Excerpt from: "Hills of Hope" - Pub. by Carvel Unifarm, 1976
The Village of Wabamun - by Hilda Margerison
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Unfortunately, Carthew’s Drug Store was destroyed by fire in the summer of 1917 and the Royal George Hotel was destroyed with it. Neither of these businesses were re-built. Mrs. Smith, a widow by this time, moved to Edmonton. The Ned Carthews returned to the city. Ned later established a business in Jasper and was there for many years.
Dr. Anderson made a curling rink on his property for the children of the village. He also provided prizes for the rink that won the most games in the season. The children curled with flat irons and used any old broom that was available. Interest in this project was really keen. Often there were more onlookers than at the adult curling rink. It was a great sport. There was always skating on the lake. When the snow came a good sized area was scraped clean. Coal oil lanterns were used on moonless nights and bonfires were built to warm cold fingers and toes. Some winters a board fence was built around the rink and a shack was pulled out on the ice with a good wood burning heater in it. In the summer time there was swimming, boating, fishing hiking, picnicking, berry picking and playing games on Main Street such as "Pom-Pom-Pull-Away", "Kick the Can", "Hide and Seek" and so on until someone’s mother called "bed time".
Then the gathering would break up. On rainy nights there were table games, books, taffy pulls, a sing-song around the piano and neighbours dropping in. Also, there were card parties, dances, birthday parties and concerts, usually to raise money for some worthy cause. Horseback riding was a favorite sport. Sleigh rides in the winter were very enjoyable in a sleigh box half full of hay and blankets or robes for covers. This method of transportation was often used for attending dances at other places, such as Rexboro School, Fallis, Duffield and Mewassin.
The Grand Trunk Railway Company built a large wharf, in line with Main Street. Soon several boathouses were built in the vicinity.
The outbreak of war in August, 1914, brought great changes to Wabamun. The hotels that August day were filled to capacity but within a few days they were almost empty. The businesses never again experienced the peak crowds of former years. Men enlisted in the Services and their wives moved into the city rather than remain alone on homesteads and farms. The equipment made at Edson, to remove the weeds and silt from the lakeshore, remained in the railway yard and was still there years later. The plan to develop a resort at Wabamun was abandoned and never revived. The Reverend Edwin Teale left for England to become a chaplain to the armed services. The list of all those who enlisted can be found elsewhere in this book.
In the fall of 1914, the community bid farewell to the Cassan family who were leaving to take up ranching at Lousana, Alberta. The Boy Scouts made a presentation of a birthday book to Jim Cassan, inscribed with all their names.
In December, Charles Andrews brought his bride home to Wabamun. The former
Martha S. Knight of Airdrie, Alberta and a school teacher by profession. She was an excellent teacher and taught a total of twenty years in Wabamun. Charles Andrews eventually went into the garage business, first in partnership with Joe Babiuk. After fire destroyed their garage he went into business for himself.
In the year 1915, Carl Fogelstrom’s general store burned down. His house was saved by the volunteer firemen. Carl decided not to re-build as his wife’s health was failing, so they moved to the Pacific coast.
Dr. C.E Carthew sold his farm in the Smithfield district and moved into Wabamun with his wife and two daughters, Isabel and Alicia. They had purchased the A.L. Root residence. A son James had enlisted and was in France. Hannah, the oldest daughter, was now married to S. Warner Eakins.
Mr Eakins had purchased most of the lots in the Lakeview Subdivision, which he intended to develop into a summer resort. This was another project which World War I put an end to. He allowed the unsold lots to revert to the village and he went back to Toronto.
Dr. Carthew had sold his farm to a Mrs. Thomas Street and her sons, Charlie, Walter and Victor. She also had three daughters: Minnie, (Mrs. Hubble), Madge and Doris. Mrs. Hubble and her family lived in Edmonton. Madge was employed in the city while Victor was in the army. Mrs. Street’s husband, Thomas, from whom she was separated, also came over from England. He purchased the Cassan house. He was a well educated man and enjoyed gardening. He did odd jobs and gardening around the village, not that he
needed to, as he had sufficient funds to live in comfort. He recited at all concerts. He posed and gestured dramatically on stage and off. Locally, he was known as a "character". He was honest and straightforward. He served the school district as secretary-treasurer for two years. His handwriting was beautiful.
Late in 1915, Lucas Johnson and his brothers closed their mining operation and moved back to California. The Lucas Johnsons’ beautiful log house stood for many years as a reminder of this fine family.
The large livery stable owned by Walker Short burned down. The horses were saved but a number of pigs were lost. Work on a new barn began immediately.
The Honourable Frank Oliver held a political meeting in the schoolhouse on the evening of September 24, 1915.
The community was saddened by the death of Dr. Walter Anderson’s wife. Dr. Anderson gave up his general practice and closed out his business. He and his sons went to live at Indian Head, Saskatchewan. They were greatly missed and Wabamun had lost its only doctor.
Mr. Boswell passed away and was buried next to his granddaughter, Agnes Cassan, in the Wabamun Cemetery. Mrs. Boswell gave up her bread baking and closed the Maternity Home. She went away on an extended trip. The Margerison family rented her house. In the summer of 1917 a bush fire threatened the west end of the village. With a great deal of assistance form the employees of the Lakeside Coal Company the fire was contained and no buildings were lost.
