All the information for the exhibits at the Galloway Station Museum have been researched (complete with sources), or are in the process of being researched and reports are updated when new information becomes available. The origin of our research sources vary and include history books, accredited university papers, local archives, newspapers and local experts. All sources are cited in report footnotes. If you have input regarding any of the Galloway Station Museum’s research or exhibits, please contact us at manager@gallowaystationmuseum.com . Reports Early Edson History A Brief History of Early Edson and Area The Coal Branch Coal Branch: Forever Home History of the Edson Caboose A Brief Look at 77704 The Edson to Grand Prairie Trail Gateway to the Last Best West Liveries A Brief History of Liveries Planting a Flag in the Muskeg History of Early Edson and Area Royalty in the Muskeg Life of Prince Leo Galitzine History of Policing in Edson Lawkeepers and Law Breakers Flying Into History Wop May and the First Aerial Police Chase Check out this Comic Book! Colourful Characters Interesting People from Edson and Area To Flight and Back A Tale of Friendship and the Second World War Look Behind You, Neighbor A Play Celebrating Edson's 50th Anniversary The 'Baby Graves' The Old Edson Cemetery War As We Knew It A personal look at the World Wars Edson's Unknown Soldier A Sergeant in the 1st Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade Mr. Poucher and Edson's early years British subject J Mellor Poucher lived in Edson during the early years and sent the Town of Edson a recording of his memories from that time. This video includes his memories and pictures of Edson from 1912 to late 1914. Robb: The Early Days A Video Exploring the History of Robb Civil Defence Bunkered in Edson! Not Invisible Métis Women in the Fur Trade One Crossing at a Time The Story of the Rosevear Ferry

On Exhibit History Galloway Station The beginnings of the Town of Edson are intertwined with the history of the railway in the region. The Galloway Station exhibit explores the area's rich railway history and is the origin of the museum's name. Wildlife Our Natural World Discover the diverse wildlife of Alberta! The province boasts 587 species of wildlife, including 10 species of amphibians, 93 mammals, 411 birds, 8 reptiles and 65 fish. History Trapper's Cabin Trapping is an industry that is firmly rooted in Alberta’s history. Indigenous populations used the fur and hides for thousands of years and Europeans trapping in Western Canada date back to the mid 1600s. The Trapper’s Cabin gives an in-depth, hands-on look at the challenging life of a trapper in Alberta. History Rosevear Ferry The Rosevear Ferry was an integral part of the community and transportation system in the area. This display to commemorate the history and importance of the Rosevear Ferry was built by volunteers Kevin Hollaway (operator from 1980 to 2015) and Steve Parker (operator/contractor from 2008 to 2015). History Erith Tie Camp There were many lumber camps in the Edson area in the early 1900s, supplying the railways with much needed ties. The Erith Tie Camp on the Erith and Embarrass Rivers is used to explore lives in the area's early lumber camps. History Alberta Coal Branch An important part of Alberta's coal industry, the Alberta Coal Branch is a chain of almost abandoned mining towns along the eastern slopes of the central Canadian Rocky Mountains. It was once home to thousands of people, and remains a rich part of the region’s history. Artifact Peerless Printing Press The Peerless Printing Press was built in 1873 and came to Edson in 1928. Many early newspapers were printed on the Peerless, including the Edson-Jasper Signal. Thanks to dedicated volunteer Howard Bouldry, the press is a working artifact! History Main Street Also known as 50th Street, downtown Edson was one of the first streets in the town and held some of its more prominent buildings. In this exhibit you can find the Canadian National Railway Station, Edson Hotel, Switzer’s Drugs, the Barbershop and the Idyl Hour Theatre. History Wop May Explore the story of how Wilfrid May and Detective James Campbell landed on Main Street Edson in 1919 as part of the first aerial police chase in Canadian history! Temporary Display Through Their Eyes Our latest exhibit explores Edson’s early days through a rich collection of archival photographs. This exhibit brings to life the parades and picnics, businesses and ballgames — and even the long-forgotten story of Wolf Creek.

