Altario facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Altario
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First Red Cross Hospital in Western Canada opened 1920
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 Altario
Location in Alberta
Altario
Location in Canada
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Region | Central Alberta |
| Census division | 4 |
| Special area | Special Area No. 4 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Unincorporated |
| Population
(1991)
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| • Total | 26 |
| Time zone | UTC−07:00 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−06:00 (MDT) |
| Area codes | 403, 587, 825 |
Altario is a small community called a hamlet in eastern Alberta, Canada. It is located in a special area known as Special Area No. 4. You can find Altario on Highway 899, just north of Highway 12. It's about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) east of Kirriemuir and 14 kilometers (8.7 miles) west of Compeer.
Contents
History of Altario
How Altario Started
In 1909, a man named Porterfield Robinson came to this area. He set up the first post office. People thought the CPR line would come through here. Robinson built a store to get supplies for the settlers from Macklin, which was the closest railway point.
He named the settlement "Wilhelmina" after his daughter. The post office opened in February 1911. Settlers would walk for half a day to get their mail if they didn't have a horse.
The Railway Arrives
In August 1914, the railway tracks finally arrived. But they were four miles north of Robinson's original site. The CPR moved a train car to serve as a station. The very first building in the new hamlet was part of Porterfield Robinson's store. He moved it from Wilhelmina with the help of R. H. Bartels and his four strong horses.
The town was first called Bideford. The government thought "Wilhelmina" was too hard to spell. Then it was called Saskalta, and finally, Altario. The name Altario comes from combining "Alberta" and "Ontario."
Young Doukhobor men built the first grain elevator for United Grain Growers. They were known as hard workers.
Growing the Community
After Robinson's Department Store, more businesses opened. These included John McLeod's Hardware store, a pool hall, a Chinese restaurant, and a garage. Porterfield Robinson continued as postmaster. He also sold farm machinery, coal, and oil.
Other services included a livery stable, where you could keep horses, and a notary public. There was also a doctor and a dentist.
Healthcare and Education
In April 1920, the first Red Cross hospital in Western Canada opened in Altario. Dr. Dean Robinson was the first doctor. His brother-in-law, Dr. W.W. Almond, later joined him. Dr. Leslie Robinson, who studied dentistry, had his dental office in MacLeod's hardware store.
The first teacher, Miss Milliken, arrived on May 7, 1916. Jack Ehaust built the only blacksmith shop in Altario.
Altario Today
Altario used to be a much larger community with many buildings. These included the Bideford School, a railway station, livery stables, and various stores. Many of these old buildings are gone now. However, some still stand, like Kreiser's Garage, Jake's Store, the community hall, the school, the Alberta Hotel/Bar, the post office, and the church. The hall and the hotel/bar are still in use.
The Altario School has been rebuilt and teaches students from kindergarten to grade 12. In recent years, about 60 to 70 students attend, including some from nearby Compeer and Kirriemuir. The post office has also moved to a newer building.
Community Life
Altario has always been a lively place. In the past, it had many clubs and sports teams. These included basketball, volleyball, baseball, hockey, badminton, and track and field.
There were also organizations like the Wheatsheaf Junior U.F.A. This group, started in 1927, focused on improving farming. Altario is also part of KAC, which stands for Kirriemuir, Altario, and Compeer. This shows how the communities work together.
Many families in and around Altario depend on the cattle industry and other types of farming for their livelihoods.
Population
In the 1991 Census, Altario had a population of 26 people. This information was gathered by Statistics Canada.
