1

The Stopping House

Buck Smith's Stopping House opened in 1879 when High River was called "The Crossing". People would stop here to rest and refuel before crossing the Highwood river and continuing on their journey on the old Macleod Trail.

The Stopping House was the social centre of the area. Dances were held as often as possible, and people would come from far and wide to attend. The music was impromptu - sometimes an accordion player was rounded up, sometimes a violinist, or even an expert on the mouth organ. Quadrilles, waltzes and polkas were performed with enthusiasm by adults and children.

People had to walk or ride to the dance so they would last until the sun came up when the party goers could make their way home in the daylight.

2

Buck Smith's Stopping House
Circa 1891
High River, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
Museum of the Highwood Archives 967-010-037

3

Bavis Hall

In the late 1890's Bavis Hall was built near the site of today's Memorial Centre. The origins of the hall are unknown, but there is a 1901 photo of teacher "Boots" Bavis with his class and it is assumed that he is the Bavis of Bavis Hall.

Bavis Hall was the venue for various traveling performers. Unfortunately, the talent this venue attracted often lacked in quality. The town citizens were quick to respond. Poor performers were pelted with eggs that, the audience insisted, were freshly purchased from The High River Trading Company and were not rotten as one show producer claimed. One poorly received troupe was driven out of town during a rainstorm and had to walk the railway tracks all the way to Okotoks.

Egg-throwing as a popular means of displeasure with performers disappeared when the town finally aquired a more upstanding venue in the new High River Town Hall - The Opera House.

4

The Opera House

In 1906 High River opened its very own opera house. It was simply named 'The Opera House' and was located on the second floor of the Town Hall. After more than 40 years as the cultural centre of High River, it was torn down due to disrepair.

The first play staged in the building was 'Uncle Tom's Cabin'. Traveling theatre companies, of various quality, kept the theatre busy. The Opera House housed not only operas, but also plays, a variety of music concerts, school concerts, political rallies, fairs, dances and parties. Occasionally a famous singer or well known theatre group would be lured to High River. On these nights The Opera House would be literally "jammed to the rafters."

Compared to it's predecessor, Bavis Hall, The Opera House was a much more respectable venue. However, the High River Times reported that it wasn't without its problems. Because The Opera House was in the same building as the Town office, jail, and fire hall, there was an occasional mishap. One story describes a little bit of "excitement" accidentally added to a formal ball. One night, the fire brigade returned from fighting a fire in minus 28 degree weather. When the men saw a half-boiler of coffee on the stove, they assumed it had been brewed for their benefit. Deciding to add a little more "warmth" to the mixture the men dumped six or seven bottles of gin into the mix. Unfortunately, the coffee had been made for the ball and shortly after being spiked, it was taken upstairs. Apparently the party picked up quite a bit after that.

When the Town Hall finally closed its doors for good, the High River Times wrote: "Recollections of all the frivolity, comedy, uplift, drama and tragedy ... would fill a volume. Today the Memorial Centre is our pride and joy. But it will take a heap of living before the Memorial Centre will chart up as colorful a chapter of our history, as the outmoded old Town Hall."

5

High River Town Hall
Circa 1913
High River, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
Museum of the Highwood Archives 999-037-029

6

A group of performers on the stage of the Opera House
Circa 1920
High River, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
Museum of the Highwood Archives, 979-026-015

7

High River choral society members on the Opera House stage
Circa 1929
High River, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
Museum of the Highwood, 988-097-008

8

Student dance at the Town Hall
Circa 1940s
High River, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
Museum of the Highwood 007-024-009

9

The Elk's Hall

High River Elks Lodge, B.P.O.E. No. 120, was organized in 1925. Club room space was leased on the second floor of the Cornfield's premises. The lodge used the space, and allowed it to be used by other organizations, for fundraising banquets, concerts, dances, and meetings. Perhaps the space was overused because, eventually, the room was considered to be unsafe for large crowds.

10

Lane and Emerson Block
Circa 1907
High River, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
Museum of the Highwood Archives 978-056-040

11

Many musical events took place in hotels and resturants.

The High River Times reported in 1905 that the "presence of a pianola at the Saratoga Cafe renders sweet music while you enjoy a sumptuous meal" and "Saratoga cafe hosted a festive social function last Thursday evening. A dance was provided with Miss McKeage as pianist and F. Tuck, violinist."

