Not like we need another obsession here at BIGDoer.com, but it’s happened. Great…just great. And it’s well known history buff Johnnie Bachusky we blame. If not for him bringing up the subject of water towers recently while chatting, the seed would have never been planted. Sure, we noticed these structures before while on out on adventures, and even photographed a few, but we didn’t pay them a great deal of mind overall. I guess we were preoccupied with other things. But since that fateful day not long, we think of them a lot and search them out religiously. Funny how that happens.
Seen here, the first and second shots since being bitten by the bug. Number one is found in the tiny community of Arrowwood Alberta, a charming little place. Until recently there used to be a Co-op store sitting in front, but it was torn down a year or two back. To the best of our knowledge, this water tower is quite old and may go back to around the time when the town was founded in the mid-1920s, and is still used. And down the highway and across the Bow River, a similar structure in the town of Gleichen. This tower dates from the early-1910s has been unused since the 1970s, but was saved and historically recognized. Kudos for that.
Both shots were done late in the day, on the same day. And we drove out there just to shoot them.
Soon, no doubt, you’ll see more water tower posts here. Thanks Johnnie…thanks a lot.
Short Subjects: reports that for any number of reasons are brief in nature. They might be updates to older articles, previews of posts planned or not yet published, brief snippets of things that don’t fit in anywhere else or subjects that are so obscure that information on them can’t be found. Or sometimes we just ramble on about Lord knows what.
If you need any more information on what we talked about here, by all means contact us!
Date of adventure: March, 2019. Location: Arrowwood & Gleichen Alberta.
Heritage journalist Chris Doering served me up quite an honour today with a shout out on his site that was included in a water tower piece, a passion of mine. Chris is an outstanding writer and I am a great admirer of his heritage work. Thanks Chris. Now about that planned trip to Square Deal….
The other day we were talking about the Leduc water tower – 1980 – and the alarm that sounded from it at 10 every night. It might have worked when it was originally designated to take kids off the street but by then it was just ignored.
We know of a couple towns that still have a curfew siren. Ymir BC is one…it goes off precisely at 9pm. Or at least did – it’s been a couple years since we were there.
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Beer Parlour Fridays: before Pilsner in Saskatchewan, there was Bohemian or simply Boh. For decades, it was the most popular beer in the province. Incidentally, both Pil and Boh were for decades products of Sick's Brewery. This Boh cap was found in the basement of an old hotel in SW Saskatchewan during a visit by the Beer Parlour Project. It celebrates the beer winning a prestigious best in world award in the late 1960s.
Beer Parlour Fridays: here's a standard issue cast-metal round-top Beer Parlour table. These were supplied through the liquor control board (who heavily regulated the business) and therefore could be found at most drinking establishments. They date back to the 1940s-1960s period and surprisingly, we still see them out there in the wild all the time. Often they were covered in terrycloth to help sop up spilled beer. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Johanna (Connie).
Beer Parlour Fridays: The Tompkin's SK Hotel/Lucky Loon Saloon, previously Woody's. It was just a drive by visit and not a stop on the recent Beer Parlour Project tour of SW Saskatchewan. Had it been open we would have checked it out, however. Celebrating old school watering holes at https://www.BeerParlourProject.com. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Johanna (Connie).
Beer Parlour Fridays: The Wildwood Hotel in Wildwood Alberta, built in the late 1950s to replace one that earlier burned down. Visited in October 2024 by Chris and Rob. Watch for this hotel and others appearing at https://www.BeerParlourProject.com. Celebrating old school watering holes!
Scroll down to the comments for more!👇 _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Johanna (Connie).
A retro, all-metal playground in Burstall Saskatchewan. The rocking horse, aka the tooth chipper or shin buster, was perhaps the most dangerous. Chris says he still has scars from one. But on a summer's day, those slides could get as hot as a baking pan fresh from the oven and gave new meaning to the words toasted buns. If you survived this playground, you were ready to take on the world. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Date: 2024. Thanks, Johanna (Connie).
Check out Kindersley, sk
We’ve added it to the list, thanks!
Great photos!
Thanks Connie, hope your day is a good one.
Drumheller still has one.
Added it to the list. Seen it before but didn’t pay it much mind. Now with that seed planted, we’ll search them out more.
From Johnnie Backhusky’s FB page…
Heritage journalist Chris Doering served me up quite an honour today with a shout out on his site that was included in a water tower piece, a passion of mine. Chris is an outstanding writer and I am a great admirer of his heritage work. Thanks Chris. Now about that planned trip to Square Deal….
Any time Johnnie, let’s do it! Glad you liked the post too.
You should have come a little further when you were in Alsask, there’s one in Kindersley they are thinking of tearing down.
Had we known…but if we’re in the area again…
You need to see the old wooden water tower at Weyburn SK.
We’ll have to check it out if we’re in the area. Thanks for the tip.
One like this in wetaskiwan.
On the to-do list!
Beautiful pictures, a painting ..!!!
Thanks, glad you like them.
The other day we were talking about the Leduc water tower – 1980 – and the alarm that sounded from it at 10 every night. It might have worked when it was originally designated to take kids off the street but by then it was just ignored.
We know of a couple towns that still have a curfew siren. Ymir BC is one…it goes off precisely at 9pm. Or at least did – it’s been a couple years since we were there.
Great shots!!!
Thanks, we sure enjoyed shooting them.