Chinese Laundry Fort Macleod AB (2014)

The building seen here dates back to the mid-1890s (one report says about a decade later) and on this visit in 2014, looked every bit its age. It must have been in the running as the one of the oldest buildings in the community, yet rather hidden away from the rest of historic downtown Fort Macleod Alberta. It’s known as the Chinese Laundry (or OK Laundry) building and at the time plans were to tear it down.

Leaning and sagging, it’s clearly seen better days. There was talk of trying to save the structure, but a few years after these photos were captured, it got demolished. It looked unsafe and perhaps too far gone to consider any other option.

The building has housed many businesses over the years and most notably a laundry. Interestingly this false-front building faced the alley and not the street. A tire shop owned the property in more recent times and used it for storage.

Look closely and you can see the old laundry sign above the upper windows. It’s faded and the hard to see, but there as a reminder of the town’s past. At the time of its construction this building stood in what was Fort Macleod’s small Chinatown district and a short distance from downtown.

From the area…
Fort Macleod Alberta ~75 Years Apart.
Prairie Sentinels: Fort MacLeod Alberta.
Fort Museum Fort MacLeod Alberta.

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Date of adventure: July 2014.
Location: Fort Macleod Alberta.

The former Chinese Laundry in Fort Macleod Alberta.

Note the old sign above the windows.