On June 20, 2013, the iconic Bragg Creek Trading Post was destroyed by relentless floodwaters that washed away not only its infrastructure, but also a huge part of Bragg Creek's history.
In the last year and a half since the flood, Barb Teghtmeyer has been struggling to rebuild her family's historic store, located along the Elbow River on White Avenue in Bragg Creek.
Teghtmeyer said she began re-building her store in July after waiting out the long winter and after receiving all the necessary permits and approvals from Rocky View County, seven weeks after she applied for them in the fall of 2013.
“We are progressing with the re-building process since the flood and our early setbacks,” said Teghtmeyer. “We are slowly moving forward to have our historical location open and functioning again.”
The building's main structure is almost complete, according to Teghtmeyer
“The logs have been put up, including some of the actual original logs from the store,” she said. “2014 has seen some remarkable progress in our rebuilding efforts.”
They cut down dead, standing logs to use to rebuild the new store.
“That was the most practical solution, and that's also how it was built originally, from this old growth forest,” she said. “We used the horrific log that came through our kitchen window and let water in on the day of the flood and placed it in a strategic spot in the building.”
Teghtmeyer said she and her family made the decision to rebuild the Bragg Creek Trading Post because of its historical importance to Bragg Creek and its location along the historic Stoney Trail.
Her family has owned the store since her father purchased it in 1940.
In 1969, Barb moved back to Bragg Creek to help with the family business, taking over and running the store along with her husband Robb in 1986 after her father passed away.
“People have conducted business at this location for nearly 90 years and that influenced our decision to rebuild,” she said. “Native people from Morley and other First Nations communities traded furs and other items up and down the eastern slope of the Rockies.”
Due to the stress inherent in the long re-building process and loss of irreplaceable historical artifacts, the typical sparkle in Teghtmeyer's eyes is sometimes muted, but her indomitable spirit remains unbroken.
“My first reaction after the flood is that a large chunk of Bragg Creek history was forever lost and washed away, including records, photographs and artifacts,” said Teghtmeyer.
Teghtmeyer would like her community to know how much she and her family have truly appreciated their kind thoughts and concern.
“I would like to thank the community for all their help and support.”
Bragg Creek resident and president of the Bragg Creek Historical Society Judie Norman said the Trading Post is synonymous with Bragg Creek.
Norman said the store sold First Nation crafts and many works of beadwork art, as well as bows, drums and moccasins.
“The Trading Post was much more than just a store, it was a place to go and catch up on news, have a few laughs, or just visit,” said Norman. “It was a warm, welcoming place, and on each new visit you would see something you had never spotted before.”
Norman said in the first weeks after the flood, the community's main concern was for Teghtmeyer's feelings rather than the loss the famous store.
“I think the biggest loss for us as a community was our concern for Barb, because she felt she had let the community down after she lost so much historical information to the flood.”
“The old store was taken away but it is not gone,” said Norman. “It's a family's history and a big piece of Bragg Creek's history.”
Tsuu T’ina First Nation Cultural Museum executive assistant and community member Tina Jacobs said the Bragg Creek Trading Post is an important part of southwestern Alberta First Nations history and their financial survival.
Jacobs said historically the Morley, Stony Nakoda, Eden Valley and Tsuu T’ina First Nations traded with Teghtmeyer's parents.
“It was a part of history and a place where people met and talked,” said Jacobs. “It was the main source of income and livelihood for First Nations people.”
“When the flood happened (and destroyed the Trading Post) it was devastating to everyone,” said Jacobs. “I still feel heartsick about what happened.”
“I would really like to see the store up and running again, and I wish Barbara all the best.”
Teghtmeyer stoically accepts that her new store will never be like it was, in part, because of the loss of historical and irreplaceable First Nation beadwork and crafts.
“It will never ever be the same, but we will open a downscaled version just to help the First Nations Peoples who trade with us,” she said. “We plan to continue the tradition and give First Nations Peoples a place to sell their work as well as satisfy all the customers who were heartbroken that those crafts were no longer available.”
“That's the point of it all,” said Teghtmeyer. “The Trading Post is extremely unique and important to the history of Bragg Creek.”
Teghtmeyer said she hopes her store will officially re-open by next summer 2015.
Teghtmeyer said she hopes to open the original Trading Post store in advance of the grand re-opening for one weekend only Dec. 13 and 14 during the Bragg Creek Spirit of Christmas event.
Uncertain if the store would be ready to re-open for the December weekend, Teghtmeyer requests that customers call her other store, The Trading Post Two Bragg Creek Shell Station, at 403-949-3747 to confirm that the original Trading Post would be able to open its doors during the Christmas event.
