Albright, Alberta facts for kids
Albright, Alberta is a small, unincorporated community located in the northwest part of Alberta, Canada. It's found within the County of Grande Prairie No. 1. This little place sits right on Highway 43 and the Grande Prairie-Grande Cache Railway, nestled between the towns of Beaverlodge and Hythe. Albright is about 740 meters (2,428 feet) above sea level.
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Discovering Albright's History
Albright was named after a very important person, W.D. Albright (1881-1946). He was a big supporter of farming in the Peace River Country. He even started a special farm called the Beaverlodge Dominion Experimental Farm in 1917. This farm helped test new ideas for growing crops.
How Albright Began
The community of Albright started to grow around the railway line. There was a railway station and a large building called a grain elevator. A grain elevator is like a tall storage building for crops like wheat. Soon after, the Albright Store opened across the road.
In 1929, a post office was set up inside the store. It was first named Hommy, after an early settler in the area. But in 1931, the name was changed to Albright.
Important Buildings in Albright
Just west of the railway, a one-room schoolhouse called Gimle School was built in 1919. This school was a busy place! It also served as the Gimle Lutheran Church and was used as the community hall.
In 1929, a new building, the Albright Hall, was built right next to the store. This became the main spot for community gatherings. Albright also had a dairy farm called Beisel Dairy and baseball fields. There was even a United Church, a Ladies Aid Society, and a Literary Society for people to join.
What Remains Today
Over time, some of Albright's original buildings closed down. The post office, store, and school closed in the 1950s. The railway station closed in the 1970s.
Around 1988, the old grain elevator was replaced with a new, modern cement structure. The original wooden elevator was moved to the South Peace Centennial Museum, where people can still see it.
Today, you can still find the large Viterra grain elevator, the Albright Community Hall, and two cemeteries, Gimle and Riverside. These landmarks are important reminders that Albright, Alberta, is still a part of the landscape.
