Three of the Cornerstone Art Commons panels are dedicated to the history of the Town of Olds with photos from the very early days of settlement in the town.
Battle of Olds, June 3, 1907
The Canadian Pacific Railway attempted, for the third time, to close a second crossing of its rail line within the Town of Olds on June 3rd, 1907.
The much needed crossing had been authorized by the CPR and constructed by the Town of Olds using town funds.
Fifty workmen, several CPR detectives and CPR Superintendent Niblock, along with twelve armed Mounted Police confronted Mayor Billy Dean and more than four hundred people, some rumored to be armed.
The Battle of Olds ended after the arrest of several of its citizens, including most of the town council, and when Constable Dufus of the Mounted Police read the Riot Act,
threatening to give the order to shoot.
Olds was the birthplace of 4-H in Alberta!
“In 1916 (Olds College) Principal Elliott created swine raising clubs that became the basis for today’s 4-H Clubs. Preparing to show livestock at exhibitions quickly became a popular activity for school children throughout Alberta” (SEEDING SUCCESS, The Story of Olds College Since 1913, by Barry Potyondi, pgs. 96-97).
“Members of the first Pig Club of whom we have record were Lawrence Fisher, Harry Moritz, Annie (Reddon) Duggan and Tom Hutchinson” (OLDS – A History of Olds and Area, pgs. 456-457).
Olds College Celebrated its Centennial in 2013!
Gazette 18 February 1910 (front page)
"An emergency meeting of the Olds Board of Trade was held in the town hall last Wednesday evening.
Upwards of forty of the leading citizens of the town were in attendance. The president John Duff stated that the object of the meeting was to make an effort to secure the agricultural college for Olds. A resolution was passed unanimously by those present setting forth the claims of this district as the most suitable and most central as regards population of the settled portion of this province. A delegation was appointed to present the claims of Olds to the legislature at an opportune time."
Historical Photos of Uptowne Olds
Storefront view "The Olds Drug Co." in 1914 (with mortar and pestle logo).
An early street view of 50 Ave. (Railway Ave. West) looking south from The Olds Drug Co.
Main Street (now 50 Avenue), Olds, about 1895. Probably the earliest photograph of Olds. Walker Bros. Hardware is on the left; next is the O.S. Moore General Store. The empty lot is the Bank of Montreal lot.