On Aug. 1 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., the Stockmen’s Memorial Foundation will be hosting a western ranching and livestock industry open house at the Cochrane RancheHouse as part of Historic Calgary Week.
Jana Wilson is the librarian at the Stockmen’s Library. She explained that having the library and the open house is important for people to understand the importance of Cochrane’s past.
“This is our history. With so many people moving to Alberta, from other countries or other parts of Canada, a lot of them don’t know the history of the area and why certain things are important,” said Wilson. “This is a great place to come and learn that.”
She said that last year when they participated in Historic Calgary Week they had a large turnout and they are hoping for the same this year.
The foundation invites people to research their family’s western heritage by looking over their collection of Alberta brand books, Alberta community history books and listening to their Heritage Voice Collection.
“We can show people how they use the branding irons and we can also explain branding to them,” said Wilson. “We have all of the brand books in Alberta since the first one back in 1888. So if anybody registered a brand in this province we can find it.”
Brands and brand books are something that Wilson said could help trace a family history in Alberta – something she said that a lot of people are not aware of.
“If Joe Smith came in 1895 and registered a brand, and he passed it onto his son, and he passed it on to a nephew, then we can trace family members through that,” she said.
There will also be saddles to view, branding irons, barbed wire, cowboy hats and a western art display.
At 1 p.m. there will be a special presentation by Mabel Hamilton, the daughter of Alexa (Black) Church, who has resided on their family farm in Balzac for the last 80 years.
For more information visit smflibrary.ca or view the Historic Calgary Week brochure online at chinookcountry.org.
