Webster, Alberta facts for kids
Webster is a small community located in northern Alberta, Canada. It's part of the County of Grande Prairie No. 1. Webster started in 1916 as a train station along the Edmonton, Dunvegan and British Columbia Railway. It's about 30 kilometers (19 miles) north of Grande Prairie. The community was named after George Webster, who helped build the railway.
Early Days of Webster
Even though some railway workers lived in the area from 1916 to the late 1920s, Webster truly became a settled community in 1929. This is when many Polish families moved there. They came from the Vermilion area, having left Poland after a war.
In the fall of 1929, the community started to grow. Andrew and Cathy Hancharyk opened a store. Soon after, a post office opened on October 15, 1929, with Andrew Hancharyk as the first postmaster. Right across from the store, there was also a butcher shop and a café.
Community Buildings
The community of Webster had several important buildings. There were two places to keep horses, called livery barns. A tall grain elevator helped farmers store their grain. This elevator served a wide area, even as far as Heart Valley. There was also a special house for the elevator and a water tank for trains.
Across the creek, the Webster sawmill was busy cutting wood. In 1930, a large Catholic church was built. This church also served as a classroom for the Torun School District for several years. In the late 1930s, Webster Hall was built for community gatherings and events. A rectory, which is a house for a priest, was also added for the first resident Catholic priest.
Changes Over Time
Over the years, some of Webster's buildings were lost. The grain elevator was destroyed by fire. The church also burned down in the early 1960s. In 1957, the Torun School closed its doors, and students began taking a bus to Sexsmith for school. The post office closed in 1966.
Today, only a few things remain from the original community. These include the Webster Hall, a Catholic grotto (a small cave-like shrine) that was built next to the church, and the Webster Cemetery.
