Michelsen Farmstead
Encyclopedia
The Andreas Michelsen Farmstead, originally built in 1902 by Andreas himself as a two room house. In 1912 the house was added onto, to make 7 rooms in total, little has changed since. The homestead
consists of a 1.5 storey Victorian style
farmhouse with wraparound porch, various outbuildings; including a barn, granary, calving shed, coal shed, machine shed, corrals and pens, and an outhouse
; and landscape elements such as a dugout, cistern and filter, storage cellar, and garden. Located at the corner of 2nd Ave. & 6th Street, on the west half of four blocks in the northwest corner of the National Historic Site of Stirling, Alberta
.
The home remained in the Michelsen family until 1995 when the village in partnership with the Stirling Historical Society bought the homestead to turn into an interpretative center. In 2001 the homestead was registered as a Provincial Historic Resource and added to the Alberta Register of Historic Places. The Stirling Historical Society has since restored the property back to its original 19th century style and the farmstead is now a museum, depicting life as it was from 1900-1930s. Each summer the Historical Society holds day-camps for children and an old fashioned harvest dance which is held on the grounds of the Michelsen Farmstead every October.
September 20, 1857, and his wife Kirsten Marie, born in Aarhus
, Denmark April 3, 1854. They had a large family of four boys and four girls. The oldest daughter, Lena, born October 8, 1880 in Denmark.
The Michelsens' joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Around 1882, as was common at the time, in order to be closer to the Church, Andreas, Kirsten, and Lena immigrated to Monroe, Utah
. They had seven more children in Monroe.
In 1900 the Church of Latter Day Saints called on its people to move to Alberta, where land was sparse but arid and dry. Andreas and Kirstin took their two oldest children by train to Stirling, Alberta. Andreas was at first hesitant about permanently moving to Stirling but his four sons saw the opportunities the area had to offer. It was than decided that Stirling was a good choice for the family so the four of them headed back to Utah to gathered the rest of their family and belongings. In 1901 Stirling was now called their new home.
Shortly after arriving, Andreas and his sons were hired by the LDS Church on the construction of the canal from Kimball, Alberta to the Stirling Siding. The family first lived in a small tent between Cardston
and Magrath
called Pot Hole Coulee, once the canal was finished the family moved to their land in Stirling. The Michelsens' officially acquired their land in and around Stirling from the Church in 1904 for the work done on the Canal. In 1902 a small two room house was built on this parcel of land which was later added onto by a local carpenter, George Oler in 1912. Andreas was very active in church and community affairs and was a part of the Stirling Town Council for a year in 1909, and than again in 1913-1914.
Andreas and his four sons; Niels, Sirn, Dan, and Drace farmed and raised cattle around the Stirling district as well as Wrentham
by horses until tractors were invented. By than they had their very own Threshing machine
.
Andreas (Drace) Niels, and Dan played basketball in Stirling and won champions for several years. Lena had married James Austin and had a son living in Cardston, then Kalispell, Montana
. She married for a second time to Sam Lessard. Andreas (Drace) was never married, Annie got married to Urbann Young and had two boys. Hulda died as a child.
Carrie married Alfred Hirsche, and had five boys and one girl. Niels married Verda Spackman, and had two boys and a girl. Daniel married Lulu Barton, and had four boys and two girls. Soren (Sirn) married Elva Lybbert, and had three girls and two boys. Sirn passed away in 1978.
Homestead (buildings)
A homestead is either a single building, or collection of buildings grouped together on a large agricultural holding, such as a ranch, station or a large agricultural operation of some other designation.-See also:* Farm house* Homestead Act...
consists of a 1.5 storey Victorian style
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
farmhouse with wraparound porch, various outbuildings; including a barn, granary, calving shed, coal shed, machine shed, corrals and pens, and an outhouse
Outhouse
An outhouse is a small structure separate from a main building which often contained a simple toilet and may possibly also be used for housing animals and storage.- Terminology :...
; and landscape elements such as a dugout, cistern and filter, storage cellar, and garden. Located at the corner of 2nd Ave. & 6th Street, on the west half of four blocks in the northwest corner of the National Historic Site of Stirling, Alberta
Stirling, Alberta
Stirling 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....
.
