Historic Fort Macleod After Hours

Come join us for a casual after hours tour of historic Fort Macleod Alberta. Evening or morning is a great time to explore places like this and not just for the soft, silky light that’s so pleasing. The streets are usually quieter and the views less obstructed. This is not a full plate in any sense and instead it’s what ever caught our eyes at the time. A teaser, if you will.

We have a thing for old style motor court motels from the 1950s-1970s period and you’ll see a number in this post. Fort Macleod has an unusually high count of these businesses and old photos prove that many are little changed over time. When in town for work (the case here), we usually stay at one or another. They’re cheap and that’s a necessity when on a tight budget. Most are nice places….

The majority of buildings seen in this post are in the downtown core, but we also made our way down to the railway line. Grain elevators are a big interest, as are trains in general, so you’ll often find us near the tracks.

We know there’s some fine old homes in town, but those might have to wait till another time. Then there’s the old airbase, but that’s for later too. Lots we missed, but lots were photographed. If this post proves popular, maybe we’ll come back for more – there’s a lot to keep us busy there and we love the area, so it’s win-win for us.

Macleod the town, (the original name) was incorporated in the early 1890s. It had grown around the Northwest Mounted Police Outpost of Fort Macleod which dated back at couple decades earlier. The town later adopted Fort in its title officially in the 1950s but everyone called it Fort Macleod even before that change.

Fort Macleod had a particularly busy period from the late 1890s till 1914. It kind of abruptly stopped. The railway moving operations out of town and the advent of World War One were both contributing factors. A long period of malaise followed and as a result they have one of the most intact historic downtowns in the province.

Let’s take a brief tour and the photos are posted in the order they were captured…

1) The American Hotel dates to 1913 and it closed quite some time ago (mid-1990s). It sits at the far west end of downtown Fort Macleod and it appears recently that someone is working on it. Their exact purpose nor time frame is not known, but it’s clear something is happening. Nothing for the longest time and now there’s activity.

Earlier, a wood hotel (built 1890s and early on called the Klondyke) stood on the same property.

In the past the American Hotel had quite the notorious reputation and you would not want to be standing where we were on a Saturday night. Unless you relish trouble that is. Brawls, rampant alcoholism and drug use were common. Knowing this troubled history, it’s odd to see it so peaceful and quiet.

2 & 22) The last wood grain elevator in Fort Macleod. It’s fairly modern, as these buildings go (1964) and has outlasted all the others here in town. There used a row of them along the same siding…or former siding and it’s now gone.

The building carries the colours of the Alberta Wheat Pool but that company ceased to be about a quarter century ago. Successor Agricore operated the elevator for a short time, then sold it, we believe to a local farmer who uses it for grain storage. Know more: Prairie Sentinels: Fort MacLeod Alberta.

3-4) The Sunset Motel, naturally at sunset. It’s one of many old style motels in town and perhaps the most prominent given its position out on the highway. Many of the others are a bit east of downtown and don’t front on the main arteries. Traffic changes saw 24th Street (often called called Main Street), where most are located, bypassed as the through route.

The business first makes mention around 1960, as the Sunset Motel & Trailer Park on Macleod Trail (now Crowsnest Highway). There are still some occupied trailers behind the place, but we’re not sure if they still managed by the motel. There’s a bit of a Sunnyvale vibe going on back there.

5) The Red Coat Inn Motel just off downtown (where most of the motor court style places are located) and in the past it was called the Foothills Hotel. It seems to date from the 1950s and has shared cabins as rooms, which is common of the era. They’re a dead give-away it’s old.

Red Coat was the name given the Northwest Mounted Police (now Royal Canadian Mounted Police) and recall they did have an outpost here in Fort Macleod in the early years.

6) The west end of downtown has the greatest concentration of old structures and most are from the earlier mentioned boom period. We’ll be showing you and chatting about many of the buildings seen in these photos a bit further down.

This shot is from a Saturday evening and things were happening. The theatre (right), eateries and pubs were all doing a good business.

7) The Empress Theatre is from 1912 and has hosted movie and live events ever since. It’s kept much of it original charm and that of a 1940s upgrade. Surprisingly, we’ve never been inside and perhaps that needs to change. It’s eye opening just how many historic places we’ve not got to know in the time we’ve been doing this. We’ll never run out of places to see.

