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Helping History Come Alive

If forgotten, history can be lost. A group of dedicated volunteers is working hard to ensure that the history of cross-border travel by train stays alive in Southern Alberta. In a prairie setting near the edge of the village of Stirling sits a large red building and a sign that reads Galt Historic Railway Park. "That building is the Coutts/Sweetgrass International Depot and it's older than Alberta," said history buff Bill Hillen. "Originally it stood at the Coutts border crossing and was a working train station from when it opened in October 1890 to its close in 1988."

The Depot is the only port-of-entry by rail station left in western Canada. The volunteers are painstakingly and authentically restoring it to its former glory. That kind of dedication doesn't come cheaply or easily.

The Great Canadian Plains Railway Society approached the Foundation for assistance in their efforts. They received a grant for the purchase of coal oil lamps for the building's interior. "The lamps are very important for the ambiance of the station," said Bill. "They are part and parcel of the history of that time because lighting was totally different from what it is today. The lamps are really show pieces and a focal point for the interior restoration."

Finding the lamps, called pendant or hall lamps, was a challenge, "We knew what the originals looked like thanks to an 1893 Sears Roebuck catalogue." That style of lamp can often be seen in old western movies. The volunteers haunted antique stores and passed the information along by word of mouth, as far afield as Ottawa and Australia.

However, the lamps are also expensive. "Even when we can find them, without financial assistance we cannot afford to purchase them," Bill said. "The grant from the Foundation was a real shot in the arm that was most appreciated."

From LCF Report to the Community 2005.