the...
When playing the Boler spotting game, the rules dictate that a player shout out “Boler!”, as loudly as possible I might add, upon seeing one. Them’s the simple rules – well, there’s points for rarity and difficulty, but we won’t go into them here. When travelling with friends, all who...
The CPR’s short Pecten Subdivision runs from the Crowsnest Subdivision mainline, at the town of Brocket Alberta just east of the Crowsnest Pass, south towards a large gas plant, Shell’s Waterton Complex at Pecten. Very near the end of this line, south of Pincher Creek, is train bridge crossing over...
The Mountain Mill United Church is located in a gorgeous pastoral setting, a secluded wooded river valley near the foothills of southwest Alberta, close to the communities of Pincher Creek and the Crowsnest Pass. At just over a century old (built in 1906) the building is still used from time...
We actually don’t capture that many Bolers in motion, so finding one on the road is extra special. Most we see are parked, at campgrounds or between outings, stashed away in alleys, back yards and the like. This example, a seventeen foot model, with a rather unique crocheted spare tire...
This post has been updated and can be found here: Chinook Motel Crowsnest Pass ~50 Years Apart. More Then & Nows… Shaunavon Saskatchewan ~70 years apart. Downtown Trout Lake British Columbia. Grain Elevators at Carbon Alberta. If you wish more information on what you’ve seen here, by all means contact...
For some strange reason we’re crazy about bridges. Older spans, of course, are the ones we search out the most, but we even find modern examples fascinating. Not everyone shares this strange obsession it seems. Of all the varied subjects covered on the BIGDoer.com website, articles on bridges are the...
Calgary has an extensive pathway system, covering all corners of the city. It’s one heck of a great resource which we use a lot, especially so in winter, when we can’t always make it to the mountains. These paved lanes head here, there and everywhere, most of them passing through...
This odd looking and brightly coloured rail mounted contraption is a Herzog Railroad Services “MPM” or Multi-Purpose Machine. It’s a specialized piece of equipment hired out under contract to rail carriers across the continent for maintenance of way work, travelling about as the need dictates. Highly adaptable it’s able to...
When one thinks of structures associated with Canadian railways, things like stations or perhaps roundhouses probably come to mind first. They both pretty iconic. There are lots of other types of buildings connected to then however. One that was once very common, yet little known or understood, was the lowly...
The Greenhill Hotel can be found in Blairmore (well…West Blairmore) Alberta, in the historic Crowsnest Pass, in the southwest corner of the province. The barn-shaped structure has been around for well on ninety plus years. Once a busy watering hole for local coal miners and also accommodation for those visiting...
It's a strange curiosity in south Kananaskis, there on a hillside and we have no idea who created it. We asked around and no one's completely sure about its history. In the past it showed the Canada 100 logo from 1967 but in 2017 someone changed it to reflect the country's 150th.
That's our friend Emily from DanOCan.com having a look.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2017. Posted by Connie.
April 13th 2024, the Beer Parlour Project visited the Viking Hotel, Viking Alberta and it too was an awesome time. There's Rob Pohl with his curious view camera and in the other photo Chris is seen interviewing local character Doug.
The Viking dates back to the 1930s and replaced a hotel on this same lot, which had earlier burned down.
Incidentally April 13th is also Chris and my 28th anniversary. Chris said he forgot this when scheduling this but that's fine and it doesn't matter where we celebrate but that we celebrate.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2024. Posted by Connie.
April 12th 2024, the Beer Parlour Project visited the Warspite Hotel, Warspite Alberta and it was a great success. They put up our sticker and look for it if you ever drop by. This will be another chapter in what will be a multi-year adventure documenting small town hotels all over the west. We chat with owners, patrons, old timers, local characters and we learn about the building too.
It's believed this one is 100 years old in 2024 and we'll confirm details during the research phase done later.
When we're done we'll have a huge collection of digital and film photos, plus voice recorded interviews for an art exhibit and a book is likely.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2024. Posted by Connie.
This little stone house was built in the 1910s and while it's not exactly clear when last occupied, research suggests it was empty only a couple decades later. This is a dry area of the Alberta and most settlers moved out by the '30s. Trees in back were planted by the folks that lived here and there's no others around as far as the eye can see. In fact, there's nothing but natural prairie in every direction. When the word "remote" comes up, this is the place they're speaking of.
Look to the comments for more info and to see a stone smokehouse also on the property 👇
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2017. Posted by Connie.
The hardware business is long gone but their old sign from about a century ago remains. We were doing a little walk-about in Three Hills and had a tip to look here. It's little things like this that we love the most, hidden reminders of things that came before and clues to the past that aren't so obvious.
More info in the comments👇
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2023. Posted by Connie.
The Canadian Pacific Railway at Summit Lake Crowsnest Pass in 1983 and 2023. The trains still run, but the railyard and associated infrastructure is a distant memory. Haze in the now photo is from distant forest fires. The old Summit Hotel can be seen in back in both and it's one of the few things still standing here from earlier times.
The Then photo come thanks to the John Bjorklund collection at the Center for Railroad Photography & Art and is used with permission. They sent us others and we'll hopefully be putting them to use later this year.
Go to the comments for more info 👇
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Posted by Connie.
Thanks to the The Val Family for making this post possible. If you like what we do and want to support this ongoing project (12 years now), go here: https://www.BIGDoer.com/help-the-society/
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