Provincial grant funds historical research in Fort Macleod

The province last week approved a $16,000 grant for research into Fort Macleod’s heritage buildings.
The Alberta Historical Resources Foundation will fund research into buildings in the Fort Macleod Provincial Historic Area.
The goal of the research is to develop a detailed understanding of the evolution of buildings and use that information in facade improvements and conservation plans.
Fort Macleod’s is one of 61 projects across Alberta that will share in more than $790,000 in grants through the foundation’s Heritage Preservation Partnership Program.
“With pride in our past and a vision for the future, Albertans are working hard to preserve and share the rich heritage of our province,” Tourism Minister David Eggen said. “We are proud to partner with individuals, organizations, municipalities and businesses in investing in projects that create knowledge and awareness of our past, pride in our communities, and economic growth for a strong future.”
Most of the information about buildings in the Fort Macleod Provincial Historic Area dates from 1980 forward.
Town of Fort Macleod officials, in consultation with provincial officials, decided to apply for research funding.
The information will be used to develop new design guidelines for the provincial historic area.
The objectives of this project will apply to all buildings within the provincial historic area and will result in:
• Identifying the name and type of business that operated in each building over time since 1900, including the names of business owners and managers.
• Establishing a history of ownership of each building from original construction to date.
• Establishing a history of modifications or changes (including signs) to individual building facades.
• Identifying what buildings have occupied each building lot within the provincial historic area, what has been lost, and to source information and photographs on those as well.
• Sourcing historic photographs of buildings within the provincial historic area to reveal how individual facades and the streetscape has evolved over time.
• Capturing all images acquired through this research project in digital format and cataloguing them in a computer database.
• Updating the building files in the Main Street office to include all relevant information acquired.
A variety of sources of information will be tapped including libraries, museums, provincial and national archives and The Macleod Gazette.