culture/history
By Cheryl Taylor
Photos courtesy Okotoks Museum and Archives
Time travelling
Museum and Archives dedicated to preserving Okotoks’ past
“I hope that we don’t lose
touch with our history through
stories about our people.”
artifacts;and/or;stories;to;that;end.;It;is
from;the;townspeople;that;the;archives
come,;she;says,;and;a;steady;flow;of
donations;is;what;keeps;the;archives;vital.
New;residents;are;interested;in;where
they;live,;says;Coutts,;and;despite;all;the
development;over;the;last;decade,;the
Town;of;Okotoks;recognizes;its;historic
roots;and;is;committed;to;further
preserving;Heritage;House.;In;October,;a
number;of;interior;renovations;and;a;new
look;complete;with;exterior;paint;will;be
finished.;Edwardian;houses;of;this;type;in
the;prairies;were;usually;quite;colourful,
so;the;colour;scheme;will;no;doubt;be;a
refreshing;change.
Ron;Ulrich,;Town;of;Okotoks
Cultural;and;Historical;Ser-
vices;Team;Leader,;defines;the
renovations;as;a;“functional
restoration”.;Everything;from
light;switches;to;fixtures;to
flooring;will;be;carefully;repli-
cated;in;order;to;provide;a;good;example
of;early;1900s;architecture;while;being
installed;according;to;code.;The;upstairs
balcony;will;be;restored;as;well;so;that;it
is;safe;to;be;used;once;again,;perhaps;for
a;small;get;together;over;tea;as;the;former
residents;would;have.
Tours;of;Heritage;House;can;be;arranged
for;any;group,;with;school;class;visits
offering;a;great;way;to;bring;local;history
alive;for;children.;This;fall;and;winter;will
see;some;new;Sunday;Salon;art;and;music
programming;plus;a;series;of;exhibits
documenting;the;changes;that;have;taken
place;at;Heritage;House;over;the;years.;OL
All;the;outhouses;in;Okotoks;used;to;be;pumped;out;by
a;man;who;drove;what;was;ironically;called;the;“honey
wagon”.;Understandably,;it;was;quite;the;local;disaster
when;on;occasion;he;would;accidentally;spill;his;load.
Another;story;preserved;is;about;Dr.;Ardiel,;for
whom;a;number;of;businesses;and;streets;today;are
named.;He;was;called;out;to;attend;a;birth;on;a;farm
near;the;Big;Rock;one;day.;He;had;Jimmy;Morrison,
the;livery;operator,;drive;him;out;on;a;sleigh;and;it;is
through;Jimmy;that;we;have;an;oral;account;of;this
event;in;the;archives.;“Doc;handed;me;a;baby;boy;with
instruction;to;wrap;him;up;in;something;warm;and
put;him;in;the;basket;on;the;oven;door”.;Jimmy;found
an;old;pair;of;worn-out;Stanfield’s;underwear;to;do;the
job;and;when;baby;boy;number;two;and;then;three
came;out;of;the;bedroom;it;was;his;and;Doc’s;sweaters
that;were;used;next.
“I;hope;that;we;don’t;lose;touch;with;our;history
through;stories;about;our;people,”;says;Coutts.;In
fact,;she;welcomes;any;donations;of;relevant;historic
BUILT IN 1905 and;formerly;known;as;the;Welch
House,;after;former;Mayor;George;Welch;and;his;wife
Sara,;Heritage;House;(located;at;49;North;Railway;Street)
was;moved;nine;years;ago;from;the;corner;of;Elizabeth
Street;and;Northridge;Drive;to;its;present;site.
The;Town;of;Okotoks;Museum;and;Archives,;which
began;in;2000,;along;with;the;historical;society
preserves;the;past;of;the;area;and;breathes;new;life
into;it;through;people’s;imaginations.
Kathy;Coutts;at;the;Okotoks;Museum;and;Archives,
whose;family;has;been;here;since;1911,;grew;up;on
stories;that;her;family;passed;down;to;her;about;the
early;life;of;Okotoks;as;an;agricultural;town.;One;story
she;likes;to;tell;to;school;and;tour;groups;is;about;the
lack;of;indoor;plumbing;at;Heritage;House;prior;to;1952.
Heritage House, home of the
Okotoks Museum and Archives
Kathy Coutts at the Okotoks
Museum and Archives
Hours of operation:
Monday - Friday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturady - Sunday 12 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Admission: donations welcome
