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Early life on the prairies is preserved at Heritage Acres Museum
west of Fort Macleod near the Oldman River dam.
Heritage Acres boasts one of the finest collections of antique farm
machinery in Alberta.
The mountainous Livingstone Range provides the scenic backdrop for
this museum, which was developed beginning in 1987 on a 181-acre
site about a mile north of the Oldman River Dam.
Heritage Acres was developed by volunteers to provide visitors a
unique look at early life on the family farm, and to complement
other recreational activities surrounding the Oldman River Dam. In
addition to the antique farm machinery, Heritage Acres is also
home to wagons, a number of historic buildings including a fully
restored Doukhobor barn, and many other attractions.
The Knox Presbyterian Church was relocated to Heritage Acres from
Jumbo Valley near Granum in2000. Church and memorial services are
still held in the church.
A prairie grain elevator was also restored. To fully appreciate the
museum, visitors should plan to spend the better part of an
afternoon at the site, walking the grounds and picking up bits and
pieces of the stories behind the vast collection, as told by
members of the Oldman River Antique Equipment and Threshing Club
who are caretakers of the site.
After touring the machines of yesterday, which fill three quonsets
at the museum, visitors will tour the Crystal Village, a miniature
village built by area resident Boss Zoeteman from more than
250,000 insulators from power poles.
Next stop is Ashvale school, originally built in 1914 about six
miles north of the Oldman River Dam to house Grade 1-9 students.
A short walk from the school is the magnificently restored
Doukhobor barn originally built in 1918 by Pete Maloff. The bright
red barn, with its white trim, used to be situated near the
village of Cowley. The museum will host its annual Heritage Days
celebration on the Heritage Day long weekend in August. The
weekend includes an antique tractor pull competition, pancake
breakfasts, demonstrations of teams of heavy horses pulling
antique farm machinery, threshing demonstrations, and the Parade
of Power featuring antique farm machinery.
Although the museum is officially open from April to September,
Heritage Acres can be visited year-round. There is no admission
and parking is free, but donations are accepted. Heritage Acres is
just off Secondary Highway 785. Call Heritage Acres at
403-627-2082. |
