ELK POINT - TIMELINE OF CHANGES
Original by Ron Onusko and Marvin Bjornstad
1792 Fort George and Buckingham House fur trading posts established southeast of present town on the North Saskatchewan River.
1800 Fur trading forts abandoned.
1817 Dog Rump House established at mouth of Dog Rump Creek (not to be confused with the Dog Rump Creek near Stony Plain, Alberta. It's now known as Atimose Creek), to serve as a shipping depot for the Moose Lake (Shaw House) outpost of H.B.C.
1821 Hudson Bay Company and North West Company merge, forming one company.
1822 Dog Rump House abandoned.
1829 Last remnants of Dog Rump House dismantled and floated downstream to help build new Fort Pitt.
1845 Much disputed territory south of North Saskatchewan River between Blackfoot and Cree leading to violence.
1857 Captain Palliser recommends opening Rupert's Land for settlement.
1862 Trail from Fort Pitt to St Paul widened for carts by Lac La Biche fathers to make fur traffic easier.
1862 Various travellers moving along trails to get to Klondike goldfields.
1864 John MacDougall widens early trail from Saddle Lake to Victoria Settlement.
1867 Early trail widened from Victoria Settlement to Fort Edmonton.
1870 Rupert's Land sold to Dominion of Canada. N.W.T. created.
1872 North West Territory Council formed to govern the west.
1874 Pioneer Telegraph line built from Winnipeg to Battleford to Hay Lake, and later to Fort Edmonton.
1874 NWMP arrive in the west headquartered in Fort Macleod and Fort Edmonton.
1875 The Northcote, the first North Saskatchewan River steamboat, arrived in Edmonton after an 18-day trip from Grand Rapids (NW shore of Lake Winnipeg).
1881-1883 27,000,000 acres of land surveyed in N.W.T.
1884 Study recommends Pioneer Telegraph Line be moved to where people are at Saddle Lake and Victoria Settlement.
1885 Northwest Rebellion creates turmoil in nearby areas. Telegraph line is found to be very useful.
1886 Dominion Telegraph moved to cart track from Fort Pitt to Frog Lake to Moosewa to Saddle Lake to Victoria to Edmonton.
1896 Elk Point area resurveyed after Northwest Rebellion
1896-1903 367,000 immigrants arrive in Canada from Europe
1904-1913 2,500,000 more immigrants arrive to settle Canada's prairies.
1905-1906 - Alberta becomes a province. First settlers arrive in Elk Point area.
1907 Hopkins ferry installed across North Saskatchewan River
1908 Post office and store opened at Hopkin's ferry, 4 miles west of present bridge site.
1909 Post office and store established in Elk Point on farm of Mr. Hood, east of present Tempo Service Station. First official use of name Elk Point for the community. Elk Point School District established.
1910 Telegraph stations established at Frog Lake and E. Boyd residence 3 miles west of Elk Point. Valentine store and Post Office at Hopkin's crossing burns down. First rural school built near Elk Point. Hopkins store burns, but is rebuilt immediately.
1911 First classes held in new school. Lindbergh ferry installed.
1912 First telephone line built to Elk Point. Elk Point Agricultural Society hold first fair. Johnson Brothers store built.
1913 Telephone service begins from Hood's store. Ferry installed south of Elk Point at present bridge site. Mail carrier connects Vermilion and Elk Point. Elk Point becomes a village.
1914-18 World War I.
1915 Hopkins ferry swept downriver and lost.
1917 First Hotel built in Elk Point
1919 First bank (Bank of Commerce) built in Elk Point.
1920 First Drug store opened. First doctor settled in Elk Point (Dr FG Miller).
1921 First telegraph office in Elk Point. Radio messages and songs transmitted from Elk Point. New switchboard established with 6 phone lines in FG Miller clinic.
1922 Fire destroys several of Elk Point's early businesses. Dr. AG Ross joins Dr Miller's practise.
1923 First hospital established by Dr Miller and Dr Ross. First electrical power plant, used for hospital.
1925 William Andrishak’s Store built [moved in 1927]
1927 CNR reaches Elk Point. Alberta Hotel built near railroad. New Townsite begins to develop; most remaining stores from old townsite moved. Power plant built to service hospital and village of Elk Point.