12

Invitation to a social evening in the Saratoga Cafe
21 December 1906
High River, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
Museum of the Highwood Archives 973-014-016

13

The Saratoga Cafe
20 Century, CIrca 1906
High River, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
Museum of the Highwood Archives 002-047-002

14

Alberta Hotel
Circa 1907
High River, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
Museum of the Highwood Archives, 978-056-017

15

Astoria Hotel
Circa 1905
High River, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
Museum of the Highwood, 978-056-012

16

The Oxford Hotel
Circa 1907
High River, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
Museum of the Highwood, 978-056-013

17

Theatres
Moving pictures and "high-class refined" vaudeville shows appeared at The Theatre in 1906. It was also the location of many social evenings and dances:

The Theatre
"The popularity of the dances at The Theatre on Thursday evening last was demonstrated when previous attendance records were put in the shade. The reason for the large crowd was the return of the popular George Orchestra who have been performing at Banff during the summer. Dancing commenced about nine o'clock and continued until the early morning hours when the tired but happy throng dispersed."
High River Times, September 14, 1914

Electric Theatre.
The Electric Theatre was built on Fourth Avenue around 1910. Music for the silent films was provided by pianist Len Davis, sometimes accompanied by a violinist and other musicians. Later Mrs. Gladys Thorne became the Electric Theatre's pianist. It was reported that at times she would become so engrossed in the film being shown that she would forget the task at hand, and would have to be reminded with a gentle tap on the shoulder by the manager.

Highwood Theatre (later the Wales Theatre)
The Highwood Theatre in High River was built in 1927 and showed silent films accompanied by musicians for two years before talking pictures arrived. After that the theatre continued to show family-oriented films for many years under the watchful eye of projectionist Len Cook. In 1933, the Wales Theatre was renamed in honour of Edward, the Prince of Wales who made several visit to the Highwood area - including the Wales theatre. The Wales shows films to Highwood residents today.

18

Program for dance recital by the pupils of H.L. Spankie
15 June 1928
High River, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
Museum of the Highwood Archives 002-038-001

19

Inside of the program for a dance recital by the pupils of H.L. Spankie
15 June 1928
High River, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
Museum of the Highwood Archives 002-038-001

20

Wales Theatre
Circa 1970s
High River, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
Museum of the Highwood Archives

21

Playbill for Wales Theatre - Len Cook, projectionist
Circa 1935
High River, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
Museum of the Highwood Archives 987-029-002

22

Theatre in the Highwood
Several small towns in the Highwood area had their own multi-purpose theatres that were used for gatherings, dances, concerts and films. In the oil town of Little Chicago / Royalties the Mountview theatre would hold a film or dance one weekend night, and all the chairs would be moved to the Roxy Theatre in Longview for an event the next night. Dances held in these theatres featured local entertainment as well as entertainment imported from Calgary - including Len Davis, Sonny Fry, Lou Darby, Ma Trainor and Hal Anderson.

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Roxy theatre in Longview, Alberta
Circa 1939
Highwood Area, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
Museum of the Highwood Archives.

24

Mountview theatre in Little Chicago / Royalties
Circa 1935
Highwood Area, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
Museum of the Highwood Archives

25

The Memorial Centre

In the early 1940s the No. 5 Elementary Flying Training School was located just North East of High River. The school acquired a recreation hall in 1942 but just two years later No. 5 closed down.

This closure was fine timing for High River, planning to build a new Community Centre. The recreation hall was purchased and moved into town. The hall was used as a base, with additions built around it. In December 1948 it was ready just in time for the annual High School Banquet. It is rumoured that two men contributed to the dinner by "borrowing" a stove and sink from what had once been the Officer's Mess at the EFTS.

The first New Years Dance in the centre drew 850 people at $2.50 a couple. Since then the centre has seen many large gatherings. It has held meetings, car shows, Frontier Nights, symphonies, talent nights, ballets, theatre, Town and Country Fairs, art exhibits, plays, fashion shows, auction sales, dances, weddings, funerals and parties. One evening, seven separate events took place in the busy facility!

The Memorial Centre has undergone many renovations and expansions, but it continues to be a thriving cultural center used by people from all over the Highwood area.

26

Recreation Hall, EFTS Flight Training Centre
Circa 1942
Highwood Area, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
Museum of the Highwood Archives 003-006-002

27

Memorial Centre
1948-present
High River, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
Museum of the Highwood, 001-004-432

28

Singing on the Memorial Centre stage
Circa 1958
High River, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
Museum of the Highwood Archives 989-110-377

29

Friendship group kitchen band performs on Memorial Centre stage during a fashion show
Circa 1972
High River, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
Museum of the Highwood 001-004-943