A Few Minutes in Willingdon Alberta

Let’s stop and pay a visit to the little community of Willingdon Alberta to see what’s going on. Such diversions are a road trip ritual and we simply pick some town along what ever route we’re on, ditch the car and get acquainted for a bit. We’ll wander the streets, capture local vibes and connect with history. It’s a break from the road and exploring on foot always seems more rewarding.

This is by no means an in-depth study, but a quick little tour of things that captured our eye there in the bustling downtown core (said with a smile). It’s casual in every sense and we’re certain there’s stuff we missed. Joining us this trip is good friend Rob Pohl and his giant view camera. While our approach and equipment differs, many common passions are shared, so we hang out often.

Willingdon is located northeast of Edmonton and dates back almost a century. It was 1927-1928 when the the Canadian Pacific Railway arrived in the area and with that the town sprang to life. This was the CPR’s Willingdon Subdivision (Lloydminster to Edmonton), built to tap the great agricultural potential of the region and which remained thinly settled until the trains arrived. The town is named after Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon and who was Governor General of Canada at the time.

On the ground in Willingdon Alberta.

This line remained in use into around 2000 and unceremoniously pulled up soon after. A short branch also ran between Willingdon and Vegreville to the south, from 1930 until 1978.

Prairie towns like Willingdon tended to prosper well for the first decade or two and welcomed settlers from many distant points. Lot of folks with Ukrainian or Romanian backgrounds ended up in the area and made it their home. Farming was the business to be in then and things are not all that different today.

After the initial boom came a long slow decline and it’s reflected in what we see in the downtown core today. There’s just as many empty shops and stores as there is ones with tenants. Boarded up buildings are all too common and speak of the difficulties of operating a business here.

From a peak of about five hundred, around the time of World War Two, Willingdon’s population has fallen to about three hundred present day and with that went from Village to Hamlet.

Still there’s life in downtown, if one is to look, and we noted a credit union, hardware store, two grocery stores (our visit was in 2021 and it appears one has since closed) and a liquor outlet (the only store that matters). There’s also a post office and some buildings used for social use (old timer’s clubs and the like).

Most of the structures seen in this post are from the early days and could use a little TLC. However, there are some real gems hiding under all those time-worn exteriors.

An old bank has been made into a home and a rather run-down Ford Maverick, circa 1970s languishes nearby in a back lot. It’s a typical scene. There always seems to be old cars lying about these small towns and let’s talk Beater Challenge for this one!

The Willingdon Hotel was closed on our visit and in this case it may have been due to Covid. We dropped by in the middle of the pandemic and many businesses across the province were in lockdown at the time. We’re not completely sure if they ever reopened afterwards but research suggests no.

The hotel is a stately structure, with a date stone of 1928, and a standout in town. They chose brick when built, over the typical wood framed construction, and while more expensive it afforded them a more upscale look. Plus they could tout the fireproof nature of the property, which was a big selling feature at the time.

Some ghost signage can be seen on some certain buildings – Super Save Foods (also a Greyhound stop and thanks to old Streetviews, formerly JC’s Restaurant & Liquor), The Real Willingdon Store and Willingdon Poultry Processors are three we noticed.

Streetview is a deep, deep rabbit hole and some of the buildings now vacant, when seen back ten years ago, when they did the capture, had businesses in them. Kalyna Country Collectibles and Western Gospel Coffee House are two that are now gone.

Looking in the local history books shows downtown was once a vibrant scene. There were eateries, barbers, a billiard hall, and all manner of shops and retails spaces. The street were alive then, but pretty darn quiet on our visit. Sure Covid might have had something to do with it, but we think there’s probably not that much going here on at the best of times.

Manhattan Men’s Club? Research (and not experience – honestly) shows there was a massage place in Edmonton using that name and any photos of signage we could find display a font similar to what’s seen here. Now we’re curious. Has this classy business relocated to this former gas station (and later antique store) in Willingdon and does this explain why all the fellows in town are so happy?

The last grain elevator in Willingdon stands down by the tracks, or rather where the tracks used to be. There were once many here along elevator row, but only this one remains. Grain was and still is big business, but now the farmers have to truck it some distance to the nearest railway loading point.

This building goes back to 1985 (and uses some recycled annexes from an older elevator) and was one of the last wood elevators built in the province. Formerly of the Alberta Wheat Pool (you can tell by the colours) it’s now privately owned and used for grain storage by a local farmer. Know more: Prairie Sentinels: Willingdon Alberta.

Many buildings in downtown stand empty.

The Mayor of Willingdon, if we’re to believe him and he did say it while grinning, drops by and is particularly curious with Rob’s view camera. Mr Pohl has many and they do attract attention, especially the one used this day, which is the the largest in his collection.

Our scruffy acquaintance shares stories from the past, but mostly the talk is random chit-chat, then abruptly he makes a bee-line for the grocery store (the now closed one) and soon is out of sight. That was an interesting encounter and that’s even by our standards. His Worship was not the only friend made this day and just down the street we find another, but a little furrier and of the four legged variety instead. Who’s a good boy…?!

Adventure calls and we must be on our way. This was a brief visit but something tells me we’ll be back and get to know Willingdon just a bit more sometime down the road. It touched our hearts like most small prairie towns do and that always means a return visit is on order.

Know more about the town (new window): Willingdon Alberta.

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Random awesomeness…
Coronation Roadmaster’s House Museum.
Alone in the Gulch.
Avon School.

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Date of Adventure: May, 2021.
Location(s): Willingdon, AB.
Article references and thanks: Book – History of Willingdon 1928-1978, Village of Willingdon, University of Calgary photo archives, Google Streetview, Medicine Hat & District Genealogical Society, The Mayor of Willingdon and finally, Rob Pohl for hosting us.

Former home of Willingdon Poultry Processors.

Boarded up.

Another that’s empty right next door.

Manhattan Men’s Club?

Let’s talk Beater Challenge…

Our dear friend Rob Pohl and his gigantic view camera.

The old bank appears to be someone’s home now.

The only store that matters!

Looking down the main street (50th).

It’s all pretty quiet now.

The hotel (closed on our visit) also houses a little grocery store.

Little details…

The Mayor of Willingdon.

As old as the town itself.

Old streetview images shows it was also once a restaurant.

Street art.

Greyhound once served the community.

In every town we find new friends.

Along the abandoned railway line.