Maps contribute a lot to our understanding of an area. We have an expanding selection of maps of the Elk Point area. Some early geology maps show us how the area came to be and reflect the ongoing work of geologists, antropologists and companies in the oil exploration, and water well drilling business.
Some maps of the early fur trade era around 1790 show us how the land came to be mapped by Peter Fiddler and David Thompson. The fur trade pushed exploration of the area and predated settlement of the land. Early missionaries helped set up services in the region as did the NWMP arrival. Steamboats and red river carts were a main mode of transportation for a short time. Early trail maps show where the main traffic was moving during the early settlement.
In 1886 the arrival of the railway in Edmonton effected all the transportation patterns and really spurred settlement of Northern Alberta. The trains got to Vermilion in 1905 which had a major effect on travel in our communities.
Our webmaps from 1924 showing many townships and the growth there is important in understanding how far settlement had come before the Great Depression.
We have also some land maps showing the original family settlements around Elk Point.
Later maps show the progress in building roads, bridges and ferries.
We have a few maps which show development in some industries such as oil and electricity. Our collection is rounded out by our numerous ariel photos from different decades.
