One good place here to take visitors is Ft. Normandeau.
Ft. Normandeau was the first place Europeans lived in this area. Freighters had been going from Calgary to Edmonton, but there were no settlements or settlers on that route. In 1882 someone decided to set up a stopping house on the Red Deer River where the freighters forded the river. This was a place that the aboriginals forded the river. Some Europeans were smart enough too use local guides and used the river crossing. Even today, when the river is low you can wade across it. The river widens at this spot so the water is shallow.
This location is marked by two different types of museums. One is a regular museum with dioramas and the other one has historical artifacts. Both are small but well worth visiting.
So on this post I'll show the rebuilt fort which is close to what the original was.
A log house was built which was about 20 ft by 24 ft. There was a half story where people slept. It's hard to believe that the bottom story served for a kitchen, living room and work space. They crammed a
lot of stuff in a small space. A palisade was built around the building with wooden towers at the four corners.
Our European history here is very recent as this building was erected in 1882.
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| The log house |
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| The work area for washing spinning, sewing and tool storage. |
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| A fancy sleeping area on the bottom floor. |
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| The kitchen |
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| A great dining table. |
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| Now I think this sewing machine is much later than 1882. |
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| Fort walls and tower. |
Cool I love visiting places like this!!
ReplyDeleteI've been here many times and I still like it. Vicki, your email isn't working.
DeleteI think that is a wonderful place to take your visitors. I have a visitor this week too. It is always a task to figure out where to go and what to do as well as what to eat each day. Luckily my visitor is easy to please and is enjoying her visit thus far.
ReplyDeleteWe discovered some new eating places that are worthwhile.
DeleteLocal history is always a good bet. That's a great little museum.
ReplyDeleteYes, and it's great that I like it too.
DeleteExcellent, I could spend an afternoon here.
ReplyDeleteI've been here many times and I still like it.
DeleteThose historic places are nice to visit, I like to see how they must have lived in the old times.
ReplyDeleteYes, it was a very rugged style of life.
DeleteGee, my Mother had an olde washer tub like that and used to do the wash out on the deck my Father built at the back of the house close to the clothesline. Very interesting place to visit Red. I like these olde historical places.
ReplyDeleteA lot of effort has gone into these sites , My Mom also had the copper boiler for heating the water.
DeleteYou have a treasure to visit. My family didn't come into the states until 1868.I can't imagine living with very many in such small quarters.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing to see the beds from that time and realize they were doubles.
DeleteYour pictures are so clear and vivid. New camera? Or just a different setting? The place is interesting indeed. And yes, that treadle sewing machine looks like one I might have used when I was in high school. :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm fussy about clarity. Maybe I'm getting better with my focus.
DeleteThat is a great place to visit! Certainly a place I'd enjoy.
ReplyDeleteThere's lots to see in a small space.
DeleteNothing better than a good old fort!
ReplyDeleteThis one's small but there's a lot in it.
DeleteThank you for the tour along with you and your company.
ReplyDeleteYour nine photos are Magnificent Red . So clear. Great place to have gone to.
Thank you for the history of all.
It's a treasure and there's not a huge amount of traffic.
DeleteIt looks like a wonderful place to visit!
ReplyDeleteIt's a great visit and I've been here many times.
DeleteThe setting does look well maintained. It is always nice to visit a place that the host can add information to.
ReplyDeleteit's always in great shape.
DeleteFascinating..... Thanks Red!
ReplyDeleteA history guy like you would learn from this exhibit.
DeleteThanks for sharing this bit of Canadian history with us.
ReplyDeleteOur history is new so there's not much of it.
Deletei like the fort towers. :)
ReplyDeleteI don't think I'd want to be in them when the bullets were flying.
DeleteIt does seem a small space but most practical, although I imagine it was much darker inside without the white paint. Cozy and warm in winter and defendable -- guess that is what was needed. I hope your visitors enjoyed the history lesson.
ReplyDeleteYes, it would have been much darker. They weren't cozy and warm You had to be tough to live in them.
DeleteHi Red, Interesting place. I looked up Fort Normandeau on Google Maps and went down Township Rd 382 for a way on Streetview. I like the country around there. Do you get thunderstorms out there? Thanks for the history.
ReplyDeleteI just had a good thunderstorm this evening. Yes, we get thunderstorms. They roll off the Rockies and develop. I like thunderstorms.
DeleteI would have enjoyed that visit very much. Always like to know the history of a town and to try to imagine life in those times.
ReplyDeleteThey have a garden and chickens behind the house and I didn't take any photos.
DeleteA very interesting place to take visitors. Enjoyed the photos Red, thank you :)
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed seeing these, Red. What an interesting place to go visit!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a very interesting place to take your company! I hope you had a good visit! :)
ReplyDeleteOh my! That sewing machine looks like my mother's. It no longer works, but she uses it as a table.
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