The Weather Woman of the West: Eda Owen and the Highlands Dominion Meteorological Station
Edmonton’s history is full of remarkable women. From Beatrice Carmichael to Thelma Chalifoux, from Betty Stanhope-Cole to Felicia Graham, from…
Stories categorized: People
Richard Henry Secord and Métis Scrip Speculation
When history is told, it largely reflects events, understandings and individuals who best serve the desires of the recorder. In…
Peter Erasmus & Storytelling
There’s something about a good story and a good storyteller. Stories and facts aren’t exclusive, thank goodness. We all connect…
NeWest Press: A Regional Publishing Pioneer
NeWest Press may no longer be new—it will soon commemorate its 40th anniversary—but when it began in 1977, it was…
Beatrice Carmichael – The Grand Dame of Edmonton Opera
Known to her students and close friends as Auntie Van, Beatrice Carmichael was a classically trained musician from Chicago, who…
Metis Matriarch – Thelma Chalifoux
Our mothers are more than just a physical person, just as our houses are more than just a structure to…
Mind the Gap – Working Women in Edmonton’s history
In the book Women: Her Character, Culture and Calling published in 1890 the author writes; Woman the half of humanity, and…
Jemmy Jock Bird: Interpreter with an Independent Spirit
James Bird Jr. (1798-1892), also known as “Jemmy Jock Bird,” “Jimmy Joke Bird”, “Jamey Jock Bird,” and many variations in…
Nick Mischi: Dulcimer Master
Necolai “Nick” Mischi was eight years old in 1915 when he fell in love for the first time. It happened…
Betty Stanhope-Cole and the mystery of the missing plaque
Just east of the Capilano Bridge, there is a small park overlooking the Highlands Golf Club. It has a view…
A Place for Women: The Wauneita Society at the University of Alberta
In 1908, Alberta premier Alexander Rutherford’s dream came to fruition. The University of Alberta was formed in Strathcona, and class…
The Prins Family and the Dutch in Beverly
Jacob and Aafje Prins helped more than 800 Dutch newcomers settle in Canada and the hospitality of their big white…