It Continues: Thorsby Hotel Thorsby Alberta

On this warm summer’s eve the The Beer Parlour Project is a bit SW of Edmonton and paying a visit to the Thorsby Hotel, Thorsby Alberta. The project is a collaborative effort between Team BIGDoer, art (film) photographer Rob Pohl and we’re in search of a special vibe. We visit old watering holes, dig up a bit of history, interview patrons and document the goings-on.

It started out as something innocent enough. but since taken on a life of its own. We’re on a mission!

The goal is to capture a day-in-the-life of these small town institutions, weekend after weekend and one pint at a time. It’s an ambitious project that will see us doing this for years to come and may never fully find its end. We’re going put these places to record while they’re still here and we’re still able. As many as possible!

The force is strong at the Thorsby Hotel and the new owners doing something positive. A personable manager, cheery staff, an uncharacteristically amazing menu and good times all around make for a most pleasurable experience. It’s a place you want to come back to and not just settle for.

The hotels dates back to 1929, roughly concurrent with founding of the town and arrival of the railway. This line was part a branch that did a graceful arch from Lacombe to Leduc and built in fits and starts over more than a decade. It began as the Lacombe and Northwestern Railway but finished after purchase by the Canadian Pacific.

Today some remnants of the line continue to see use, and while the track is still present in Thorsby, this section is out of service.

Like its contemporaries of the time, the Thorsby Hotel was pretty typical in every way. They not only provided accommodations, but had an attached restaurant and beer parlour. Serving liquid refreshments is a steady almost recession proof business, then as now, and the main reason many of these businesses exist.

The building sits at the most prominent intersection in downtown Thorsby (50th and Hankin St) and when built a most strategic position. That put it right across the street from the train station and that’s where the action is. Or was. The Thorsby Hotel was the first things travellers would see on arriving in town and this a distinct advantage that brought in fair bit of business.

The trains are a distant memory yet things are not dire. Still the people come, not to stay, but instead to enjoy a meal, a couple cocktails, chat with friends and take in the music scene. To socialize.

The building had a flat top originally but by the 1950s displayed the peaked roof seen today. An early photo shows the building appearing as though unpainted and with natural wood exterior. There is no accompanying info but it may have been captured about the time of its construction.

There was an upper floor balcony at one time, but it’s long gone. The old roof, incidentally, had raised sections of parapet centred on (at least) the two street facing frontages with one displaying a painted hotel sign.

The exterior has been reclad but it still has a presence much like its older incarnation. Hotels were often the most prominent buildings in small towns and here it’s no exception. You can’t miss it, especially in the evening after the sidewalks have been rolled up and with nothing else going on. It’s there lit up like a pinball (a William’s Cyclone Pinball, perhaps*) and the light a beacon calling out into the night.

The first mention of the hotel is from a phone book entry in 1930. It reads: Thorsby Hotel A Korpan (manager) and the number was eleven. Yes, two ones and that’s it. Hard one to remember! Post War, the number remained the same, but the manager now listed as one John Kinaselwich who remained in this position for many years to follow.

Later phone book entries, about the time they went to seven digit direct dialed numbers in the ’60s, don’t mention the person in charge.

Today the business operates as the Thorsby Hotel Bar & Grill.

Our motely group chatted with patrons, staff and the manager – who ever had something to share. Portraits were captured, many candids too and the mood jovial. We ate, we ate well, downed a couple pints, listened to the music and were among friends. It’s like someone’s really big basement rumpus room, casual, easy going and everyone a compadre.

The notes, the photos, both film and digital, the sound recordings, the time lapse movies have all been socked away into our ever growing Beer Parlour Project library. They’re now a chapter in this ambitious multi-year undertaking and the goal is to capture a slice of Canadiana. A little one, but doing our part to insert them into the historical records.

Below we present a few sample photos from this visit and please enjoy. In addition to the regular players, we were joined by art photographer Arturo Pianzola (here – new window: Arturo Pianzola Photographer) and our latest associate, seven year old Agreema, daughter of the Thorsby Hotel Manager.

The pub is family friendly until later. After dropping by to visit with her father, Agreema saw the Beer Parlour Project in full swing and asked to join in. In a most a polite way.

Happy to oblige!

Look here, press this, watch for the green squares and have fun. While no one had any expectations, the results are nothing short of inspired. That’s in spite of the challenging low-light conditions and gear that’s mercilessly unforgiving. A seven year old?

One of her the images is included below. Funny how an impromptu out of the blue kind of happening became such eye-opener. Time to to adjust our approach…let’s channel our inner child and drop the jaded old timer persona.

A list of establishments visited for the Beer Parlour Project, so far…

It Continues: Tofield Hotel (Royal Alexandra), It Continues: Big Valley Inn, It Continues: Elk River Inn Hosmer, It Continues: Greenhill Hotel and It Begins at the Egremont Hotel.

There’s many more completed hotel visits waiting in the wings and to be posted later, plus many more arranged but as yet visited. It’s wild ride so hang on. We’re not sure where it’ll take us anymore, and the project morphing as we go, but every person involved knows something amazing waits at the end.

*We’re old pinheads and what a surprise to see a 1980s Williams Cyclone on site and available for play. Flashback to another time and memories of challenging this game in some seedy pool hall in Vancouver. Being so into it that the world could end and still we’d be oblivious to the apocalypse. A familiar call out is heard: “Hey you with the face!” and now it’s a reunion with an old friend and that close to high score.

Know more (new window): Thorsby Hotel Bar & Grill Thorsby Alberta (the food is amazing!)

Stop by often for fresh and interesting content being posted regularly.

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Exploring small towns…
A Few (Frigid) Minutes in Trochu Alberta.
Random Olds Alberta.
Wandering Shaunavon.

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Date of Adventure: August, 2023.
Location(s): Thorsby, AB.
Article references and thanks: Vivek, Deepak, Agreema and the wonderful staff of the Thorsby Hotel, dated photos from the UofC archives, Medicine Hat & District Genealogical Society and the book From Frontier Days in Leduc and District: 65 Years of Progress, 1891 – 1956.

The night’s entertainment.

At the Thorsby Hotel, built in 1929, for the Beer Parlour Project.

Nothing going out of the street but inside it’s rockin’.

From guest photographer, 7 year old Agreema.

“Hey you with the face!” That close too.