“The theatre is currently designated an Alberta Historic Resource, is owned and maintained by the Town of Fort Macleod and is operated on their behalf by the Empress Theatre Society.” – Empress Theatre website.

8 & 19) The Queens Hotel had just recently closed at the time of these photos (these ones are from 2022) but all is not lost and it’s in the process of getting fixed up by new owners. Last time we passed by, summer 2024, construction fences and dumpster bins surrounded the building. Their website doesn’t say much but it suggests it’ll be a hotel of some sorts again.

We were in contact with the previous owners of the Queens regarding the Beer Parlour Project and they seemed open to the idea (Beer Parlour Project new tab). But then and with no warning, it shut down. The Queens dates to 1903 and is among a group of the oldest hotels still standing in the province. Like many old buildings in downtown Fort Macleod, it’s made of sandstone. It seems most (or all) of the material for these came from local quarries.

9) MacKenzie Bridge dates to 1909 and while no longer along a main route into town, it still sees traffic on a secondary road. It crosses the Oldman River and given it’s age and low clearances there’s vehicle restrictions. Car and pickups are fine, but otherwise nothing too big or heavy.

It’s one lane and has yields at both ends – first one on wins. It’s named after local Fort Macleod-ite (ian?) and early politician Malcolm MacKenzie.

10) The Century 2 (or 11) Motel and it’s one of the places we’ve stayed at before when on business in town. Cheap, but nice. Early on it was called the Sportsman Rest-A-While Motel and while the first mention of it is from the mid-1960s, it could be a bit older. Data is somewhat spotty.

11) The Fort Motel, our home the night of this photo and it’s a our regular go-to – nice owner who gives us a break. It dates to the early 1950s, when it was called the Fort Macleod Autel (Auto-Hotel) and in more recent times they acquired the Kozy Motel next door (also from the 1950s and similarly with cabin style rooms).

We did a Then & Now where you can see how it used to look (spoiler alert, it’s not changed much) and where we touch on its history. Here: Fort Motel Fort MacLeod Alberta.

12) Couldn’t sleep, so we paid downtown a visit early the next morning. Insomnia is a bugger sometimes. There were less cars but not as many pretty lights on, but still it’s a photogenic scene. Note the old signage, the town clock and memorials to fallen service people. These guys should be remembered outside November 11th.

13) The Renwick Building (left) dates to 1910 and was home to Daisy’s Fashions on our visit. It’s made of sandstone and was constructed by Scottish stone masons living in the area. It’s named after the original tenant, Renwick Hardware, and this business (under other names – Andrew’s most recently) continued into 1980 at least.

In the 1980s and 1990s (perhaps a bit beyond) it housed a western wear and tack shop.

To the right is the Callie Bros and McLean Block from 1905. The Rex Cafe is listed as an early tenant and it seems they were here in business for a while. Johnny’s Restaurant occupies the block today and based spotty data found, it suggests they’ve been here for several decades.

The owners have recently announced their retirement and business has been listed for sale (early 2024). The upstairs is living quarters for the owners.

14) The Anderton Block from 1909 and until the early 1980s housed a grocery store. For much of the time since there’s been a pharmacy here. The building to the right was also built the same year and our visit housed Tiffany’s Cosmetic Boutique (even though it say Drug Mart above). We believe they’re gone now and this is a reminder of how hard it is to run a business in a small town.

Something called the Collective Artisan Market comes up at that address today.

15) The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce building dates to 1910 and it was occupied by that firm until the 1980s. They’re now located kitty-corner and have an angled entryway just like it the original place. The first thing you see when exiting the new building is the old one, and that must have been by design. There’s even a similar feel to the new building, albeit much simplified, so perhaps it honours what came before.

The Vault Co-Work Building, a community space for craftspeople and the like, is located at the old CIBC Building now. It looked empty on our visit so this might be a new thing.

The McNeil-Mathews Block next door (left) is from 1910.

16) The Stevens’ (or CW Stevens’) Building dates to the late 1897 and that it’s on the highway through town (westbound lane) means it’s a familiar thing to a lot of people. It once sat in downtown, however, and moved a few blocks to here in 1980. It once housed the post office, a Mason’s Lodge, a newspaper and bank. It’s last incarnation was that of a wood working shop (1921-1979) and that firm closed just before the move but their old sign kept.