Mr. G.C. Laight resigned as postmaster in 1917 and Mr. J.T Bamber was appointed, serving for ten years. The Bambers and daughter, Kathleen, came to the Wabamun district from Sion. The family had lost their yopungest son, Norris, in the war. Their other son, Sydney, was still serving overseas, as was a young man, Reginald Edgar, who had lived with the Bambers at Sion, in order to learn about farming. The three young men had enlisted at the same time.
Mr Bamber had lost part of his left arm before coming to Canada; it was amazing what he accomplished with one hand. He had a motor boat which he kept in first class running condition at all times. He served as a fishery inspector for a time. He was also a school trustee for several years. Mrs. Bamber and her daughters both took part in many community projects.
Waide and Violet Walker and their two little girls Olive and Arleen had moved into the village from their homestead on the Lac Ste, Anne Trail. They were originally from San Francisco, California. Mr. Walker’s mother, Mrs. C.B. Walker, owned land adjoining that of her son. A clairvoyant in the States told her that there was oil on her Canadian property so every summer she came to Wabamun and brought a well driller with her. This continued for several years. At one time a rumor was started that they had struck oil. Business men from Edmonton came flocking out, only to find the rumor false. Well
drilling was very expensive so Mrs. Walker was forced to abandon her dream. Glen Walker, her younger son, was serving in the Canadian Army. Her daughter, Florence, spent some time here.
In the summer of 1918, due to lack of business Mr. Forster was forced to close the Lakeview Hotel. The Forsters moved to Edmonton. This was a severe blow to the village, as it left Wabamun without hotel accomodation.
The A.C Smiths had sold their house in Wabamun to a Mr. and Mrs. Patrick and moved back to their farm. The Patricks soon decided to go farming and moved to a farm to the north. Mr. Patrick sold the property to the Alberta Government Telephone for a telephone office and living quarters for the agent.
Mrs. Margerison and her daughters moved from the Boswell house to the new telephone building. It was several weeks before the switchboard and other equipment could be moved from the old building on Main Street on account of the Spanish influenza epidemic sweeping the country at this time. Entire families were stricken at the same time. Everyone pitched in to help nurse the sick, keep stoves going, feed livestock, carry hot chicken broth to the stricken, brandy to the serious cases and look after children whose parents were ill. A government nurse was sent out from the city. Mrs. Will
Margerison, whose husband was overseas, came from her farm house to help as well. Both these ladies stayed with Mrs. George Margerison whose daughter Dorothy was ill. Dr. Carthew, who was supposed to be retired, worked day and night. He was alone at this time. His wife had gone to Toronto for an eye operation. When the good doctor became ill himself, he was cared for by those available. Schools were closed, all public gatherings were prohibited and masks containing layers of cheescloth were worn over nose and mouth by people leaving their homes. This mask was compulsory attire.
Hilda Margerison, at age thirteen, ran the telephone offiice until her sister recovered and her mother was relieved of her duties of caring for the sick and making chicken broth, by the gallon, for all and sundry. Thanks to Dr. Carthew and all the ladies and men who laboured so heroically, there were no deaths from the "flu" in Wabamun. A marvellous record! In many places people died from lack of care and attention.
On November 11th came the wonderful news of the Armistice! The War was over!
Thanks be to God! People prayed, sang, laughed, danced for joy, and went a little mad. Our men and boys, those who were spared, would be coming home.
That November the lake froze over gradually, clear and smooth as glass, no snow or wind to mar the surface and cause rough ice. Those who were well enough skated for miles; there were no large open cracks as in other years. You could skate along and watch the fish dart away from the sound of the skates.
Mrs. J.T. Bamber’s father, Mr Catterall, had come over from England on a visit. His greatest desire was to see snow and hear the jingle of sleigh bells. He passed away in January without having his wish granted.
In 1919, with the men back home, Wabamun came alive. The Bambers and Reg Edgar purchsed the Wabamun Trading Company from W.J. Taylor.
Later, W.J. Taylor and H.E Carter went to Lamont, Alberta and became partners in a butcher shop. Their families joined them later in the year.
On June 30 Lieutenant Edgar and Kathleen Bamber were married in the Anglican Church and the wedding dance was held in the Pavilion. As the evening progressed it became steadily cooler, so much so that some of the men went out and set fire to several brush piles, this helped somewhat. In the morning all the gardens were blackened with frost. It was the worst June frost in living memory.
The first Wabamun Community Club was formed in January, 1919. It was decided to make a tennis court and bowling green. Also the club would buy the shares in the Pavilion from the shareholders. Two lots were purchased from the village on First Avenue between King and Alberta Streets. When a majority of the shares had been obtained arrangements were made to move the Pavilion to the new site at a cost of one hundred dollars. Preliminary work was begun on the tennis court. Lumber for the portable platform for the school was purchased. Many other projects were undertaken. In time the tennis court became a reality.
In the early twenties the Walkers rented the Carter building for the purposes of opening a hotel. After renovations and purchase of equipment they opened for business. They also sold ice cream and soft drinks, cigarettes, and confectionery. Mr. Walker commissioned Andrew Anderson, a local artist from Sundance, to paint several large paintings to be hung in the dining room. These paintings still hang in the hotel today, fifty years later. Many dances and whist drives were held in the large dining room. Their business
flourished. In a few years they purchased the Dixon property and buildings on First Avenue. The house was moved to the west end of First Avenue, fixed up and rented and eventually sold to Nick Wichuk. The former restaurant building was incorporated into the new hotel. When it was completed Walkers vacated the Carter building and took up residence in their own hotel.
The Carter building was later moved by Mr. Carter to a site next to the tennis court. It was rented by Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Berg, who opened a restaurant and ice cream parlor.
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