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 to time for services, special events and the like. A peek inside shows neat rows of chairs lined up ready to receive church-goers and a rustic pew from which to spread the good word.
From the 1870s until just before the church was built, there used to be a sawmill in the immediate area (hence the name of the place). From around 1912-1917 the Kootenay and Alberta Railway short line, serving some nearby coal mines, ran very close to the church. In fact their giant timber trestle, spanning the valley here, was almost built on top of it (old photos show it looming menacingly above). When the railway closed down, after only a short time in business, that structure was dismantled with no real evidence to show it was ever here.
We had only a brief visit with the Mountain Mill Church and we’d love to return to document it better. It’s a interesting structure in a wonderful setting and deserves more than this short little write up.
Short Subjects: reports that for any number of reasons are brief in nature. They might be updates to older articles, previews of posts planned or not yet published, brief snippets of things that don’t fit in anywhere else or subjects that are so obscure that information on them can’t be found.
If you need any more information on what we talked about here, by all means contact us!
Date of adventure: July, 2015. Location: SW of Pincher Creek, AB. The church grounds are publicly accessible.
Hi! Just an a edit. My wife and I attend services here. We have an active congregation with services the 3rd Sunday of every month in the afternoon (1:30pm). We share our pastor with the United Church in Pincher Creek and Cowley.
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/
Two things that make us giddy in Hodgeville Saskatchewan and now both are gone. That majestic grain elevator dates from 1967 and sadly it was torn down a few years back. There's a Canada 100 logo high up there on the cupola.
The home made motorhome is something else and locals insisted it was powered by a radial engine salvaged off a De Havilland Beaver bush plane. How in the world? The fellow who built it passed on before its completion and soon after our visit it was scrapped. Rural folks seem to have this crazy ability to craft something they need out of any old bits and pieces lying around.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2014. Posted by Connie.
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Hi! Just an a edit. My wife and I attend services here. We have an active congregation with services the 3rd Sunday of every month in the afternoon (1:30pm). We share our pastor with the United Church in Pincher Creek and Cowley.
Lee
Thank you for clarifying that. Didn’t know it was used for regular services. Since fixed the write up. Appreciate it!
Stunning. Love the big windows!
It’s a charming old church.
Shared to Ghost Town Hunters.
Thank you Richard!