It’s now part of the Fort Museum, which is right next door. The Stevens’ Building is one a handful of historic structures in town made of wood. Many were lost in a fire early in the town’s history (1906) and with this a rule came that any new development needed to be of stone or brick.

17) The Heritage Motel sits in the shadow the American Hotel and it first makes mention in the 1960s when it operated as the Downtown Motel.

18 & 23) The Java Shop is from the 1940s and most noteworthy for it’s unique neon sign. For the longest time the business also functioned as the town’s bus depot and your author remembers it as a meal stop on the Cranbrook to Calgary run. All the coffee you can drink, true old-school diner food, and that’s all great stuff when you’re in your early 20s.

Most recently an antique shop operated here, but that business seems to have closed. This building is odd, in that it’s a rare example of a post-boom period building in town. Most others spoken of here were from the 1910s or earlier.

20) The (Silver) Grill has occupied the Leather Block for well over a century. It’s said to be the oldest operating restaurant in Western Canada. It’s had many owners, and presently, it’s called the New Silver Grill.

The old sign just says Grill Cafe and advertises Chop Suey, which seems to have been the Chinese dish of choice in the old days. We think Ginger Beef has taken that title. We have to stop in and give it a try.

21) There’s plenty of parking to the north side of downtown and it’s a good starting point for a historic walking tour of town.

22) The Feed Mill keeps the old grain elevator company. It’s all quiet down this way and that’s our kind of place.

24) The Fort Macleod Denture Clinic has a bunch of old cars out front and this includes an adulterated Jaguar Mark Series from the 1950s. We think it’s a MK VII M. It’ got some nice lines but that gaudy grill is not original and kinds kills the look.

And we’re done. This little foray took up many hours of walking about, finding the right angle (both SUPER enjoyable) and we’ve barely scratched the surface. There’s just so much that’s historic in town so we’ll have to come if we want capture more.

It’s such a photogenic place and it’s no wonder the town is used as a backdrop in so many filmed productions. Brokeback Mountain, Fargo, Ghostbusters Afterlife and the Last of Us come to mind, but there’s many others.

Hope you enjoyed the little foray as much as we enjoyed capturing it. Till next time…

Know more about the town (new tabs): Historic Fort Macleod Alberta and they’ve published a tour guide (1980s – a bit outdated): Fort Macleod Alberta Walking & Driving Tour.

They’re saying…

”Chris and Connie have a unique way of documenting the places they visit, not copying the style or technique of others, but making it their own.” Alex Craig, Filmmaker.

Hello Fort Macleod!
Fort Macleod Alberta ~75 Years Apart.
Fort Museum Fort MacLeod Alberta.

Random awesomeness…
27 Years Apart with Alberta Prairie Ry #41.
When Coal was King (Mine Substation).
Linclon, or is that Ƨeventh?.

Something to say and no one to say it to? Go here: Contact Us!

Location: Fort Macleod, Alberta.
Date of adventure: October 2022 and 2023.
Article references and thanks: Alberta Culture & Multiculturalism, Town of Fort Macleod, Medicine Hat & District Genealogical Society, HistoricPlaces.ca, Empress Theatre, and miscellaneous stuff at the UofC Archives.

1) Welcome to Fort Macleod Alberta: the American Hotel.

2) The last grain elevator in town.

3) The Sunset Motel…at sunset!

4) Wonder soft colours this night.

5) The Red Coat Inn Motel.

6) Historic Downtown.

7) The amazing Empress Theatre.

8) The Queens Hotel had just closed after ~120 years.

9) The Highway #811 bridge is 100+ years old.

10) Lots of old-school motels in town: the Century 2.

11) The Fort Motel and it’s our home this night.

12) Some shots were evening & others (like this) were morning.

13) The Renwick (left) & Callie Brothers buildings (right).

14) Anderton Block

15) Imperial Bank of Commerce & McNeil-Mathews Block.

16) Stevens’ Building and the Fort Museum in back.

17) Heritage Motel.

18) Java Shop & former Greyhound stop.

19) Soon after this photo, work began on renovating the Queens.

20) The Silver Grill Café.

21) Parking and Fort Museum this way…

22) Macleod Feed Mill.

23) The Java Shop sign is a local landmark.

24) An adulterated Mark series Jaguar.