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History Community Spirit Builds Davisburg
Last year the Alberta Premier, the Honourable Peter Lougheed, delegated Mr. George Wostenholme, former MLA for Highwood, to present the Davisburg Community Association with a plaque honoring their contribution to the growth and development of Alberta during the past 75 years. There were only three such plaques presented last year to communities throughout Alberta.
A school, called the Davisburg District School, No. 79, was built in 1888 on section 29 and in 1897 it was moved to Section 30. In these times, Section 29 was set aside by the government for schools to be built on. The number 79 meant that it was the seventy-ninth school, not only in Alberta, but also in the whole of the North West Territories. In 1908, the school was again moved, this time to the S.E. Quarter of Section 30. A new school was later built on this location with the old school being used as a stable. This school continued in use until 1953, at which time the children went to Okotoks by bus. In December, 1954, the old Davisburg District School-house, barn and land were purchased from the newly formed Foothills School Division and the Davisburg Community Association was formed early the next year. The old school continued to be a centre of entertainment for the district until a new hall was built. The turning of the sod for a new Davisburg Community Association Hall took place on Sunday, October 12, 1975 on the same property as the old school. The "togetherness" of the community was carried on from the pioneers. People volunteered their time, gave generous donations, and gave of whatever they had available to the construction of the Community Association Hall. Auction sales were planned, work bee's set up, and everyone was ready and willing to work. Although the Community Association Hall was not finished, the hall was complete enough to host its 1st New Years Eve dinner and dance function on December 31, 1976. As money became available, supplies and furnishings were purchased. Government Grants helped with the purchase of exhaust and fan systems, tables, chairs and much needed kitchen utensils (roasters, cutlery, pots, pans, coffee and tea pots). The Official Grand Opening of the Davisburg Community Association Hall took place on January 26, 1980, with Mr. Wolstenholme unveiling the plaque to officially open the Davisburg Community Association Hall. The upper and lower floors and the kitchen unit of the hall serve to accommodate many different functions, one of which is the Pre-School Program Group comprised of twenty-five children and parents, who meet twice a week on the lower floor. The Davisburg District related back to many historical acknowledgements. The Dunbow (St. Joseph's) Industrial Indian School was founded by Father Lacombe in 1883-84 and was located on the banks of the Highwood River, just a few miles east of the present Davisburg Community Centre hall. It was the first of its kind in Alberta and the first large attempt to help Indian children meet the problems of civilization. After thirty-eight years of successful operation, the school was closed March 28, 1922. To the south of the Davisburg Community Association Hall is the Davisburg Church and Cemetery. The church was started about September 1889, and was done with volunteer labor and was finished before the end of that year. The Davisburg District has three graveyards. One is the orthodox graveyard, next to the church. Buried within are many of the original setters, their children, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. It is a neat, well-kept place with its lawn and flowering shrubs. A large fieldstone with a plaque bearing the words, "To the Memory of the Pioneers of the Davisburg District" was erected in 1965. In 1974, through the generosity of one of the old time families, a steel link fence was build around the church property. An Indian graveyard is close to the banks of the Highwood River, at the site of the old Dunbow (St. Joseph's) Industrial Indian School. The other, a little different graveyard is known as the Buffalo Bone yard, and is found on the steep banks of the Bow River. The stratification leads one to believe that is was one of many buffalo jumps in the province. A North West Mounted Police detachment was established at Dunbow, near the confluence of the Bow and Highwood Rivers from 1884 - 1895. One of the first steel bridges to be built in the Province of Alberta was in the south east portion of Davisburg and was constructed in 1891. This bridge was washed out several times and had to be reconstructed. It was found necessary to build a new bridge in 1963. The old bridge was taken away in April, 1964 and is presently at Heritage Park in Calgary. Early in 1941, the Federal Government purchased land from two original homesteaders of the 1880's. Due to the need for flyers in World War Two, this property was used to establish the No. 31 Elementary Flying Training School. In the summer of 1942 it became civilian operated and continued in this manner until it was closed in 1948. Davisburg was the orignal landing place for many settlers who came down the Blackfoot Trail. This Trail runs through the Davisburg district and was used as the link between the Indian Reserves at Gleichen and Morley, crossing the Highwood River close to its confluence with the Bow River. This road is still in use today and is still known by this name to pioneers of the district. Throughout the Davisburg - Pine Creek district and elsewhere between Calgary and High River, one finds what appears to be a disused railway. In reality it is a railroad that was started but never materialized. In March, 1956, an outside skating rink and a building housing one sheet of curling ice was constructed by volunteers help on the same property as the Community Centre. Prior to this, hockey games and skating parties were held on the river ice and curling was done with jam cans filled with water and frozen. In 1950, the Davisburg "Wheat Kings" hockey team was formed and played in a bush league. Many memorable evenings of curling were held on this one sheet of natural ice, until the past few years when mild weather has played its toll on the ice. This year, Davisburg had its own league and curled in the Okotoks Tri-Plex with eight rinks competing against each other. Community life of the Davisburg pioneers and settlers was a natural way of living.
We are proud of our Davisburg Community Association and of our Pioneers Heritage and may we continue in the future to carry forward as our pioneers did to contribute to the growth and development of Davisburg, Alberta - Forever ahead. |
The history of the Davisburg District dates back prior to 1888, at which time it was called "Glenbeg", in honor of the Begg family who lived in the "Glen". It was later changed to Davisburg, after D. W. Davis, the first member of the Canadian House of Commons from Alberta.
