BIG LOVE for Connie & anyone fighting Breast Cancer. Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie - BIGDoer.com: Hundreds and hundreds of articles! Over one point three million words! Over 25k photos! Tens of thousands of hours invested! Tens of thousands of visitors per month! News: 1st Quarter 2025 - Many older posts are outdated or have little value in 2025 and have been archived (due to a system crash). Some will return with a reworking, and others deleted. Missing posts will be handled with a redirect to the home page.- If you appreciate what we do, please Help the Society .- Chris joined Jim Bowers and Jay Towers for the Superman Caped Wonder Podcast (Facebook new tab).- The Beer Parlour Project website, a collaborative effort between Team BIGDoer and art photographer Robert Pohl, is now online! The Beer Parlour Project (new tab).- After all that effort, we've mercifully pulled the plug on the book "Lost Alberta: Forgotten and Abandoned History" announced in 2020. Read about it on Facebook (new tab): Cancelled! EMBRACE THIS MESS!

BIGDoer.com is unpolished in every way and simply casual fun. Tips and pointers for new users...-We do this for the pure joy of it.-This site does not make money.-We failed English class.-Some posts and/or photos, older ones especially, are pure cringe.-Commenting is encouraged, especially if you add to the story and really helps to motive the team.-Speaking of comments: refer to them for reader updates.-Older section of this website are slower to load - sorry.-When we chat about history: things were different then and may challenge contemporary views.-If a location is not mentioned, it's by design and done to protect sensitive sites.-If you read something that requires correction, bring it to our attention and we'll fix it and send you a gift (plus we'll give you a shout out).-Posts reflect what we knew at the time and some are horribly outdated.-The site is a little repetitive but also know this: the site is a little repetitive.-If you don't like the subject of a post, move on and find something else of interest - there's a lot here! But pace yourself.-Odd, obscure. offbeat and a different take - that's us.

Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie/BIGDoer.com Stats: A ton of articles! Over one point three million words! Over 25k photos! Tens of thousands of hours invested! Tens of thousands of visitors per month! And it's all growing. On the menu every day: -Abandoned Places-Hiking Adventures-Vintage Machinery-Historic Sites-Then & Now Comparisons-Train Stuff-And Random Silly Things (Boler!) Why so many differing subjects? Why have one obsession when you can have many? There's lots here for everyone to enjoy. Why do this? The big question is why not? We love to discover and share adventures with others of a similar passion. Enjoy the ride! How is this all paid for? We get a few donations (much appreciated) and the occasional grant for historic themed work. Mostly, it's self funded, however. We don't want ads even if it'd go a long way in covering costs. Why are some locations kept secret? This is to protect sensitive sites.

Off The Beaten Path – with Chris & ConnieHiking-Adventure-History-Exploration Journal of the BIGDoer.com Society, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Presented by Chris “BIGDoer” Doering & Connie Biggart. Your hosts... Come with us and discover! Team BIGDoer.com's mandate: to document historic sites and things before they're gone; to experience life in a crazy way, to play in the great outdoors, to observe, learn and share the experience with others. We are the curious. We hope you are too. BIGDoer.com operates as a non-profit. This site makes no money. Our stuff's seen far and wide, all over the internet, in print and on TV... BIGDoer? Pronounced big-door; a compound (or portmanteau) word arrived from the names Connie BIGgart and Chris DOERing. Now you know! This website is an ongoing work in progress. There are regular updates in the form of new articles, and revisions and corrections to old ones (yes, we mess-up). Of course, we always welcome input from our readers. Images and content are copyright Chris Doering & Connie Biggart and BIGDoer.com, unless otherwise noted. Sharing our work is encouraged, as long as credit is given. Unsure where to begin? Try this page... BIGDoer.com sitemap . Reach Us! -suggest a place to visit, invite us to your historic site, show us something old, hire us or host us, suggest a website to visit, inform us, tell us it’s your birthday, tell us you like what we’re doing… BIGDoer.com on Facebook (new window) – for the latest news!

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Seph-Lawless (Pseudonym) Joseph/Joe Melendez (Real Name) Random Notes June 2017: Path docs/private/, file code TT44634hh3890
Seph-Lawless (Pseudonym) Joseph or Joe Melendez (Real Name) Charity Scams Notes/Fake Zuckerman Oct 2018 (and draws Penises): Path docs/private/, file code TT44634hh4129
Seph Lawless – Viral Video – Dead Malls – Rolling Acres Mall – Gay Political Pundit & Huffpost Journalist – Condo Foreclosure

Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie - BIGDoer.com3 days ago

(2023) Beer Parlour Project Friday 🍺 Old Motels Edition: The Sunset in Fort Macleod Alberta...at sunset.