1928 Post Office moved to new townsite of Elk Point from Caskeyville. First Municipal hospital started construction. First Boy Scout Troop and Girl Guide company organized. Alberta Wheat Pool elevator built. Town school built. Blacksmith shop opened. EP school moved to town.
1929 St Michael’s Catholic Church completed.
1930 First clothing store opened. High School classes start in many school buildings moved to town in centralization.
1933 Joe Mah’s Restaurant opened.
1938 Elk Point becomes a village with its own council. Hospital expanded.
1939 Main Street gravelled, streetlights installed.
1939-1945 World War II
1940 Milk deliveries made to homes. First curling rink built.
1943 First highway built between Elk Point and St. Paul. Dominion bank moves into building on main street.
1945 Arrow Theatre opened.
1946 Medical clinic opened.
1947 Town library started. Toronto Dominion Bank branch opened. Construction starts on Lindbergh Salt Plant.
1948 Elk Point Gas Ltd. began installation of natural gas service. Elk Point schools join St Paul School Division. St Vladimir Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church started construction. Ukrainian Catholic Church started construction. Salt Plant starts production.
1949 Bridge built to replace Elk Point ferry, officially opened June 1950. First bus service between Elk Point and Edmonton (Greyhound Bus lines).
1950 New phone exchange installed in town.
1951 Water and sewage systems began. Highways completed including Vermilion, Elk Point, and St. Paul. New high school built (later FCSS building). Windsor Club formed in Lindbergh.
1952 Canadian Salt Company begins building homes at Riverview for some employees.
1953 St George’s Lodge [Masons] formed.
1956 Elk Point Insurance opens office.
1957 New Elementary School finished.
1958 Liquor store opened.
1959 Second street of houses begin being built in Riverview for employees who wish to build their own homes there.
1960 End of CN’s exclusive shipping contract. First trucks loaded at Salt Plant July 15, 1960.
1961 New curling rink, Elks Hall, F.G. Miller High School built. OORP formed.
1962 Elk Point becomes a town. Elk Point Motel built (now Pizza shop). County of St Paul established. United Church dedication
1964 MacLeod’s store opens.
1965 AGT adds dial phone to area.
1966 Stella’s Café opens.
1967 New town office and library built with Centennial grant aid. Water reservoir and water treatment plant built. Elks Hall used at Atiyek Day May 31.
1967 Salt Plant expanded.
1968 New RCMP detachment opened. New bakery opened.
1969 First excavations at fort sites.
1970 EP Lions club formed.
1972 Elk Point Streets paved. Road to Lindbergh completed and paved. 3 subdivisions added to town. Large spring flood.
1973 AG Ross Agri-plex arena built.
1974 Fort George Motel Built
1975 New drug store built; new doctors office opened. Fort George Motel built. RCMP Detachment opened.
1976 Buckingham House senior citizens home opened. New municipal hospital built, old one demolished. Parent Nursery Started. 320 acres added to town.
1977 New Co-op grocery supermarket opened. Burger bar opens.
1980 Last train from Heinsburg to Elk Point on September 11.
1981-82 Elementary School expanded to include music room, library, ECS, resource rooms.
1983 New Alberta Wheat Pool high-capacity elevator west of town
1984 New apartment block (33 suites). Motel expanded. Several oil company offices and service industries built. Several new restaurants, gas bar, clothing and other businesses
1985 New high-span open bridge finished, old bridge moved and dismantled. New Alico Motel and Restaurant opened.
1987-88 Historical Mural by the library painted and installed.
1988-89 Elementary school renovated and expanded, gym enlarged.
1992 BiCentennial (200 years) celebrated throughout the year. Official opening of the Fort George Buckingham House Interpretive Site.
1993 Elk Point to Heinsburg rail line abandoned. County operating committee forms.
1998 IHT group including EPHS and Friends of Forts forms and takes over operation of Iron Horse Trail.
1998 June 10 Canadian Salt Plant celebrates 50 years in Lindbergh.
1998 Major fire at Salt Plant burns maintenance buildings.
2000 October Canadian Crude Separators plan announce to be built next to Canadian Salt Plant at Lindbergh.
2000 Abandonment of rail line from Wasketenau to Cold Lake to Elk Point announced.
2001 Trail Election issue of trail on ballot.
2002 NE Municorr forms; IHT agreement made.
2003 IHT opens to Waskatenau.
2009 Lindbergh Windsor Club ends with a garage sale.
2014 Water pipeline from SP to EP.
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