Retlaw, Alberta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Retlaw
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Retlaw welcome sign erected by the Retlaw Historical Society.
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 Retlaw, Alberta
Location in Alberta
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Region | Southern Alberta |
| Census division | 2 |
| Municipal district | Municipal District of Taber |
| Post Office Founded | Barney 1910 |
| Incorporated (village) | 1913 |
| Dissolved | March 1, 1939 |
| Elevation | 778 m (2,552 ft) |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| Postal code span |
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| Area code(s) | +1-403 |
| Highways | Highway 524 Highway 864 |
| Railways | Canadian Pacific Railway (defunct) |
Retlaw is a small, quiet community in Alberta, Canada. It's located in the Municipal District of Taber. Retlaw was once a busy village with over 250 people! But it later became much smaller. It is now known as an unincorporated community, meaning it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town.
Retlaw is about 2 km (1 mi) west of Highway 864. It's also close to other places like Vauxhall, Taber, and Brooks.
Contents
The Story of Retlaw: From Village to Community
Retlaw has an interesting past. In 1910, the first post office in this area was called "Barney." But just three years later, when the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) built a train station here, they gave it a new name: "Retlaw."
How Retlaw Got Its Name
The name "Retlaw" was chosen to honor a CPR official named Walter R. Baker. Can you guess why? "Retlaw" is simply "Walter" spelled backwards!
Why Retlaw Shrank in Size
When Retlaw was first planned, people thought it would grow into a big community. It had many things a growing town needed, like four grain elevators (for storing crops), a pool hall, a hotel, a CPR railway station, churches, a blacksmith shop, and other businesses.
However, things changed in the 1920s. The Province of Alberta built an irrigation canal to bring water to farms. This canal passed by the nearby town of Vauxhall, but it didn't reach Retlaw. This meant Retlaw was left without enough water for farming, which was very important for the community.
Because of this, many people started to leave Retlaw by 1925. They moved to nearby communities where they could find a better way of life. Some even took their homes and businesses with them! By 1957, only two families were left in Retlaw.
What's Left of Retlaw Today?
Today, not much is left of the original Retlaw. You can still see the restored Retlaw Union/United Church, a community centre, two houses, the old blacksmith shop, and a few building foundations. It's a quiet reminder of a once-busy village.
The Retlaw Union/United Church
The Retlaw Church is an old Victorian-style church in Retlaw. It was built in the 1910s. For many years, like the rest of the town, the church was empty and uncared for.
But in the 1980s, local farmers worked together to fix it up. They restored the church to look like it did in its early days. Now, the church is a special place where families gather for events like Christmas dinners, plays, and Sunday church services.
