2001 - 10 YEARS AGO
- Phil Racine of the East Central Alberta Heritage Society Interpretative Site Committee was on hand to say a few words at the Canada Day celebrations in Donalda, as they officially unveiled the interpretative site at the location of the World’s Largest Lamp.
- You have to salute the efforts of the first Stettler Scouts and the Venturers as they prepare for the Canadian Jamboree at Cabot Park Beach Provincial Park, PEI. The members of both groups raised $47,000 to pay the way for the Stettler contingent of 20 (including adult leaders). They raised funds by providing the community with a variety of events and services, including garage sales, raking leaves, manning the food booth at football games, cleaning highways and working at the land-fill site.
1991 - 20 YEARS AGO
- Stettler Elks Golf and Country Club is studying the feasibility of building a new 18-hole golf course north of town. The club is hoping work on the new course can begin this fall if results of the study are favourable.
- The Alberta Prairie Steam Train brought close to 280 passengers to Donalda, many of which were school children who visited the museum and creamery. John Connon displayed Indian artifacts to the children, and Big Knife wardens had a wildlife display.
1981 - 30 YEARS AGO
- A modern-day pioneer family from Holland is engaged in a big dairy enterprise just east of Stettler. Joe and Ria Verhoeven and their 10 children look forward to increasing their herd to 500, and to opening a cheese factory.
- The town of Stettler is one of the ‘original seven’ communities which were served by Alberta Power Ltd. during its first year of operation, 53 years ago. Its predecessor Canadian Utilities Ltd., was incorporated as Mid-West Utilities Ltd. in 1927.
1971 - 40 YEARS AGO
Oh, you who boast a laughing son, and speak of him as bright;
And you who love a little girl who comes to you at night
With shining eyes and dancing feet with honours from her school
Turn to that lonely little lad who thinks he is a fool!
And take him kindly by the hand - the dullest in his class;
He is the one who most needs love - the boy who didn’t pass.
1961 - 50 YEARS AGO
- Stettler’s 21st annual stampede attracted a first-day crowd of more than 6,000, with perfect weather prevailing. The huge crowd was treated to a down-to-earth rodeo, featuring the top cowboys in the business.
- The grand opening of Johnson’s Motors was held June 24, with free balloons for the kiddies. Mr. Johnson is experienced in car servicing, and is the authorized dealer for Mercury, Meteor and Comet.
1951 - 60 YEARS AGO
- Father Allard’s Little Chief’s from Hobbema will visit Erskine next Sunday, and take on the Erskine Country Lads in a double-header.
- Content was a thriving village in 1903. It had several stores, a hotel, a doctor, a drug store, and the only post office in the wide area from Lacombe to the Saskatchewan border.
1941 - 70 YEARS AGO
- Omega Circle met at the home of Mrs. George Chick of Gadsby, with an attendance of 23 members. President Mrs. Jackson called the meeting to order with the singing of “The Maple Leaf Forever.”
- A severe electrical storm centred on the Castor district last week and the home of A. Stoeffer was struck by lightning. The family escaped in their night clothes but were unable to save anything.
1931 - 80 YEARS AGO
- Representatives from 12 UFA Locals met in Stettler and completed the organization of a cooperative purchasing organization. Twine, oil, coal, lumber, apples and flour are commodities which will be distributed to farmers at wholesale prices.
- The Dominion Day annual celebration was called off this year owing to the heavy rains. The total for the month of June is 5.89 inches, and this means that the long drought of the past few years is over.
1921 - 90 YEARS AGO
- The Liberal Convention for the nomination of a candidate for the coming provincial election was held in Stettler July 4 with an attendance of 160 delegates. Provincial Member E.H. Prudden pointed out that the prosperity of our province depends on obtaining control of our natural resources.
- Chautauqua came to an end after a successful session here of 11 concerts. The two events which seemed most popular were the lecture by Dr. Gordon, and the program given by the Symphony Orchestra.
1911 - 100 YEARS AGO
- The Stettler Independent’s guessing contest has come to a close; there were 67,251 kernels of grain in the jar. John O. Young of Castor has the closest guess of 67,111.