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A
walk through the community reveals a look at the architecture and
character of Fort Macleod, and Alberta, at the turn of the
century. The historic buildings in Fort Macleod were restored and
preserved through the Main Street Program, an initiative funded by
the provincial government in 1984.
“The people in the community over the generations were wise enough
to realize what they have, and they have taken care of it,” Mayor
Shawn Patience said. “We take more pride in the restoration of an
old building than we do in the construction of a new one.”
The mayor said Fort Macleod’s historic buildings give the residents
a sense of pride in community and history. Patience said that
buildings built in the early days of Alberta still stand in Fort
Macleod is indicative of the town’s early roots.
“One hundred years ago people were here working hard to make this
town,” Patience said. “They took pride in the town then, and we
take pride now.” You can follow your own self-guided walking tour
using the map included in this tourist guide.
To begin your tour, park in the parking lot across from The Fort —
Museum of the North West Mounted Police on the one-way
thoroughfare heading west.
Start with a tour of The Fort — Museum of the North West Mounted
Police. The Fort was reconstructed in 1956-’57 as a museum through
the efforts of the Fort Macleod Historical Association. It houses
a wide variety of artifacts representing native culture, the
Mounted Police and pioneer themes.
Just west of the Fort Museum is the Stevens Building, which was
built in 1897 and housed the town’s first federal post office. It
is an example of the boomtown style that was characteristic of
Fort Macleod’s main street in the 1890s. The building was later
used as a Masonic Lodge, newspaper office and carpentry shop, and
this summer it houses an antique shop.
Follow the Devonian Walkway across from The Fort Museum onto Fort
Macleod’s historic Main Street.
On the north side of Main Street, at the corner of Main Street and
Second Avenue is the Queen’s Hotel, built in 1903, replacing the
original wood-frame structure. It was the first example of
extensive stonework done in the town.
Next to the Queen’s Hotel is the ATB Financial building, followed
by Andrews Hardware.
The building that houses Johnny’s Restaurant was built in July 1905
by John Callie. The building has a sandstone front, date stone and
semi- circular parapet at the roofline. Further east on Main
Street is the MacDonnell Block West — built by J.S. Lambert in
1909. The sandstone used here by the stonemasons came from the
Monarch quarry. At present it is home to Mereski Jewellers. Right
next door is the MacDonnell Block East, a finely crafted
two-storey structure with a sandstone front constructed in 1912.
It is home in 2008 to McNab Realty.
The next building is the Empress Theatre, which was built in 1912.
Still intact are the original pressed metal ceiling panels, wooden
floors and stage, and dressing rooms complete with graffiti by
touring vaudeville troupes as long ago as 1913. The original owner
was T.B. Martin. The building that now houses the Welcome Mat
Seniors’ Drop-In Centre was built in 1921 as Macleod Hardware.
The Mackay and Maclean building that is home to Village Greenery
and Gifts in 2008, was built in 1954, and the building that is
home to Marly’s Video Plus was built in 1946 as the Macleod’s
Store.
At the corner of Main Street and Third Avenue, you can see two
other historic buildings. To the north on Third Avenue is the J.C.
Edgar Building, built in 1906 and now home to Photo Plus. To the
south on Main Street is Kennefick Livery, built in 1906 and now
home to The Macleod Gazette.
Heading west on the south side of Main Street you will encounter a
building that is typical of the one-storey wood frame boomtown
structures that lined Fort Macleod’s Main Street during the 1890s.
It is now home to Itsy’s Clothing. Next door is the Fort Macleod
Main Street Office, housed in a building built in 1910 of brickand
sandstone. The large semi-circular window is a noteworthy feature.
Further west is the Leather Block, which was built in 1910 and
houses the Silver Grill Restaurant. The restaurant’s interior
boasts a pressed metal ceiling and a turn-of-the-century bar and
counter.
Exterior features include sandstone quoining and stained-glass
windows on the second storey. According to a local legend the
large bar mirror was shattered by a bullet during a particularly
lively skirmish in the cafe around 1912-’13.
Continuing west on Main Street you will encounter the R.T. Baker
Building, which was built in 1909, which is now home to the Sears
catalogue outlet. This structure is somewhat unique in the town in
that both the front and rear walls are of sandstone.
The Reach and Co. Store built in 1907 is being renovated and on one
side houses Rahn’s Bakery.
The Anderton Block that houses Hodnett’s Rexall Drug Store was
built in 1908-’09 and is another fine example of sandstone
masonry. Also housing the drug store is the Cowdry Brothers Bank,
built in 1900. Next door is the A.Y. Young drug store built in
1903, and next to it is the McNeil Matthews east block, which was
built in 1910 and houses Floral Designs by Dawn Marie.
At the far west end of the block, on the south side of Main Street,
is the American Hotel. The original wood frame structure on this
site was the Klondyke Hotel, built in the 1890s and renamed the
American in 1900. In 1913 the present 45-room brick structure was
built.
For more information visit the Chamber of Commerce tourist
information centre at the east end of Main Street or the Main
Street Office. |
