Calgary's Living Museum

Article and Photos by Dave Shultz

I discovered what I think is the best bargain in Canada at Calgary’s Heritage Park.  This is a living park of the Western Canadian communities that developed in the late 1800’s.  For only $10 Canadian (that’s about $7 US) you get entry into the park and a free breakfast of hot cakes, bacon or sausage, and juice.  You can’t beat that.  All the buildings are authentic, staffed by people in period clothes and open for viewing.  Most of the buildings include working shops with hand made bargains to purchase.  The authentic steam train circles the park and stops at two stations.  No matter where you are in the park you can hear the steam whistle announcing the arrivals and departures.  The Stern Wheel boat runs regular cruises around the lake.  It’s amazing how smooth and quiet it is.  You don’t even have a feeling of motion.   The Bank                             Shops  A Residential Street                Sandstone House Delivery Truck   Steam Train                    Paddle Wheel Boat   Gasoline Alley            Antique Pumps   One of the attractions I enjoyed the most is Gasoline Alley, a unique collection of antique automobile paraphernalia.  The cars, gas pumps and other artifacts are in pristine condition and cover a large time span during the development of the horseless carriage.  There is a Roundhouse and Railway Turntable that contain quite a few engines and cars.  I was impressed with the snowplow used to clear the tracks in winter.  That thing is BIG!  Canadian winters can produce a lot of snow.  The blacksmith shop is a working exhibit and I watched the smith using a power hammer to shape a piece he was working on.  The entire shop is belt driven from a single engine.  The forge, however, was hand cranked.  There is also a large amusement area with period rides including an antique Ferris wheel.  There is definitely something for everyone.  I was fortunate enough to be at the park in August during the Old Time Fall Fair, one of the special events they hold during the season.  This is a pre-1914 fair with judging for just about anything grown or created in the late 1800’s. The competition was fierce and all the entries looked special.  I would hate to have to make the final decision as to who gets the red ribbon.  I did volunteer to taste the winners in the baking competition but was politely rejected.  I consoled myself with a visit to the bakery shop for a fresh baked snack.  The cinnamon rolls were huge, hot and cheap.   Snow Plow                            Blacksmith Ferris Wheel   Quilter                               Country Fair Baked Goods One day is probably not enough time to see the entire park.  It’s really spread out and the transition from one period to another is quite natural.  You can roam from a sod house all the way to a stone mansion.  Most of the building were moved piece by piece and carefully assembled.  I’ve never seen a better example of perfectly restored period architecture.  You can visit with any of the staff as they carry out their daily chores.  The church rectory is staffed with a parsons wife playing the pump organ while next door in the kitchen of a farm house, several women are making jelly on a wood fired stove.  Kids play with wooden hoops in the schoolyard while antique trucks roll by with deliveries for the shops.  Nothing modern intrudes to dispel the vision of turn of the century Canada.  This will delight kids and adults of all ages.