Didsbury Alberta Town Loop

Here’s a pleasant urban-hike in the charming community of Didsbury Alberta. It’s more a relaxed stroll about town, than anything serious, but not everything needs to be an expedition. There will be many historic homes seen and here’s a spoiler: they’re simply gorgeous! Then there’s lots of century(+) old buildings in the downtown core and for one, that train station is something else.

This is a post filed away some time ago with intent to publish later, then it slipped our minds and only now resurfaced. It’s from 2020, and this a reminder that things here sometimes move at a glacial pace or get misplaced. There’s just so much going on and our archive (plus resultant backlog) is huge!

For brevity, we won’t go into great detail about the history of the places seen, and instead let’s make it casual. Enjoy the walk, as we did, and just take in the sights.

Our visit was on a warm fall day and the turning colours made it all the more magic. The town always photographs beautifully, but at that time of year, it’s that much better. We went in with no route in mind and instead, just sort of looped about the older parts of the community. In other words, we winged it and the resultant route not too bad in the end. I’m sure we missed some cool stuff, though, but we’ll be back anyway.

Some of the places seen are slightly off route, but not by much and so just wander about as you see fit.

We began at the corner of 15th Avenue and 14th Street at the south edge of town. There’s a photogenic farm right across the road at this point and a pathway on that side where the fun begins. Turn west and head toward downtown.

Pass Didsbury High (Go Dragons!) and soon after a building with a zig-zag roof. We had an obsession with these, and similar ones with wavy roofs, starting that year (see: Zigzag & Wave Roofs Calgary (Part 1) and Wave & Zigzag Roofs Calgary (Part 2)). They were a thing for a time (1960s mostly) and mark a quirky period of architectural design.

Just before the train tracks, there’s a interesting home that appears to be made out of concrete blocks (much like this one: Oliver House). If so, it’s bomb proof and will be where we’re heading should the apocalypse hit. Just after crossing the railway line, a train shows and in our circles call that good timing.

We have this strange ritual and if we spot an independent grocery, we stop in and buy a couple lotto tix. It just feels right to patronize the independents, even if the amount bought is small…but we haven’t won yet. Hi Ho sits right next to the tracks.

Continue up 15th Avenue past more heritage homes (spotted a Boler too!) and then turn right on 23rd Street. A park soon comes into view and makes a nice rest stop. Turn right on 18th Avenue then soon after, left on 21st Street. Note the old AGT telephone exchange building on your right and it’s from 1920 (says so up top). Every small town once had a building like this and it’s where the local operator was stationed and housed the needed switch gear.

There’s quite the parade of heritage homes along this stretch (circa early 1900s-1920s) and we’re surprised the town has not published a walking tour guide. The word amazing comes no where close to describing them and the owners should be proud. The Didsbury Museum (we’re never been, curiously) is housed in an old school built early in the 1900s and quite the stately structure.

We do know about the Hiebert Place, which comes into view soon enough. It’s that impressive multi-story brick home in the distinctive Queen Anne style and hard to miss. Even among all the fine historic homes just passed, it’s a stand out. It’s also from fairly early in the 1900s and the original owner, for which its named, was a noted politician and business owner at the time.

Turn right here (on 24th Avenue now) – more charming homes – and turn right again on 20th Street. In a few steps you’ll be in downtown Didsbury and be sure to visit side streets to take in all the old buildings. Many display plaques that speak of their history and this really slowed us down reading them all.

You’ll note an absence of wood buildings here and this can be traced back to a series of fires in the early days. After downtown burned a couple times, it was decided that any new construction was to be of brick. The last fire was in 1924, so most of what you see if from later that decade.

The train station is from the early 1900s and moved back slightly from its original position by the tracks. The railway had a few standardized plans for stations and this one of the more rare styles.

Smell the wings cooking at the Didsbury Inn. Need buffalo wings…but must resist. There’s an old school diner across the street we’ve patronized before (good eats) but one day we’ll have to partake in a pint at the inn. Love dives (dive is a term of endearment BTW).

There’s just too much to photograph here in Didsbury and you know, we really need to come back. You’ll hear us say that more than once.

Turn left at 15th Avenue, cross the railway, then left again on 19th Street and welcome to the other side of the tracks! There’s an interesting structure here, right before the gas ‘n’ gulp place. We’ve long-distance chatted with the owner before and really need to hook up sometimes. It must have been a store of some kind.

Turn right on 20th Avenue and soon in come to the K&W Drive-in. It’s an old school burger joint and we make this our lunch stop. It’s not health conscience fare, but throw caution to the wind once in a while, and anyway you just walked here. Right on cue a classic car shows up and helps complete the scene.

Further down 20th pass a motel restaurant and office painted in the brightest shade of pink ever (it matches the pink on that one earlier building). There’s no missing it and it would stand out in any fog or the worst snow storm.

Turn right on 14th Street and it’s a quick jaunt back to the car. Wanting to prolong fun and work off that heart attack burger, we extended the route by turning right on 19th Avenue, then left on 16th Street and then followed our original route on 15th Avenue back to the car. This added an extra click or so.

On the way out of town, we pass another zig-zag roof building and just had to stop. These were in vogue in architectural circles for on a short while and they sure stand out as unique.

Didsbury was founded in the early 1900s and home to about five thousand folks today. In the old parts of town, it’s a literal time capsule and so full of character. With this adventure came the realization, we need revisit some of the places seen and get to know them better. That farm house! Those gorgeous restored homes! So many of them! Downtown! A seed’s been planted…

Know more (new tab): Didsbury Alberta.

They’re saying…

”Chris and Connie are the real deal – their adventures are truly interesting and fun!” Justine Cooke.

More like this…
Chestermere Town Loop.
Drumheller Pathways.
Interesting Inglewood.

If you wish more information about this route or if you love to chat don’t hesitate to contact us!

Date of adventure: October, 2020.
Location: Didsbury, AB.
Distance: 7km loop if you follow our route.
Height gain maximum: Negligible.
Height gain cumulative: See above.
NOTE: all distances and heights are approximate and may differ slightly from other trip reports (including our own).

This old farm house at the edge of town.

And on the same property, the barn.

Zigzag roof!

Concrete?

Hi Ho, there’s a lotto stop ahead…we didn’t win.

The timing was impreccable.

We passed so many heritage homes.

Boler!

The fall colours made it all the more awesome.

Instantly recognizable as a former AGT telephone exchange.

Lost in the trees.

The museum is housed in an old school.

We approve of this colour.

Another stunning home.

And one more!

The Hiebert Place is one we do know about.

It’s such a charming community.

A Mercury ’62.

From 1925.

Right across the street.

Historic plaques mark many buildings in downtown.

Smell the wings cooking at the Didsbury Inn.

The train station has a unique design.

A happy little chalk kid.

Camping in style.

Across the tracks from downtown.

Some oldies in the back of this lot.

It all falls together at the burger joint.

Just a nice day for a walk.

In honour of those who served.

The pink motel can’t be missed.

Almost done.

A bumper crop.

Another zig-zag spotted leaving town.

A loop of Didsbury Alberta.