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Un long métrage documentaire mettant en lumière les histoires de nos 15 sujets, leur résilience et leur force face à l'adversité. Play Video

The Archives is a resource for researchers, academics and members of the public. The Archives is a resource for researchers, academics and members of the public. The Edson and Area Archives' mandate is to acquire, preserve and make accessible records that reflect the political, social, and economic life of Edson and the surrounding area. The Archives contain items from individuals, families, businesses and organizations within the geographical limits of: east to Wildwood; west to Medicine Lodge; north to Shining Bank; and south to Mountain Park. Records of interest include (but are not limited to): Letters and correspondence Photographs Municipal records Home movies, films and videos Sound recordings Diaries, scrapbooks and journals Sketchbooks/drawings Corporate or organizational records Maps and plans Digital records How do I donate my records? Donations make the Edson and Area Archives the unique resource it is. We continue to welcome donations in line with our archives collection policy, however, a number of different criteria determines the acceptance of donations: Be of historical value and enduring public interest Be unique and not duplicate the records in existing holdings Authenticity and integrity Condition Ability of the Archives to provide appropriate preservation and care of the materials. We also hold a collection of research and reference material. To donate or access to the Edson and Area Archives, call 780-723-5696 or e-mail accessions@gallowaystationmuseum.com . Archives

Sarah Whitehead served as a nurse with the Royal Alexandra Nursing Corps in Manchester, England during the Great War. She tended to wounded soldiers from all over the world and many of those men signed her autograph book. View the book here! Back to Reports

Experience the charm of historic Edson through our online jigsaw puzzles featuring authentic photographs from the town's past. Use the mouse wheel or the arrow buttons on your keyboard to rotate the puzzle pieces. Touch screen: Tap on the piece and then tap on the appeared left or right rotation icon. Have fun! Back to Games

Learn the history behind the monuments of RCMP Centennial Park, including our very own Eddie the Squirrel! Eddie the Squirrel There have been various stories regarding the adoption of Edson’s beloved mascot, Eddie the Squirrel over the years, however, according to an Edson Leader story from September 1973, the wives of Edson Town Council members were the genesis of this community’s furry representative. The ladies congregated over coffee one evening while their husbands were at a council meeting to brainstorm ways to promote Edson at an upcoming Alberta Urban Municipalities convention in Jasper. As it happens, Mrs. Millie Crawford (wife of Mayor Dr. Jim Crawford) had been purchasing little pottery squirrels that Art and Frances Ciciarelli made from Edson clay for quite a while to use as gifts. It was decided that if Jasper could claim a bear for their mascot, Edson could claim a squirrel. (We have heard the story that, to foster the friendly rivalry between Edson and Hinton, Mrs. Crawford said, “How about a squirrel because they think we’re all nuts anyway!” She was kidding, but everyone thought it was funny so they kept it. This was mentioned to Galloway staff by a relative, however it has not been verified.) The Ciciarelli’s, with the help of the aforementioned ladies, councillors, their children and anyone else that could be roped into helping, created 400 painted and glazed squirrels for the AUM delegates. Among other promotional items, they also created badges with squirrels on them and wrote the town name on 100 pounds of peanuts for Edson Councillors to hand out wherever they went. From the Edson Leader: Now while Edson’s Town Council members are involved with the serious business of Alberta’s urban problems, their wives will be busy as hostesses making darn sure that everyone who attends the convention will KNOW WHERE EDSON IS LOCATED the next time they are asked. In 1980, a cement Eddie the Squirrel, designed by Trygve Seland, was installed and proudly welcomed travelers to the visitor centre in front of the Edson Chamber of Commerce office in RCMP Centennial Park for about 30 years. In 2009, Eddie Sr. was given a well-earned retirement. In 2011, in conjunction with the reopening of the Galloway Station Museum & Travel Centre, Eddie Jr. (designed by Skookum Creative Works) was unveiled in the center of the park, complete with a cast bronze spruce cone and a stylized airbrush paint job. The inspiration for Eddie the Squirrel is a great story of a community coming together to promote the Town of Edson in a light-hearted, entertaining fashion. In any incarnation, Eddie has always been a draw for travelers and locals, with thousands of people stopping in to pose with our large red squirrel. Check out more pics of Eddie the Squirrel and upload your own! Yellowhead Ram The western slopes of the Rocky Mountains have been home to bighorn sheep (Ovis Canadenais) for thousands of years, and the Cadomin area has produced the biggest in the world. This monument is a tribute to the wildlife of this area and is dedicated to the organizations and individuals whose responsible stewardship has ensured and will continue to ensure the survival and growth of all our wilderness resources. In memory of Vicky Low. Lockheed T-33 Silver Star Per Ardua Ad Astra Through Diversity To The Stars CT - 133 Silver Star Dedicated as a memorial to the historical years of the Royal Canadian Air Force 1924-1968 it's members and affiliates Dedicated Victoria Day, 19, May, 1986, in Edson, Alberta By the Officers and Cadets 874 Tiger Moth Squadron Royal Canadian Air Cadets and Sponsors Edson Lions Club Re-dedication of the CT133097 September 8, 2018 874 Tiger Moth Squadron Royal Canadian Air Cadets

