The crowd was abuzz as the community centennial Queen and Princess unveiled the Homesteaders’ Rock in Bearspaw last Saturday.
“It was an honour and a privilege,” said Anne Wearmouth, community centennial Queen.
“It was a nice ceremony and a nice day to honour our homesteaders.”
Homesteader descendants and community members were invited to take part in the day-long activities that included cake, games for youth, talks about Bearspaw displays by local societies, interviews with Homesteaders and pioneer descendants and a live band.
Wearmouth, along with her sister, Marion Wearmouth, and Judy Bancroft, the centennial princesses originally unveiled the bronze plaque on the homesteaders’ rock on June 25, 1967. The plaque bears the names of Bearspaw homesteaders.
Anne and Bancroft were back over the weekend to unveil the rock at its new location. Marion was unable to attend because she was at her grandson’s graduation.
As part of a centennial project, members of the community researched and came up with 110 homesteaders in the area – 56 families had left by 1919, another 23 left by 1930, four of the names were bachelors meaning no descendants, and one name was put on twice, leaving 26 families that remained in the community.
Originally located on Lochend Road, Rocky View officials announced the road and “the rock must go.” Deciding the rock was “far too important to be destroyed” the Bearspaw Historical Society, with the help from the community, moved the homesteaders’ rock to its new location at the Bearspaw Historical School grounds.
MP Blake Richards made the joke that they “shouldn’t move it in another 50 years.”
Other dignitaries were invited to say a couple of comments including Rocky View-Chestermere MLA Leela Aheer who acknowledged being on Treaty 7 land and RVC Reeve Greg Boehlke who thanked the community for its hard work to protect Bearspaw’s history.
“Your work hasn’t gone unnoticed,” Boehlke said.