Fort Macleod is home to many old motor court style motels & we have a thing for them too. The Sunset 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 connected with the motel.

Take a tour of historic Fort Macleod (includes motels): https://www.BIGDoer.com/59497/exploring-history/historic-fort-macleod-after-hours/ Thanks to our sponsor Anonymous.
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Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path.
Thanks, Chris.

#historylover #historynerd #historyphotographed #fortmacleod #oldmotel #chrisandconnie #offthebeatenpath #bigdoer

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Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie - BIGDoer.com3 days ago

(2023) Beer Parlour Project Friday 🍺 Old Hotels Edition: The Queens in Fort Macleod Alberta. It dates to 1903 & is among a group of the oldest hotels still standing in the province. They had recently closed the year before this photo, but it's now getting fixed up by new owners. Last time we passed by, summer 2024, construction fences & dumpster bins surrounded the building.

We were in contact with the previous owners of the Queens regarding the Beer Parlour Project & they seemed open to the idea. But soon after they shut down. Historic Stevens Building in back.

Take a tour of historic downtown Fort Macleod: https://www.BIGDoer.com/59497/exploring-history/historic-fort-macleod-after-hours/ Thanks to our sponsor Anonymous.
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Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path.
Thanks, Chris.

#historylover #historynerd #historyphotographed #fortmacleod #queenshotel #chrisandconnie #offthebeatenpath #bigdoer

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Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie - BIGDoer.com3 days ago

(2023) Beer Parlour Project Friday 🍺 Old Hotels Edition: The American Hotel (built 1913) in Fort Macleod Alberta. It closed quite some time ago (mid-1990s) but someone has been working on it recently.

The sun star was just pure dumb luck. That it lined up with two windows is amazing & this only happened because the building was being gutted & was empty on that floor.

Take a tour of historic downtown: https://www.BIGDoer.com/59497/exploring-history/historic-fort-macleod-after-hours/ Thanks to our sponsor Anonymous.
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Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path.
Thanks, Chris.

#historylover #historynerd #historyphotographed #fortmacleod #americanhotel #historichotel #chrisandconnie #offthebeatenpath #bigdoer

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Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie - BIGDoer.com4 days ago

Wrentham Alberta & what a difference a short 25 years makes (1995 & 2020). Click see more👇

The silver elevator dates to 1925 (a century old this year!) & it's intact mechanically. It's the last wood Ogilvie Flour Mills elevator in the province & is owned by the Ogilvie Wooden Grain Elevator Society who saved it from being demolished. Check them out & donate if you can.

The structure was farmer owned before & used up until the early 2010s. It was also owned by the Alberta Wheat Pool at one time. Refer to a link below to learn more about this scene.

The elevator further back is fairly modern (1960s).

More: https://www.BIGDoer.com/46882/then-and-now/wrentham-alberta-25-years-apart/
Photo credit: Allan Brooker.
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Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path.
Thanks, Chris.

#historylover #historynerd #historyphotographed #ogilvieflour #grainelevator #wrenthamalberta #thenandnow #chrisandconnie #offthebeatenpath #bigdoer

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Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie - BIGDoer.com4 days ago

Roadside Attractions Andrew Alberta (2020) & a sign of the times. This is said to be the biggest mallard in the world & whoever added that mask maybe helped bring on a smile or two to people passing by. The photo was captured during the height of the pandemic.

This was captured during a roadtrip in support of the book Lost Alberta: Forgotten & Abandoned History. The manuscript was completed but sadly it never went to print (it still turns up in the publisher's book searches). No bother & we still had a grand time making it. Going on adventures together & making memories is what we love & everything else is not that important.
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Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path.
Thanks, Chris.

#historylover #historynerd #historyphotographed #mallardduck #andrewalberta #worldsbiggest #roadsideattractions #chrisandconnie #offthebeatenpath #bigdoer

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Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie - BIGDoer.com4 days ago

You can still catch a movie at the 113 year old Empress Theatre Fort Macleod Alberta. Click see more👇

They've hosted film & live events here since 1912 & the building has been beautifully restored. It's run by the Empress Theatre Society & we should all give them a round of applause for their dedication. Bravo!

The Empress is one of the oldest continuously operating theatres in the province & a showpiece in historic downtown Fort Macleod. Even thought we visit the town often, we've never been inside & we think that needs to change.

From this post: https://www.BIGDoer.com/59497/exploring-history/historic-fort-macleod-after-hours/ Today's sponsor is Anonymous - thanks!
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Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path.
Thanks, Chris.

#historylover #historynerd #historyphotographed #fortmacleod #empresstheatre #chrisandconnie #offthebeatenpath #bigdoer

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