Galt Historic Railway Park
Encyclopedia
The Galt Historic Railway Park, collects, preserves, restores, exhibits and interprets artifacts which represent the history and social impact of the "steam" era in southern Alberta and the coal era with emphasis on Galt Railway and the 1890 International Train Station Depot North West Territories from Coutts
/Sweetgrass
.
The Museum is affiliated with: CMA
, CHIN
, and Virtual Museum of Canada
.
of investors from Canada, England
and the United States
. Alexander and his son Elliott Torrance Galt co-founded the Town of Lethbridge
, Alberta in 1883, when he established a mine on the banks of the Oldman River
in the southwest portion of the District of Alberta
, Northwest Territories. The Canadian Post Office refused to accept the name Lethbridge for the community until 1885 because there was another town with the same name in the Dominion of Canada. Sir Alexander Galt laid out the street plan of Lethbridge's present location in 1885 after his settlement was moved to the prairie level from the river valley. Canada's Governor General, the Marquis of Landsdowne
, demonstrated the Dominion government's support of the Galt enterprises, by opening the Galts' railway in September 1885 in Lethbridge.
Galt's company, the North Western Coal and Navigation Company
went through a variety of name changes as it moved into railways, and irrigation enterprises. A public park
and a museum
(formerly a hospital) in Lethbridge and a train station are named after him. Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier
dedicated the Galt Hospital addition, which houses the Galt Museum, in 1910.
Sir Alexander was the founding President of The Guarantee Company of North America
in 1872, providing fidelity bonds to guarantee the honesty of employees of railroads and government, which still exists today as the largest provider of surety bonds in all of Canada in public works and government services.
Straddling the Canada – United States border from 1890 to 1915, it is the only existing example of this kind of structure left in Western Canada. The International Border ran through the waiting / dining room. The Telegrapher and Station Agent worked in the centre section, arranging shipment in Bond to proceed from Coutts, Alberta
to Sweetgrass, Montana
, and vice-versa. It was one of only two "Lunch Stations" along the railway line which ran from Lethbridge, Alberta to Great Falls, Montana
. Around 1915, the northern part of the station was moved across the border to Coutts, where it was used by the Canadian Pacific Railway until the closing in the late 1960s.
In 2000 the station was bought by the Great Canadian Plains Railway Society and moved to an 35 acres (14.2 ha) site, 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) north of Stirling, where it has been completely restored back to its original glory.
Coutts, Alberta
Coutts is a village in Alberta and the location of one of the busiest Canada – US border crossings in western Canada. It connects Highway 4 to Interstate 15, an important trade route between Alberta, American states along I-15, and Mexico.In 2004, a joint border facility opened in Coutts-Sweet...
/Sweetgrass
Sweetgrass, Montana
Sweet Grass is an unincorporated community in Toole County, Montana, United States, on the Canada-US border. It is the northern terminus of Interstate 15, an important route connecting western Canada, the western United States, and Mexico.In 2004, a joint border facility opened at the Sweetgrass...
.
The Museum is affiliated with: CMA
Canadian Museums Association
The Canadian Museums Association is a national organization for the promotion of museums in Canada.The Canadian Museums Association is the national organization for the advancement of the Canadian museum sector, representing Canadian museum professionals both within Canada and internationally. The...
, CHIN
Canadian Heritage Information Network
The Canadian Heritage Information Network is a Canadian government-supported organization that provides a networked interface to Canada's heritage, largely through the World Wide Web. It aims to give access to Canada's heritage for both Canadians and a worldwide audience, by supporting the...
, and Virtual Museum of Canada
Virtual Museum of Canada
The Virtual Museum of Canada is Canada's national virtual museum. With a directory of over 3,000 Canadian heritage institutions and a database of over 600 virtual exhibits, the VMC brings together Canada's museums regardless of size or geographical location.The VMC includes virtual exhibits,...
.
History
Originally built in 1890 by Sir Alexander Galt and his son Elliott Galt partners in a consortiumConsortium
A consortium is an association of two or more individuals, companies, organizations or governments with the objective of participating in a common activity or pooling their resources for achieving a common goal....
of investors from Canada, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Alexander and his son Elliott Torrance Galt co-founded the Town of Lethbridge
Lethbridge
Lethbridge is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada, and the largest city in southern Alberta. It is Alberta's fourth-largest city by population after Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer, and the third-largest by area after Calgary and Edmonton. The nearby Canadian Rockies contribute to the city's...
