Material Type

Recording

Date Range

1978

Fonds

Pioneer Researchers Association Oral History Project

Creator

Pioneer Researchers Association

Physical Description

1 cassette tape; digital copy

Physical Condition

Excellent

Acquisition Source

Pioneer Researchers

Scope and Content

Tape 1 Side A (approx 30 min) - Bea (Neidermier) and her sister came to Lethbridge to visit another sister, Mrs Mary '" Richards. She met Frank at a dance at the Exhibition Grounds and when she returned to Brandon, Manitoba he corresponded with her until proposing in 1922. They were married in Brandon. - Whitney family information: Curly, David and Robert came west in the early 1880s. Robert was killed in a haying accident in the Porcupine Wills in 1874 (Newspaper index gives the date as Sept 1885) and is buried in Fort Macleod. David returned to Ontario following the accident and married Nettie Hutton. They moved to Lethbridge in 1886 settling near 8-Mile lake. Names a few of the neighbors and relates a story about a Native family whose children perished while crossing the river. Following the drownings the Whitney's moved into Lethbridge for a couple of years before building a house near the present day LCC. Bea & Frank lived in this house for 7 years after their marriage. The Whitney's had an orchard just south of the house: apples, plums, currants. They rented out their irrigated lands to the local Chinese gardeners. Describes the land boundaries. - Chinese gardeners. The root cellar was located on the site of the present day LCC. - The Whitney's had the first bee hives in Lethbridge. - Their house water came from a natural spring. - Information about the 6-Mile Coulee bridge and old highway. SideB - Whitney's first businesses: cutting hay in the Milk River Ridge area and selling it in the Lethbridge area, and a water delivery business. - Frank was born in Kingston, Ontario in 1890. He attended school in Lethbridge and the ^University of Calgary. He was in real estate for a few years, then wholesale sales before taking over the farm and ranch. - Information about the ranch and dairy. Both were profitable. Frank preferred the horse ranch to farming. - The Whitney's were active in the first Lethbridge stampede which was held in Victoria Park. Stanley was a champion roper, Frank calf roped, and David was in the wild horse event. - Information about the horse ranch. - After 1916, the senior Whitney's spent their winters in California. Tape 2 Side A - Blank SideB - Uncle Curly Whitney information: owned a livery stable in Lethbridge before buying a ranch south of Lethbridge. Uncles Albert and Ben dry farmed in the Kipp area. - The Whitney's, Hyssop's, and Van Home's came to Lethbridge around the same time from Kingston, Ontario. - Bea & Frank's children (?, Francis, Lucille) attended River Junction Schoolup to grade 6 and then Fleetwood until McNally opened in 1947. Names a few of the teachers they had. The country schools also served as community halls. - River Junction Ladies Club information: started by Mrs. Alexander. - McNally School information. Wilson-White Ladies Club is in that area. - The LCC planning committee approached Frank about buying some of the Whitney land to build on. They have purchased 80 acreas and are currently negotiating to buy another 90 acres. - Bea recalls there being a number of rattlesnakes in the area.

Access Restrictions

Public Access

Accession No.

19921008027

Collection

Archive

Less detail