48 Hours in Stettler

Begin your day at the Stettler Town and Country Museum, Alberta’s 5th largest pioneer museum, displaying over one million artifacts. The onsite curators informative and host a feature exhibit each year allowing this historic village to tell the story of Stettler’s history with information from the early 1900’s to the present.

Visit the old courthouse where the last man hanged in Alberta, Robert Raymond Cook, was arraigned; read tales of history offered through newspaper collections, cemetery books, original photos and family and personal stories. Add to that the preservation of eleven historical buildings on 10 acres of land, your morning will be filled with wonder. You will need a good two hours to make your way through the various buildings and displays.

After lunch, take some time at the P&H Elevator, one of the last remaining elevator/feedmill complexes in Alberta. Virtually every farmer in the Stettler area has used the services provided by the mill at one time or another and the historical society is continually upgrading it back to its original working order. With the refinished wooden walls and floor and the displays offering a glimpse into how the elevator handled thousands of tons of grain over its years, the tour guides were more than excited to explain every detail of the workings of this once great machine.

All aboard! You won’t want to miss a trip back in time with Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions! Staff will be equipped all dressed in burgundy vests and black caps. You will be afforded the opportunity to sit back and enjoy the professional performances of various performers throughout a season. Many musical renditions are accompanied by the passengers on the car. Enjoy some time in the Open Air Coach, taking in the grandeur that is the Alberta Prairies.

Once you are welcomed to the Village of Big Valley, it’s time explore! Once a major railway town, you will find the historic remains of the Canadian Northern Railway Hall of Fame. Stroll the shops along Jimmy Jock Boardwalk, check out the 1914 restored jail house, and climb to the top of the hill where St. Edmunds Anglican Church is found. This beautiful blue church built in 1916 makes for an exquisite backdrop to the village below.

Not to be out done, spend some time at McAlister’s Garage relishing in the display of vintage cars, trucks and machinery, just like my dad used to drive. The Creation Science Museum and Tool Museum rounds out the trip before returning back to Stettler.