, Alberta in 1883, when he established a mine on the banks of the Oldman River
Oldman River
The Oldman River is a river in southern Alberta, Canada. It flows roughly west to east from the Rocky Mountains, through the communities of Fort Macleod, Lethbridge, Taber, and on to Grassy Lake, where it joins with the Bow River to form the South Saskatchewan River, which eventually drains into...
in the southwest portion of the District of Alberta
District of Alberta
The District of Alberta was one of four districts of the Northwest Territories created in 1882. It was styled the Alberta Provisional District to distinguish it from the District of Keewatin which had a more autonomous relationship from the NWT administration...
, Northwest Territories. The Canadian Post Office refused to accept the name Lethbridge for the community until 1885 because there was another town with the same name in the Dominion of Canada. Sir Alexander Galt laid out the street plan of Lethbridge's present location in 1885 after his settlement was moved to the prairie level from the river valley. Canada's Governor General, the Marquis of Landsdowne
Henry Petty-FitzMaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne
Henry Charles Keith Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne, KG, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, PC was a British politician and Irish peer who served successively as the fifth Governor General of Canada, Viceroy of India, Secretary of State for War, and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs...
, demonstrated the Dominion government's support of the Galt enterprises, by opening the Galts' railway in September 1885 in Lethbridge.
Galt's company, the North Western Coal and Navigation Company
North Western Coal and Navigation Company
The North Western Coal and Navigation Company also known as Alberta Coal and Railway Company, was a coal mining company formed in 1882 by Sir Alexander Tilloch Galt, one of Canada's Fathers of Confederation...
went through a variety of name changes as it moved into railways, and irrigation enterprises. A public park
Galt Gardens
Galt Gardens is a urban park located in downtown Lethbridge, Alberta. It is the location of many of the city's festivals and is also the home of the Southern Alberta Art Gallery.-History:...
and a museum
Galt Museum & Archives
Galt Museum & Archives is the primary museum in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, and is the largest museum in the province south of Calgary. In 2006, the museum cared for a growing collection of over 20,000 artifacts and 300,000 archival documents and photographs record the history of Lethbridge and...
(formerly a hospital) in Lethbridge and a train station are named after him. Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier
Wilfrid Laurier
Sir Wilfrid Laurier, GCMG, PC, KC, baptized Henri-Charles-Wilfrid Laurier was the seventh Prime Minister of Canada from 11 July 1896 to 6 October 1911....
dedicated the Galt Hospital addition, which houses the Galt Museum, in 1910.
Sir Alexander was the founding President of The Guarantee Company of North America
The Guarantee Company of North America
The Guarantee Company of North America , founded in 1872, is currently the largest purveyor of contract surety and fidelity bonding in Canada....
in 1872, providing fidelity bonds to guarantee the honesty of employees of railroads and government, which still exists today as the largest provider of surety bonds in all of Canada in public works and government services.
Straddling the Canada – United States border from 1890 to 1915, it is the only existing example of this kind of structure left in Western Canada. The International Border ran through the waiting / dining room. The Telegrapher and Station Agent worked in the centre section, arranging shipment in Bond to proceed from Coutts, Alberta
Coutts, Alberta
Coutts is a village in Alberta and the location of one of the busiest Canada – US border crossings in western Canada. It connects Highway 4 to Interstate 15, an important trade route between Alberta, American states along I-15, and Mexico.In 2004, a joint border facility opened in Coutts-Sweet...
to Sweetgrass, Montana
Sweetgrass, Montana
Sweet Grass is an unincorporated community in Toole County, Montana, United States, on the Canada-US border. It is the northern terminus of Interstate 15, an important route connecting western Canada, the western United States, and Mexico.In 2004, a joint border facility opened at the Sweetgrass...
, and vice-versa. It was one of only two "Lunch Stations" along the railway line which ran from Lethbridge, Alberta to Great Falls, Montana
Great Falls, Montana
Great Falls is a city in and the county seat of Cascade County, Montana, United States. The population was 58,505 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Great Falls, Montana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Cascade County...
. Around 1915, the northern part of the station was moved across the border to Coutts, where it was used by the Canadian Pacific Railway until the closing in the late 1960s.
In 2000 the station was bought by the Great Canadian Plains Railway Society and moved to an 35 acres (14.2 ha) site, 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) north of Stirling, where it has been completely restored back to its original glory.
See also
- Canadian Pacific RailwayCanadian Pacific RailwayThe Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
- List of attractions and landmarks in Stirling
- List of heritage railways in Canada
- List of museums in Canada
- List of provincial historic sites of Alberta
- Stirling, AlbertaStirling, AlbertaStirling is a village in the County of Warner No. 5, Alberta, Canada. The village is located on Highway 4, approximately southeast of Lethbridge and northwest of the United States-Canada border....