War As They Knew It August 2014 marked the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War. By the end of the conflict, the War had touched almost everyone’s life, some dramatically. Take, for example, British subject J. Mellor Poucher, who lived in Edson during its fledging years. He sent the Town of Edson a tape of his memories from that time. Listen below for his specific recounting of when our community found out they were going to war and how that changed both his life and the lives of your neighbours. Click to hear J M Poucher's recollection of the time 00:00 / 03:40 J Mellor Poucher Next, we invite you to meet Sarah Whitehead, a nurse with the Royal Alexandra Nursing Corps, Manchester, England during the Great War. She tended to wounded soldiers from all over the world – including several Canadians – and many of those men signed her autograph book. Sarah Whitehead is the Grandmother of long-time resident Anne DeChambeau who loaned the Galloway Station Museum the autograph book to be scanned. View the autograph book here Sarah Whitehead And finally, we will glimpse into the life of a Canadian prisoner of war, Sgt. L.E. (Vern) Turner. Turner was onboard a World War II RCAF Halifax bomber that was shot down over Germany during a bombing raid in 1943. He was the only member of his crew to survive the crash. Turner was taken prisoner by the Gestapo and held in Stalag Luft I, a prisoner of war camp in Barth, Germany. The rations provided by their captors were just enough to stay alive – boxes from the Red Cross containing more food and other comforts were greatly appreciated. Included in the life-saving boxes were journals from the YMCA, providing a way for POWs to record their experiences through prose, sketches, poetry or painting. View Sgt. Turner's journal here It is through Turner’s journal, Whitehead’s autograph book, Poucher’s tape and with help from local Edson Royal Canadian Legion #51 that we are able to personalize wartime experiences and give future generations a glimpse into the lives of those who served. Back to Reports

Want even more information on historic Yellowhead County? Click here to visit the Yellowhead County Heritage inventory map. Yellowhead County Virtual Heritage Tour The Yellowhead County Heritage Program spearheaded the initiative to create a Virtual Tour of Heritage sites in Yellowhead County. In the past, Yellowhead County hosted a Heritage Bus Tour that travelled to some of the unique and wonderful historic places in the County. Stops included Marlboro, Brule, Cadomin, Mountain Park, Mercoal and Robb.

