The Western Heritage Centre was built in a valley north of Cochrane in 1996. It housed a Museum and Rodeo Hall of Fame.
As a fundraiser families could buy bricks used in a wall or a family history. This blog contains the history of my grandparent’s family in the Cochrane area from one of those histories.
Sadly, the Centre has subsequently closed but is now the Town office, Conference Center and Stockmens Library.
The Boothby family’s legacy in Alberta traces to William Boothby, who first came to the Cochrane area in 1905, William was the foreman of the Cochrane Stone Quarry located near Big Hill Creek, until 1914 when he returned to England.
William’s son. John came to Cochrane in 1911, and worked at the Collins Brickyard. John enlisted with the 137th Battalion of the Canadian Army and served overseas during World War I. He was wounded at Vimy Ridge and hospitalized in England but returned to serve in the trenches until the end of the war. He received his discharge in 1919, and following a brief stay in England, returned to Cochrane
John bought land in the Weedon district north of town from the Soldier Settlement Board and homesteaded SW 1/4 34 2645 He stocked his farm with sheep he bought from Bill Tempany.
John married Nan (Nancy) Harbage in 1921 Nan had auburn hair and was of the pioneering spirit. She had a sparkle in her eye where children were concerned. Nan was well known in the Cochrane area for her community service for years she taught Sunday School at St. Andrew’s United Church, and she was also a charter member of the Eastern Star Cochrane Branch. The cause that was dearest to her heart, however, was the Cochrane Library and Nan was one of the prime movers and instillers of the group of ladies responsible for its creation. Today the library is known as the Nan Boothby Memorial Library.
Nan and John lived on the original homestead until 1927 when they moved to Cochrane and carried on their farming business from there
The Boothby farm gained notoriety for raising high quality “Prairie Wool” the common name given to the native grass cover found on the prairies in Western Canada. The grass was harvested using a horse team and mower. In those days the hay was stacked loose and baled from the stacks later on. Harvest time saw the whole family in the fields putting up tons of hay
The Boothby’s were the major hay suppliers to the Calgary Stockyards during the 1920s and 1930s and were the Cochrane area’s largest commercial hay dealer.
John and Nan had two children Bill and Bruce. In 1957 Bill married Dorothy Reed, the second daughter of Sydney and Lillian Reed
The Reed family, originally from Kent, England, came to Cochrane in 1923. Sydney Reed worked as a handyman on a farm until their first daughter, Audrey was born. They then moved to the nearby Wildcat Hills and Sydney found work at the Brooks sawmill. In 1929 Dorothy was born. Sydney worked at the Cochrane Creamery making butter until 1953 when he was transferred to Okotoks. He actively worked there until 1988 when he passed away. Throughout his life Sydney was involved in local politics In 1943 he served as Mayor of Cochrane
After their marriage, Bill and Dorothy ranched north of Cochrane. They raised a family of three sons: Mark, Laurie and Dana.
With the onset of automation and modern ranching techniques, the days of putting up Prairie Wool” by hand are gone. The memories of these original harvests, and the impact the Boothbys. have had on Cochrane community groups, live on as the family’s greatest legacy.
Reading
- Just Home Ranch home to many Families – CHAPS Cochrane
- History of the Cochrane Library – CHAPS Cochrane
- Boothby Family – CHAPS Cochrane