The home remained in the Michelsen family until 1995 when the village in partnership with the Stirling Historical Society bought the homestead to turn into an interpretative center. In 2001 the homestead was registered as a Provincial Historic Resource and added to the Alberta Register of Historic Places. The Stirling Historical Society has since restored the property back to its original 19th century style and the farmstead is now a museum, depicting life as it was from 1900-1930s. Each summer the Historical Society holds day-camps for children and an old fashioned harvest dance which is held on the grounds of the Michelsen Farmstead every October.
The Michelsens' Family
Andreas Michelsen was born in Sleth, DenmarkDenmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
September 20, 1857, and his wife Kirsten Marie, born in Aarhus
Aarhus
Aarhus or Århus is the second-largest city in Denmark. The principal port of Denmark, Aarhus is on the east side of the peninsula of Jutland in the geographical center of Denmark...
, Denmark April 3, 1854. They had a large family of four boys and four girls. The oldest daughter, Lena, born October 8, 1880 in Denmark.
The Michelsens' joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Around 1882, as was common at the time, in order to be closer to the Church, Andreas, Kirsten, and Lena immigrated to Monroe, Utah
Monroe, Utah
Monroe is a city in Sevier County, Utah, United States. The population was 2,256 at the 2010 United States Census. The city is home to both Mystic Hot Springs and South Sevier High School.-Geography:...
. They had seven more children in Monroe.
In 1900 the Church of Latter Day Saints called on its people to move to Alberta, where land was sparse but arid and dry. Andreas and Kirstin took their two oldest children by train to Stirling, Alberta. Andreas was at first hesitant about permanently moving to Stirling but his four sons saw the opportunities the area had to offer. It was than decided that Stirling was a good choice for the family so the four of them headed back to Utah to gathered the rest of their family and belongings. In 1901 Stirling was now called their new home.
Shortly after arriving, Andreas and his sons were hired by the LDS Church on the construction of the canal from Kimball, Alberta to the Stirling Siding. The family first lived in a small tent between Cardston
Cardston, Alberta
-Demographics:The population of the Town of Cardston according to its 2007 municipal census is 3,578.In 2006, it had a population of 3,452 living in 1,234 dwellings, a 0.7% decrease from 2001...
and Magrath
Magrath, Alberta
Magrath is a town in Cardston County, Alberta, Canada. Its 2006 population was 2,081. Magrath is located near the Canadian Rockies and is south of Lethbridge and south of Calgary.- History :...
called Pot Hole Coulee, once the canal was finished the family moved to their land in Stirling. The Michelsens' officially acquired their land in and around Stirling from the Church in 1904 for the work done on the Canal. In 1902 a small two room house was built on this parcel of land which was later added onto by a local carpenter, George Oler in 1912. Andreas was very active in church and community affairs and was a part of the Stirling Town Council for a year in 1909, and than again in 1913-1914.
Andreas and his four sons; Niels, Sirn, Dan, and Drace farmed and raised cattle around the Stirling district as well as Wrentham
Wrentham, Alberta
Wrentham is a hamlet in southern Alberta, Canada within the County of Warner No. 5. It is located southeast of the intersection of the Veteran Memorial Highway and the historic Red Coat Trail , approximately east of the Village of Stirling, south of the Town of Taber and west of the Village of...
by horses until tractors were invented. By than they had their very own Threshing machine
Threshing machine
The thrashing machine, or, in modern spelling, threshing machine , was a machine first invented by Scottish mechanical engineer Andrew Meikle for use in agriculture. It was invented for the separation of grain from stalks and husks. For thousands of years, grain was separated by hand with flails,...
.
Andreas (Drace) Niels, and Dan played basketball in Stirling and won champions for several years. Lena had married James Austin and had a son living in Cardston, then Kalispell, Montana
Kalispell, Montana
Kalispell is a city in and the county seat of Flathead County, Montana, United States. The 2010 census put Kalispell's population at 19,927 up 5,704 over 2000. At 40.1% this is the largest percentage of growth of any incorporated city in Montana. Kalispell is the largest city and commercial center...
. She married for a second time to Sam Lessard. Andreas (Drace) was never married, Annie got married to Urbann Young and had two boys. Hulda died as a child.
Carrie married Alfred Hirsche, and had five boys and one girl. Niels married Verda Spackman, and had two boys and a girl. Daniel married Lulu Barton, and had four boys and two girls. Soren (Sirn) married Elva Lybbert, and had three girls and two boys. Sirn passed away in 1978.
See also
- List of provincial historic sites of Alberta
- List of attractions and landmarks in Stirling
- 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....
- List of museums
- Farmsteads