SAGE: Victoria Day Weekend and Opening for a New Season!

  
    May Long weekend 2013 brought sunny skies, 

blooming earth and tourists to us at the St. Albert Grain Elevator site.  We've had a slow start to each morning, but sure enough happy and relaxed tourists always arrive with the afternoon sun! 
  On Saturday we had a wedding party take pictures with the majestic grain elevators.  We also had a visit from the Conlin family, and enjoyed the company of Marcella's puppy Mischief.  What a lovely long weekend!   

        

Mischief!

  With breaks from tours, we successfully planted the   vegetable garden on Sunday and patiently waited for    rain.  We were all delighted by the sprinkle on Monday afternoon, but still are crossing our fingers for more!

   Marcella also baked a cake on Monday so we could properly (in the best old fashioned way) celebrate Victoria Day weekend.  Her sponge cake was  delectable!  Our guests seemed to  enjoy it. 

      

    On Monday we also enjoyed a quick visit from a horticultural writer from Ontario touring St. Albert.  Hopefully our gardens are up to her standards!

Sydney and Me! (Danielle)

With a successful opening weekend behind us, we're really looking forward to more sunshine and visitors all season long!

If you are in St. Albert on July 1, 2013 join us at the St. Albert Grain Elevator Park for our annual "Dominion Day" celebration from 11am til 4pm. 

For more information about what is happening at our heritage sites on Canada Day visit www.museeheritage.ca

- Danielle 

140th anniversary of the North-West Mounted Police

The North-West Mounted Police (NWMP) were established by a act passed by the Dominion of Canada on May 23, 1873 to serve the Northwest Territories. Their formation was prompted by the need to stop liquor trafficking from the United States and the need for the government to establish their presence in the Northwest Territories. The Force came into existence on August 30, 1873, when the the act was brought into effect.

The old St. Albert NWMP barracks in the early 1900s.

St. Albert acquired a detachment of the NWMP in 1888, including the construction of the St. Albert NWMP barracks on St. Anne Street.

The NWMP earned an honourable reputation in the St. Albert area. In 1892, the detachment added to their barracks with the purchase of an adjacent lot from David Chevigny. The recommendation made by the Minister of Public Works to purchase the site from David Chevigny can be seen at: http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/orders/001022-119.01-e.php?&sisn_id_nbr=49482&page_sequence_nbr=1&interval=20

The skating rink located on St. Anne Street, ca. 1920-1940.  The former NWMP barracks in the background was used as a place to change skates and to warm up.

The police detachment was closed around 1908 and the barracks became the town office, most likely due to St. Albert's proximity to the new headquarters in Edmonton, and due to St. Albert becoming a town in 1904 and hiring its own municipal constable.

Alfred Arcand, who came west with the North West Mounted Police and settled in the St. Albert area in 1880. Seen here in a new RCMP uniform for the Father Lacombe statue unveiling, September 1929.

New exhibit at the museum, Arctic Life: Lomen Brothers Photography

Musée Héritage Museum is proud to present Arctic Life: Lomen Brothers Photography, an exhibit comprising of the stunning photographs of the Yupik people and life in Nome, Alaska at the start of the 20th century.



The Lomen family moved to Nome in 1903 from Minnesota, drawn by the gold rush and unexplored riches of Alaska. They purchased a photography studio in 1908, among other businesses. Brothers Carl, Henry, Alfred, and Ralph were partners in the photography business and quickly became experts at maintaining cameras in Arctic temperatures.



Tragically, their studio burned down in 1934. Over 30,000 negatives and 50,000 prints were destroyed. The photographs in this exhibit are some of their surviving images depicting the Yupik people and early 20th century life in Nome.

Musée Héritage Museum is excited about hosting this marvelous exhibit from April 9 - June 16, 2013.

For more information contact the museum at 780-459-1528 or visit our website MuseeHeritage.com.

