Search Islandora Content

Audio - Mr. Frank Falconer and Mr. Todd Richards discuss stories from their personal history. Mr. Richards was a pioneer farmer who arrived in Athabasca in 1911, his uncle, David Keir built a dance hall in Athabasca. Mr. Falconer tells the story of…

Audio - Raised in a small log home on a homestead west of Baptiste Lake, Larry reflects on early memories and challenges of rural farm life. After becoming a teacher, marrying and working around Edmonton, he returned to teach in Athabasca and lives…

Audio - Mr. Joe Martynuk was born on January 16th, 1898 in Czechoslovakia. He came to Athabasca at the age of twenty-eight in 1926. He bought a farm and his family joined him. Mr. Martynuk talks of early farm life, animal care and crops. He mentions…

Audio - Mrs. Jesse Rollings gives a detailed account of life and work on the Athabasca River starting from 1922. She explains logging/lumbering and freighting on the river with great detail including: names of companies, ships, employees, and…

Audio - Mr. Alexander Lennie arrived in Athabasca in 1930 with his wife and seven children to homestead on Soldier Settlement Land. He talks about clearing the land, and starting his farming life in Athabasca. Mr. Lennie discusses other settlers,…

Audio - Great grandparents came to Canada from USA in early 1800s. Family homesteaded in Athabasca in 1894. His father got his own homestead in 1917. Mother became a teacher. Ken went to Vermilion School of Agriculture. In 1969 he took over the…

Audio - Came to Canada from the Ukraine 1929. Talked about voyage on the ship from the Ukraine. Life on the homestead, breaking land, building school house, how the farm grew as the years went on. Also mentions his Dad buying a horse-drawn wagon…

Audio - Married at 19, Bessie and her husband Roy homesteaded and had eight children, including five delivered at home. A daughter with celiac disease died at age 3. After fire destroyed their home, the family lived in a granary. Her husband died at…

Audio - Raised in Edmonton, Bonnie’s heritage is Scottish and English. In WWI, her father was a bombardier and prisoner of war. Later, while working for Air Canada, his family received free passes to go places, and spent many summers with family in…

Audio - Mr. Gordon Vance discusses his personal history and life in Athabasca. He talks of the ferry and of his early teachers (Edith Chapman, Jean Falconer, Fred Meadows, Miss Plumley and Tiny Shaw- the Principal.) He discusses his friendships and…

Audio - Mrs. Elizabeth Byrtus tells her personal history starting with the arrival in Athabasca of Mike Byrtus via Austria and the United States in 1912. She discusses raising a family and early farm life, including her fear of the wild animals in…

Audio - Mr. Oscar Green gives a detailed account of life in Athabasca starting with his family's immigration from the United States in 1911. Mr. Green was a member of the Citizens Band and was also involved with Forrest Day's boxing…

Audio - Mr. Leo Noddings talks about the Depression and politics, including the Farm Credit Arrangement Act with R.B. Bennet in power. Other politicians mentioned are : George Mills, Ike Gagnon, Charlie Cross and Bill Waller. Mr. Noddings also…

Audio - Mr. Tom Gorman and Mr. John Gorman discuss their lives in Athabasca including Tom's birth on April 3, 1917, the first night that Dr. Meyer arrived in Athabasca. Early farming, fishing, freighting and railway stories are discussed in…

Audio - Mr. Edwards discusses immigrating to Alberta due to segregation in the United States. He recounts the early history, leaders and locations of black settlements in Alberta. He reveals how Amber Valley got its name along with descriptions of…

Audio - Mr. D. Shalapay Sr., Mrs. Annie Rypien, Mrs. Nancy Shalapay, Mr. Mike Rypien, and Mrs. Olga Meardi spend the balance of the tape discussing teachers and school systems since World War II. They also have a general conversation about farming,…

Born and raised in Amber Valley and Edmonton, AB. Spent 34 years in the North West Territories. Raising her 6 children, 2 of whom were adopted as infants in the NWT, she devoted herself to volunteering with activities surrounding family, faith,…

Audio - Raised on a farm in Perryvale, Larry’s first train ride was going to Edmonton to attend the University of Alberta. He competed in wrestling, winning many championships and was on the Canadian National Wrestling team. After completing his…

Audio - Rosie is a community builder, and discusses her many years of involvement with the Athabasca Pottery Club, including finally settling in the basement of the Old Brick School. Also, she is a long-time member of the Athabasca Lions’ Club and…

Audio - Mrs. Elizabeth Byrtus talks of her early life and family in Poland before she came to Athabasca. Mrs. Byrtus brother-in-law was in Athabasca and Mrs. Byrtus came out with her sister to help with her nieces and nephews. She discusses her…

Audio - This is a personal history of Mr. Alex Lennie who arrived in Athabasca Landing in 1903 with his brothers. He talks about his first home in the area, life at that time and the changes he has seen since 1903. He talks about the naming of the…

Audio - Mrs. Jettie Willey, Mrs. Roseanna Shank, Rev. B.A. Rathbone and Hugo Carlson discuss many firsts to happen in the Athabasca area including: Mr. Dean , the first school teacher in Athabasca, MacLeod's Creamery had the first electricity…

Audio - Mr. Douglas Hay and Mrs. Millie Hay discuss their personal history, including the arrival of Mr. Hay's family in Colinton in 1905. They discuss freighting, farming, education, businesses and residents of Athabasca and Colinton (2:50:41…

Audio - Gladys shares early farm stories, including picking rocks, stooking hay, threshing, gardening and raising farm animals. When growing up, school, 4-H, church and community activities were important. As an adult, Gladys pursued secretarial and…

Audio - Father's family were immigrants from Italy. Homesteaded in Perryvale. He worked on railroad, in the mines, and farmed. Father was MLA for Athabasca. Mother's family moved from USA to Canada, and also homesteaded in Perryvale.…