Read local historian Christopher White's thesis, ‘The Old Edson Cemetery: Investigations into an Early 20th Century Western Alberta Cemetery’. Baby Graves Christopher White, author of the paper ‘The Old Edson Cemetery: Investigations into an Early 20th Century Western Alberta Cemetery’ presented a talk and tour of the site in October 2012, July 2013 and September 2020. Christopher’s thesis uses archaeological survey and historic documentary sources to reconstruct past mortality patterns and understand mortuary practices from the early 20th century Edson Cemetery in Edson, Alberta. Results show that the cemetery existed foremost as a place to enshrine the individual identity of the deceased, with pragmatic concerns about public health and municipal development guiding the establishment, management and eventual abandonment of the site. Mortality patterns show a high number of infant and young childhood fatalities compared to their representation in the living population. Deceased infants received the same level of memorialization as adults, reflecting both a domestic and public identity. Adult mortality patterns follow known occupational risks while a spike in adult deaths in late 1918 coincides with the spread of the “Spanish Flu” epidemic. These findings highlight the importance of historic context and the value of documentary evidence for analyzing past mortuary behaviours. Click here to download The Old Edson Cemetery: Investigations into an Early 20th Century Western Alberta Cemetery. Tour images of the Glenwood Cemetery Photos by Christopher White Back to Reports

School Programs The Education Committee and Galloway staff have developed interactive ways for students to learn about the Edson area in a manner directly linked to individual grade curriculum. Our programs primarily target elementary students, although we have options for all ages. Please be advised that each tour is unique and only certain programs include a guided tour through the entire museum, while others are focused on specific exhibits. All tours have educator program guides that provide a break-down of the tour, curriculum connections and classroom activities for before and after your visit. The Galloway Station Museum takes special care to develop student-centered programming that is in line with the curriculum guidelines as laid out by Alberta Education. Our tours are conducted in small groups and range from 90 to 120 minutes depending on student ages. This includes a craft and snack of a cookie and juice. Please inform us if there are any allergies in your group. Schools, scouts and girl guides, youth community organizations, and home school groups are eligible for school group admission rates and program options. My First Museum Visit Grades K-1 | 90 minutes Let us make the students' first visit a fun time! There is an emphasis on age-appropriate storytelling, hands-on exploration and craft. Enjoy a snack in the boardroom before departing. Then and Now Grade 2 | 105 minutes ‘Then and Now’ will help your students understand what their community would have been like in the past and how it has changed over time.‘Then and Now’ is geared towards Grade Two students and is 105 minutes in length. Students will be introduced to the Galloway Station Museum and become engaged in a fun learning atmosphere. Tours will focus on a mix of hands-on exploration and captivating storytelling to keep young minds focused. We will start discussions regarding the differences between Edson life in the past, and now. Students will have the opportunity to handle some artifacts. Enjoy a snack before departing. My Natural World Grade 3 | 120 minutes Ready to learn about wildlife in the Edson area? This tour is very hands-on! Handle real animal skulls and compare the differences. Match the animal prints, feel all the furs in our trapper’s cabin and become engaged in fun activities to understand animal life cycles. Enjoy a snack before departing. Natural Resources in the Edson Area Grades 4-5 | 120 minutes Edson is home to many natural resources such as oil and gas, agriculture, coal and lumber. These resources have played a major role in the development of Edson. Students will learn about these resources during a guided tour through our permanent exhibits. We will open discussions that examine how these resources have affected Edsonites over time. Our natural resource activity stations will reinforce what they have learned. Enjoy a snack before departing. Museum Mystery Grade 6 | 120 minutes You are deputized! Late in the evening on March 16, 1914, the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway local payroll was STOLEN! Local police officer Inspector Raven is on the case and he has six suspects. But wait! Your good friend Staghound Jack - the local gravedigger and handyman - is on the suspect list! You’ve known Staghound for many years and you know he’s innocent. Your job is to catch the thief by solving the puzzles you will be given to prove that Staghound Jack is an innocent man. Inspector Raven can’t do this alone, so he’s deputized you… now all you have to do is find the thief! Participants must work together to answer riddles, match fingerprints and analyze handwriting samples. General Tour Grades P-12 | 90-120 minutes Our general tour includes a brief overview of all exhibits in our museum. This tour is designed for everyone and will be modified for grade levels and time allowances. History will come alive as we explore differences between ‘then’ and ‘now’. If you would like to spend more time exploring a certain topic, please let us know in advance. Enjoy a snack before departing. For more information and prices, click here