Material Type

Recording

Date Range

1987

Physical Condition

Excellent

Acquisition Source

Sir Alexander Galt Museum

Scope and Content

1 cassette tape. Approximately 45 minutes per side.recording of the Sir Alexander Galt museum Sunday series speakers. Side A: Russ Lunney speaking about the history of irrigation. 15 November 1987. Side B: ruth Miechkota speaking about the river bottom community and residents. December 1987. Side 1 Gait Museum guest speaker, Russ Lunney, speaking about the history of Irrigation. 15 November 1987. 45 minutes in length. - Discusses the history of irrigation before 1800. - There are currently 2 billion acreas under irrigation world wide, 2 million of them in Canada. - He shows slides of different irrigation systems. - Approximately 20 minutes into the talk he starts discussing irrigation in Alberta - John Glenn diverted water from Fish Creek in 1877. - General information about early irrigation schemes and land grants issued to companies for their railroad activities. - Information about Charles Ora Card and the Mormans involvement in irrigation construction in southern Alberta. - Information about irrigation districts in southern Alberta. - He shows slides of irrigation construction in southern Alberta and explains the techniques and changes in technology over the years. Side 2 Gait Museum guest speaker, Ruth Miechkota, speaking about living in the river bottom. Dec 1987. Approximately 45 minutes in length. - Moved to Lethbridge from Commerce because her father got a job as a driver at the Hamilton Mine. They lived in a house approximately 100 ft west of Henry Stafford's grave. She started at Bowman School in 1930 and talks about walking up the hill to school. - They later sold their house to Delmarks who operated a general store out of it. When the houses were relocated out of the river bottom in the mid 1950s it was moved to Hardieville where it continued to operate as a general store. - She married in 1941 and moved to the northside. Her husband was a musian and played at Peter and Anne Bowman's wedding, which was the first wedding held in the new community centre in the river bottom. There was a dance held almost every Saturday night in the river bottom community centre. - Children enjoyed swimming in the river in the summer, and skating on it in the winter. - She believes there were approximately 50 houses in the river valley. The land the houses were on was leased from the city. After the flood the houses were relocated and many were moved to 13 Street North. - Talks about the Delmarks - they ran cattle and grew wheat. Also ran the store in Hardieville. - Her maiden name was Lastuka. - Names some of the residents in the river bottom - specifically the Bowmans. Most of the residents were blue collar and few had cars. The houses were small and had no electricity or gas. They were called River Bottom Bums or Rats. - She makes reference to the traffic and foot bridge across the river, and to native families who lived in the valley. - General information about children's activities, weather, and incidents she recalls. - Talks about Dr. Bigelow.

Access Restrictions

Public Access

Accession No.

19971071005

Collection

Archive

Less detail