Image credits: (top) Lomen Brothers, Inuit Children, Alaska, c. 1900-1908, Glenbow Archives ND-1-71, Lomen Brothers, Inuit hauling reindeer meat from Cape Prince of Wales to Nome, Alaska, c. 1903-1915, Glenbow Archives ND-1-836, (centre-left) Lomen Brothers, Inuit Woman, Nowadluk, from Cape Prince of Wales, Alaska, 1903, Glenbow Archives ND-1-56, (bottom-right) Lomen Brothers, Inuit Man, Thomany Illayak, Nome, Alaska, 1903, Glenbow Archives ND-1-34

Victor Post exhibit opening

Wednesday, February 6, 2013 was the official opening of "Catching the Light: The Life and Photography of Victor Post", an exhibit made up of images from award-winning St. Albert photographer, Victor Post.

After Victor Post passed away in 2001, his vast collection of photographs was donated by his wife, Kathy Post, to the Musée Héritage Museum. The museum has been actively working to process the collection. The exhibit features selected photographs from the Victor Post fonds, chosen to cover Victor's life and his many interests, such as holography, science, ham radio, aviation, and his commission work as official photographer for the Government of Alberta.

Kathy Post traveled all the way from Kelowna, BC to attend the function. She talked about Victor's sense of pride for being associated with St. Albert. She expressed her happiness about seeing Victor's works on display and the lasting legacy of his work for the city of St. Albert.

Mayor Crouse presents Kathy with a memento book created for the 150th anniversary of the mission.

The evening was filled with fond memories of Victor, from Kathy and many others who worked with or knew Victor personally.

  

For more information about the Victor Post fonds, please visit our website at: http://museeheritage.ca/archives-library/

"Catching the Light" is currently open to the public until March 31, 2013.

Special Event "Combo" at the Museum -- Take Your Best Shot Exhibit Opening and Snowflake Festival

Friday November 30, 2012 was a busy night at the museum  celebrating the second annual Take Your Best Shot Youth Digital Photo Exhibition Opening and the annual St. Albert Snowflake Festival.

The photo exhibition gives youth -- Grades 3 through 12-- the opportunity to enter our photo contest and have their entries on exhibit at the Musée Héritage Museum.  Along with their photos, we invited younger members of the community to tell us why they chose their St. Albert area nature subject.

Catherine with her first prize entry

Catherine, Grade 10

"Last July I chose to take a photo of this Canada Goose which I saw on a pond near St. Albert because the bird looked so majestic.  I took several photos that were more traditional showing the classic ringed neck of the Canada Goose.  I enjoy this photo because it shows the feathers in great detail and the water is so clam and peaceful beside the bird."

Maya, Grade 5  

Dandelion white, 

Old, but beauty still in sight. 

A backyard delight.

"I chose this picture because the colours pop.  Some people think of this flower as a weed.  I just think it is one of nature's beauties!"

Kaden, Grade 7

"I first saw this pathway when I was running with my  gym class to prepare for my school's Terry Fox Run. I told my mom about the beautiful pathway in the trees.  My mom did not know where it was so I showed her the ravine... I took a picture of the sun through the pathway of trees.

Elly, Grade 4  

"This is a picture of my best friend Grace's hands shaped into a heart....I took this picture just before a huge mass of storm clouds rolled over our camp.  I think this picture shows how much I love being out in nature.  The bright sun really reflects the natural beauty of our campsite and Sandy Lake."

                 

Family members and visitors to the Museum had the opportunity to view all of the photo entries this year.  Prizes were awarded by our Curator,  Joanne White, to the winners in three categories; Grades 3-6, Grades 7-9 and Grades 10-12.

Curator Joanne White

The Snowflake Festival happens every year in Downtown St. Albert and the Musée Héritage Museum is always happy to be part of the festivities. 

 This year we invited visitors into the museum to experience the youth photo exhibit, have a look at the current exhibits and warm up with hot cider and candy canes!  Check out the pictures below!

Roy busy making olde fashioned snowflakes with our younger visitors.

Mouse making activity with Kat

Making Christmas Mice with Jasmine

Looking at the Wind Work, Wind Play: Weathervanes and Whirligigs Exhibit--a travelling exhibit from the Canadian Museum of Civilization Collection