Village Squire, 1979-03, Page 24come, the living history and working
conditions of the fur trade and pioneer eras
of the region.
It's a must stop for visitors to this
picturesque western city, and it should be
emphasized that the fort is only part of a
total reconstruction program that will
continue for years to come.
So don't just plan to spend a couple of
hours shuffling through an old fur trade
post. Be prepared to take your time, to
inhale some history. Depending on the day
you decide to visit, you might see people in
period costume baking bread, the
carpenter at work in his shop, the
blacksmith or someone engaged in
building a York boat.
It was back in 1967 that the city approved
Port Edmonton Park. Construction began
• in 1969 on the south bank of the twisting
North Saskatchewan River, and after five
years of dedication to detail, it was opened
to the public. The fort is a major
component of an ambitious overall plan
that will trace the history of Edmonton to
the present.
Plans call for the development of the
pre -railway village of Edmonton, covering
the period 1871-91 but centred around 1885
(numerous buildings are already in place);
Edmonton, the pre-war town, concentrat-
ing on the year 1905 when the city became
the provincial capital; Edmonton, the
gateway to the north, covering the 1920s;
Edmonton, the oil capital of Canada, where
a 1947 street will show the effect the
discovery of black gold had on the city's
economic growth.
Had it been decided that only the fort
would be reconstructed, it would have been
sufficient to provide the visitor with an
unusual and interesting attraction. As it
stands now, everything that is being
developed is simply an added bonus.
And don't worry about getting the
youngsters something to eat or being able
to browse through a gift shop. On 1885
street you can sit down for a quick lunch or
a meal in Jasper House amid the
surroundings of a period dining room. Or
at Daly's Drugstore, an authentic 1880s
building, you can buy everything from
candy to souvenirs.
In taking a tour of the fort, you can only
be impressed with the workmanship, from
the log buildings to the furnishings they
contain, all reproduced by skilled
craftsmen. The hotel -like chief factor's
house is a good example, with room after
room decorated in a manner that would add
a touch of class to any present-day home.
By comparison, you have the rather basic
and practical furnishings of the clerk's or
carpenter's quarters.
Rowand's quarters included 25 rooms, in
31/2 storeys and measured 9 metres by 24
metres (30' by 80'). Not exactly your
average bungalow.
There obviously existed, within the fort,
a caste system. The higher up the
proverbial ladder a man was, the better the
food and accommodations. There was a
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v �
LISTOW EL
291-3032 Residence 356-2561
-
22 Village Squire, March 1979
very definite pecking order. Three main
classes existed including the chief factor,
the gentlemen and the indentured
servants. There were others in between
such as the chief trader, other major
officers and missionaries who were higher
than the gentlemen, but lower than the
chief factor. Carpenters and boatbuilders
and other skilled tradesmen had a higher
standing than the indentured servants.
Interesting how you notice some
buildings with windows with shutters,
while the Rowand residence windows are
glass, the first glass in the region. It had to
be a status symbol.
Within his district Rowand, who raised
two sons and three daughters, was
virtually the king of his territory. His power
was absolute and unquestioned. He was
both the government of the area and the
business manager.
But you have to see it all to appreciate
the lifestyle of the time, to allow yourself to
step back into history, to soak up the
atmosphere of the place. A trip through the
fort tends to stir that pioneer spirit.
Fort Edmonton Park is only minutes
from the heart of the city and minutes away
from where the fort originally stood high on
the banks of the North Saskatchewan,
where today you'll see the impressive
Legislative Buildings.
Obviously Edmonton, a city of 570,000
residents, offers all the other ameneties...
good hotels, shopping, theatre, events and
attractions.
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