Farrow, Alberta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Farrow
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Unincorporated community
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The former United Grain Growers
elevator along the CP rail line |
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 Farrow
Location in Alberta
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Region | Southern Alberta |
| Census division | 5 |
| Municipal district | Vulcan County |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST) |
| Postal code span |
List of T Postal Codes of Canada
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| Area code(s) | +1-403 |
| Highways | Highway 24 (2km north) |
| Railways | Canadian Pacific |
Farrow is an unincorporated community in Vulcan County, Alberta, Canada. This means it's a small settlement that doesn't have its own local government. Farrow is located about 5 kilometers off Highway 24. It's about 25 kilometers north of the town of Vulcan. Today, Farrow is mostly abandoned. The land is now owned by a local farmer. Most of the old buildings, like the church, school, and stores, have been torn down. You can still see some remains if you travel on the Aspen Crossing railway.
Farrow was first called Glenview or Randle for a short time. The name "Farrow" was chosen later. It was the maiden name of the wife of a Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) superintendent at that time.
Contents
The Story of Farrow
How Farrow Began
In 1930, the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) built a new railway line. This line was meant to serve the areas south and east of the Bow River. Before the railway arrived, Farrow was known as Glenview or Randle. The name was changed to "Farrow" to honor the wife of A. Halkett, who was a CPR superintendent.
A Town's Hopes
People thought Farrow would become a busy business center. This was because a new gravel road was planned to go through Farrow. This road would connect Highway 1 with Highway 23. Many new businesses started to open.
Two large buildings called grain elevators were built in 1930. These elevators were used to store grain from local farms. One was called the Independent, and the other was the United Grain Growers. Around the same time, Bill Thompson's General Store and Jone's Confectionery opened. Soon after, a blacksmith shop, a lumber yard, a service station, a garage, and a butcher shop were built. The Farrow United Church was built on a hill above the town. Several families also built their homes there.
Why Farrow Disappeared
Things changed in 1932. The new gravel road, which is now Highway 24, ended up bypassing Farrow. It went two miles north instead, leading to the Hamlet of Mossleigh. People and businesses followed the new road. Mossleigh became the main business center for the area. This left Farrow to slowly fade away.
Many businesses closed very quickly. The blacksmith shop and confectionery shut down. The butcher shop moved to Mossleigh. The lumber yard was sold and moved to a farm. The service station and a house were also moved to Mossleigh. Other homes were abandoned or burned down.
The Farrow Post Office was run by different people from 1930 to 1958. When the last postmistress retired in 1958, the Farrow Post Office closed for good. People who used to get their mail there were then transferred to a post office in Blackie.
The Grain Elevators Stayed
Even as other businesses left, the grain elevators kept operating for many years. They continued to serve the local farming community.
The United Grain Growers (UGG) elevator had several agents over the years. It even closed for a short time in 1936-1937 but reopened. The Independent Grain Company elevator also had different agents. In 1946, the United Grain Growers bought out the Independent elevator. They operated both elevators until 1977, when they were finally closed. The Independent elevator was torn down in the 1980s.
