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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 - Mrs. Dorothy Chartrand discusses her family history which includes her grandfather, Octave, and his son Pierre setting up the Bellerose Livery Stable in Athabasca in 1898. She talks about her family's short sojourn in Colinton near the…

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 - Mr. Roy Bergeron and Mr. George Bergeron, sons of Horace Bergeron, owner of the Bergeron Sash and Door Store, discuss their personal history including the arrival of their mother in Athabasca from Jolliette, Quebec by covered wagon. They…

Audio - Mrs. Alice Donahue speaks of her early life in Red Willow, Alberta and her eventual move to Athabasca in 1937 following her marriage. She discusses the curriculum she studied as a child and other early memories. Mrs. Donahue's time in…

Audio - This is a group discussion of early education with Mr. James Wood, Mrs. Jessie Rollings, Mrs. Alice Donahue, Mrs. A. K. Stafford, and Mrs. Muriel Schumacher. They discuss early school buildings, educational materials (magazines), student…

Audio - Ms. Eileen Hendy discusses her personal history in Athabasca including historic sites/events she has researched such as: the railway, the Brick School House, the first blacksmith in town, the Hudson's Bay Co., the fur trade and the…

Audio - Mrs. Ellen Bishop (Loutit) discusses her personal history. She talks of life in the Athabasca area in the early part of the twentieth century with stories about dog teams pulling sleighs, collecting syrup from birch trees, etc. Mrs. Bishop…

Audio - Mrs. Alice Donahue, Mr. Nick Evasiuk, Mr. Tony Schinkinger, and Mr. Bob Richards discuss life and change in Athabasca following the end of World War II. The rebirth of the town, with veterans arriving back and settling into business with…

Audio - Mr. Joe Logan gives his personal history touching on his family, working life, and interactions with a variety of early Athabasca area residents. Mr. Logan talks about freighting and the Hudson's Bay Store, as well as lumbering and…

Audio - Mrs. Gladys Wright discusses homesteading in Athabasca including living in a tent on the riverbank when her family initially arrived in Athabasca in 1912. She mentions her time as a night operator in the telephone office as well as a lengthy…

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 - This is a discussion of the involvement of Mr. David H. Bower, Mr. G.J. (Jack) Smith, Mr. Arlo Rooke, Mr. Raymond W. Lewis, Mr. Nick Wyntonyk, and Mr. William Chrusch in World War II . Mr. Smith was the first soldier to land back 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 - Mr. Leo Noddings and Mrs. Amy Stafford discuss the Mills family and some of their jobs as carpenters in Athabasca (Robert Mills was Bertha Noddings father.) Other buildings and businesses in the early twentieth century are mentioned…

Audio - (Poor quality at beginning of second cassette for about 10 minutes). Roy recounts the history of his grandfather, Onesime Bergeron, who moved from North Dakota to Washington state to Morinville, AB to Athabasca, AB. Roy's father, Horace…

Audio - Mr. D. Shalapay Sr., Mrs. Annie Rypien, Mrs. Nancy Shalapay, Mr. Mike Rypien, and Mrs. Olga Meardi have a general conversation on farming topics including: how farmers supplemented their income by logging in the winter, the cost of tractors…

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 - Mrs. Violet Aldridge talks about Fort McMurray and the Athabasca area after 1912. She discusses the boats (sternwheelers and propellers) and the captains on the river including Captain Mills and Captain Haight. She mentions the funeral of…

Audio - Mrs. Cloe Day arrived with her family driving one of three Model T cars on December 28th, 1928. Her family homesteaded near Jackfish Lake. She became interested in teaching and attended teachers college in Edmonton in 1929. Mrs. Day talks…

Audio - Mr. Todd Richards covers a wide range of topics while looking at photos taken in the early part of the twentieth century in the Athabasca area. Mr. Richards discusses panning for gold in the river as well as the names of those who lived…

Audio - Mr. Alex Lafferty discusses his life in Athabasca having moved here around 1906. Freighting, the railroad ,and the many captains and companies on the river are mentioned including: Captain Haight, John Shott, and Captain Mills. Mr. Magnus…

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. Leo Noddings is recorded while looking at old photographs of land owned by his father in and around the town of Athabasca. He also comments on the Athabasca Hotel, the Sacred Heart Hospital (and the fire), the Star Theatre, Jack Lessard…

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 - 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 - Mr. Israel Shank, the former Chief Superintendent of the RCMP, discusses his years in the force. He also discusses politics and other subjects (landmarks in Athabasca) while looking at photos with the interviewer (28:02 minutes)

Audio - Mr. Falconer speaks of life in Athabasca from 1910 on including transportation and settlements, the black settlers, immigrants from the Ukraine and Poland, RCMP officers and various others. He recounts freighting teams bringing goods to…

Audio - Mr. Alex Lennie, Mrs. Barbara Ashacker and Mr. Frank Falconer reminisce about various Athabasca locals including: Bill Ross, the Rennisons, the Gosselins, Al Sharp's Blacksmith Shop, the Lessard's house and the Gullions. Mr. Lennie…

Audio - This is a discussion of early Athabasca life with Mr. Frank Falconer Jr., Mr. Charles Stewart (Buster) Bissell, Mr. Fred Wallin (once Town Foreman), and Mrs. Laura C. Green (Nee Goupil). This discussion ranges from the installation of the…

Audio - Mr. D. Torquil MacDonald of Rosewell, New Mexico, talks about his personal history. He tells the story of his father, Dr. MacDonald, rescuing a toddler (Sadie Marcella Gervais) from a fire at a hospital in New Mexico. The child moved with…