Prairie Queen Hotel
Encyclopedia
In 1909-1910, a real estate
promoter, William Fisher came to Alberta
and bought land north of the village of Stirling, Alberta
. Soon after the Canadian Pacific Railway
had plans to lay tracks through Fisher's land creating a junction
making it an ideal spot for a large townsite. Mr. Fisher planded out the town site of New Stirling
. Once the new town was mapped out, plans for a huge hotel were made, soon to be known as the "Prairie Queen Hotel".
The Prairie Queen Hotel was once a big three storey brick veneered
building that boasted 50 rooms including a well furnished parlor, large lobby
, dining room
and a large room for a bar-room
. All of the rooms contained electric lights and steam heating. The Prairie Queen Hotel was known as one of the best hotels west of Winnipeg
and was also one of the largest hotels ever built in a new town in Western Canada
.
After many years of financial difficulties, the building was set for demolition. As the demolition crew were dismantling the third floor, a company of Montana
men showed an interest in buying the building and planned on using it for a guest house, but the deal was never carried out and soon fell through. Shortly after, the land company also expressed interest but was unable to complete the deal. The building then became part of a bankrupt estate
, and was converted into a bank
. The hotel was again made habitable and turned back into a hotel, the bar room was converted into a both a bank and a residence
, and one of the rooms was used as the community school room
while plans for a new school were being drawn up.
In 1927 the owner died and the hotel was once again closed. In 1932 the 20 year old hotel was bought once again and was slowly dismantled so that the material Could be used to build a grocery store and pool hall
in Magrath
. Old remnants of the hotel's foundation can still be found on the corner of Front st. and First ave. nearly seventy seven years after its demolition.
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
promoter, William Fisher came to Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
and bought land north of the village 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....
. Soon after the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The 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...
had plans to lay tracks through Fisher's land creating a junction
Junction (rail)
A junction, in the context of rail transport, is a place at which two or more rail routes converge or diverge.This implies a physical connection between the tracks of the two routes , 'points' and signalling.one or two tracks each meet at a junction, a fairly simple layout of tracks suffices to...
making it an ideal spot for a large townsite. Mr. Fisher planded out the town site of New Stirling
Maybutt, Alberta
Maybutt also known as “New Stirling” or "New Town" is a former locality in Warner County, Alberta, Canada. The unincorporated community is situated 1 km north of the old town of Stirling just off the CANAMEX Corridor between Lethbridge and the United States-Canada border...
. Once the new town was mapped out, plans for a huge hotel were made, soon to be known as the "Prairie Queen Hotel".
History
Masonry Veneer
Masonry veneer walls consist of a single non-structural external layer of masonry work, typically brick, backed by an air space. The innermost element is usually structural, and may consist of wood or metal framing or masonry...
building that boasted 50 rooms including a well furnished parlor, large lobby
Lobby (room)
A lobby is a room in a building which is used for entry from the outside. Sometimes referred to as a foyer or an entrance hall.Many office buildings, hotels and skyscrapers go to great lengths to decorate their lobbies to create the right impression....
, dining room
Dining room
A dining room is a room for consuming food. In modern times it is usually adjacent to the kitchen for convenience in serving, although in medieval times it was often on an entirely different floor level...
and a large room for a bar-room
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
. All of the rooms contained electric lights and steam heating. The Prairie Queen Hotel was known as one of the best hotels west of Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
and was also one of the largest hotels ever built in a new town in Western Canada
Western Canada
Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces and commonly as the West, is a region of Canada that includes the four provinces west of the province of Ontario.- Provinces :...
.
After many years of financial difficulties, the building was set for demolition. As the demolition crew were dismantling the third floor, a company of Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
men showed an interest in buying the building and planned on using it for a guest house, but the deal was never carried out and soon fell through. Shortly after, the land company also expressed interest but was unable to complete the deal. The building then became part of a bankrupt estate
Estate (law)
An estate is the net worth of a person at any point in time. It is the sum of a person's assets - legal rights, interests and entitlements to property of any kind - less all liabilities at that time. The issue is of special legal significance on a question of bankruptcy and death of the person...
, and was converted into a bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
. The hotel was again made habitable and turned back into a hotel, the bar room was converted into a both a bank and a residence
House
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
, and one of the rooms was used as the community school room
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
while plans for a new school were being drawn up.
In 1927 the owner died and the hotel was once again closed. In 1932 the 20 year old hotel was bought once again and was slowly dismantled so that the material Could be used to build a grocery store and pool hall
Pool hall
A billiard/billiards, pool or snooker hall is a place where people get together for playing cue sports such as pool, snooker or carom billiards...
in 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 :...
. Old remnants of the hotel's foundation can still be found on the corner of Front st. and First ave. nearly seventy seven years after its demolition.