Forgotten Alberta

The Coutts-Sweetgrass Station, now located at the Galt Historic Railway Park & Railway Heritage Interpretive Centre near Stirling, has served as a passenger depot, customs office, post office, sheriff’s department, and bunkhouse during its illustrious, and controversial, 125 year history. Constructed on the Canada- U.S. border in 1890, Coutts- Sweetgrass was one of two “lunch stations” along the Lethbridge to Great Falls rail line. Originally built by a consortium, led by Sir Alexander Galt and his son, Elliott, the station later changed hands, and became a flashpoint in the feud between new owners and arch-rivals, the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Great Northern Railway. In 1916 the C.P.R. ended the uneasy relationship, sawing the station in half and dragging its portion into Coutts. Abandoned over 70 years later, the station was acquired by the Great Canadian Plains Railway Society in 2000, which moved to it a 35-acre site near Stirling. The last remaining Galt narrow gauge station in Southern Alberta has been faithfully restored to its original proportions, and the museum grounds is now home to a number of rare artifacts, including a Kalamazoo Speeder, a post office car, and a baggage car converted into a school room, with an interactive telephone room in the back. Thanks again to Jason Sailer for the info. @gcprs1890 @gregfarries @owges #explorealberta🇨🇦 #Alberta #Canada #mybadlands #fabtrip16

A photo posted by Jonathan Koch (@forgotten_alberta) on Jul 27, 2016 at 8:13pm PDT

The Forgotten Alberta 2016 Road Trip (FABTrip#16) kicked off on July 6 with a visit to the Galt Historic Railway Park & Railway Heritage Interpretive Centre at Stirling. Park volunteer and Alberta heritage hero, Jason Sailer, met myself and Greg Farries at the park, and provided us with a wonderful glimpse into the Galt’s past, present, and future. We also received a tour from the park’s fabulous summer staff, and we stopped by the remnants of Maybutt for good measure, before we all headed off to Wrentham for a tour of the Ogilvie Wooden Grain elevator.

My sincerest thanks to Jason Sailer for touring @gregfarries and I through the Galt Historic Railway Park and the Ogilvie Wooden Elevator in Wrentham on #fabtrip16. Jason is one of the remarkable folks that spends his spare time and cash keeping Alberta’s great heritage alive. It’s an honour to know him. @owges @gcprs1890 #explorealberta #Alberta #Canada #mybadlands

A photo posted by Jonathan Koch (@forgotten_alberta) on Jul 26, 2016 at 6:42pm PDT

First stop on the #fabtrip16: the Galt Historic Railway Park @gcprs1890 pic.twitter.com/riLlGzc0yX

— Greg Farries (@gregfarries) July 6, 2016

Party Line. The Galt Historic Railway Park at Stirling has a collection of working telephones, a switch board and teletype machine for all those young whipper snappers who’ve never tried a rotary phone before. Good luck finding Bulbasaur, Pikachu, Charmander or Squirtle with one of those. #Alberta #Canada #mybadlands #explorealberta🇨🇦 #fabtrip16 @gregfarries

A photo posted by Jonathan Koch (@forgotten_alberta) on Jul 28, 2016 at 3:57pm PDT

Maybutt, Alberta a.k.a. “New Stirling” a.k.a “New Town” a.k.a. “Junction Town” is located at the junction of the CPR’s Stirling, Coutts, and Cardston subdivisions. Named for the wife of the community’s biggest booster, Maybutt may have become a major rail hub, but the anticipated rail development never materialized. @thelostcanuck a.k.a. “the Mayor of Maybutt” has written a thorough history of the community here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/stirlingab/7702440476 #explorealberta #mybadlands #Alberta #Canada #FABTrip16 @gregfarries

A photo posted by Jonathan Koch (@forgotten_alberta) on Aug 1, 2016 at 9:10am PDT