Monday 4 June 2018

Congregational Church and Cemetery at Gros Ventre-Tothill


A long forgotten church and cemetery just north of the Cypress Hills in Alberta. The old church collapsed some years back but I like to stop for a look every now and then. Still looks good...especially in springtime.








11 comments:

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    1. This church is currently in a state of transition.

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  2. I hate to see churches abandoned, let alone collapse, but such things happen.

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    1. All of the old churches in the area are gone now, except for Saint Margaret's.

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  3. Hard to tell it was ever a church. A lovely setting though.

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    1. In its first life it was a log home. Then it was moved to the current site, an addition built and it opened as a church.

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  4. I think there is something natural and appropriate about buildings that slowly and eventually collapse. Nothing lasts forever but it sure beats being torn down or burned. I didn't know we had any congregationalist churches left as they merged with Methodists and others to form the United Church of Canada.

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    1. Speaking personally...I like watching is disintegrate in a most beautiful way.

      There are a few other Congregational cemeteries not too far away...all of them are abandoned.

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  5. David Carter sent me the following email:

    "Bob Brown and I cleared the cemetery over 15 years ago - and my youngest daughter Maureen helped. The cemetery marker was once the granite base of a POW headstone in Hillside Cemetery - Michael Anctil of Medicine Hat Monumental did the engraving and placed the stone - via donations in jam jar at back of St Margaret's."

    That same granite base was used to place several other cemetery markers in the area.

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    1. Michael, I helped David Carter and Bob Brown with quite a few cemeteries in the area, including this one. It was the late 90s when we did it. They reused the former POW headstone bases as the new cemetery markers. A labour of love as I have some relatives buried in these cemeteries.

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    2. Many of the cemeteries in the area are mostly forgotten so any help is appreciated. We need more people like you.

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