Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year!


The Peace River Museum, Archives and Mackenzie Centre would like to wish you a very happy holiday season. We also extend a huge thank you to all of our volunteers, members and donors that have helped the Museum and Archives continue to grow and preserve the history of Peace River.

Our Christmas hours are:
Dec. 26 - Open (10 - 4:30 pm)
Dec. 27 - Closed
Dec. 28-31 - Open (10 - 4:30 pm)
Jan. 1 - Closed
Jan. 2 - back to regular hours (Monday - Saturday, 10 am - 4:30 pm)

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Happy 90th Birthday Peace River!


On December 1st, 1919, Peace River became a town. Here we are 90 years later celebrating the contributions made by so many people even before the inauguration of our township. Along with the wonderful work Beth Wilkins has been doing in the newspaper and on CKYL, here are some of the highlights of Peace River's history:
1792-93 - Sir Alexander Mackenzie winters at Fort Fork
1877 - After moving their post up and down the rivers near
the junction of Peace and Smoky, the Hudson's Bay
Company moves their post where the Town of Peace River
now stands.
1886 - The Anglican Church sets up the first mission on
Shaftesbury Trail
1888 - The Roman Catholic Church sets up St. Augustine
mission on Shaftesbury Trail
1898 - The North West Mounted Police make a permanent
post at Peace River Crossing
1903 - The St. Charles is the first steamboat on the Peace
1906 - Allie Brick becomes Peace River's first MLA
1909 - Peace River's townsite is surveyed
1912 - Peace River's first public school opens
1911 - Peace River holds its first agricultural show
1914 - First meeting of the Village council
1914 - Peace River's first hospital, the Irene Cottage Hospital,
opens
1916 - Railway trestle over the Heart River is completed
1917 - The Peace River Women's Institute is organized
1918 - Railway bridge is completed
1919 - Peace River is incorporated as a town
1926 - Constable Burstall and Louis Bourass complete a census
of the area
1930 - The Peace River Municipal Hospital opens
1932 - Peace River holds its first Stampede and Rodeo
1935 - Pat's Creek floods it's banks
1942 - The U.S. Army moves into Peace River in preperation
for builing the Canol Pipeline
1954 - CKYL opens
1958 - Peace River floods
1965 - The Peace River Auxiliary Hospital opens
1967 - The Peace River Centennial Museum opens
1968 - Peace River's traffic bridge is completed
1968 - Peace River Correctional Centre opens
1972 - Peace River floods
1992-93 - The bicentennial anniversary of Sir Alexander
Mackenize's journey is celebrated
1997 - Peace River floods
2004 - Peace River hosts the Alberta Summer Games
2009 - Peace River celebrates its 90th Anniversary