Retlaw, Alberta June 13, 2015 Part Two

Retlaw was expected to be a large community in its area, with features of similarly-sized communities of its time including four grain elevators, a pool hall, hotel, railway station, churches, blacksmith, and a number of other businesses. Due to the province bringing an irrigation canal that passed the nearby Town of Vauxhall in the 1920s, Retlaw was left in a dry land state causing the community to die off. By 1925 most of the population moved out into neighbouring communities, some even bringing their homes and business with them. Very little is left, only the restored Retlaw Union/United Church, a community centre, two houses, the blacksmith shop, and a few foundations remain.

It was quite a place at one time. Irrigation was supposed to come here. The group that was financing it went bankrupt due to World War I. Many projects and plans were shelved due to the war, financing dried up and funds were diverted elsewhere. The irrigation project was never restarted.

There is a historical society that put up a number of markers through the town. I sincerely wish they had a much bigger budget. The information is fascinating however it is black painted lettering on plywood and on some of them the lettering has faded quite badly, some are almost unreadable. I found it moving that people went to this amount of effort so that these people would be remembered. The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce was closed one day and the whole building was moved to Lethbridge, Alberta. The accounts were transferred to Taber, Alberta.

It was common for Chinese to own and operate restaurants and cafes in prairie towns. A history of the National Cafe.

Retlaw, Alberta June 13, 2015

Background of The Alberta Cafe.

Retlaw, Alberta June 13, 2015

Retlaw, Alberta June 13, 2015

Retlaw, Alberta June 13, 2015

Retlaw, Alberta June 13, 2015

Retlaw, Alberta June 13, 2015

Marker for the last location of the post office. The sign stated that the post office occupied different buildings over the years. A post office was an important building in a small town.

Retlaw, Alberta June 13, 2015 post office marker

The remains of the blacksmith shop is in the background, centre left. 

Retlaw, Alberta June 13, 2015

This was just sitting in the bushes.

Retlaw, Alberta June 13, 2015

Just a few miles north of Retlaw, an irrigation canal. Years too late to save the town.

Irrigation canal just north of Retlaw, Alberta June 13, 2015