History

Airdrie Area 1900

The first inhabitants of Airdrie were railway workers of the Calgary and Edmonton Railway. These workers lived in the station house. The railway brought people to live in Airdrie. The steam-running trains would stop in town and were able to pick up water because Nose Creek remained ice-free year round. This created jobs for people which in-turn created a need for housing and services.

In 1891, as we have seen, when the C&E Railway came winding up the coulee from Calgary, to take advantage of easy grades, the answer to a railroad builder’s dream opened out before surveyors’ and engineers’eyes. Here was a valley a mile and a half wide, with a substantial stream winding lazily through it. Many a freight engine took on water through the years. The Airdrie water was good for engines, as the alkali content was low.

In due time, all these features of the railroad resulted in the building of a new town. Included was a water tower, suitable piping for transferring water underground from creek to reservoir. (Quoted from "One Day’s Journey", pg. 162). It is interesting to note that the high water quality of Nose Creek, would bring the railway to Airdrie and subsequently more settlers.

It was not until 1929 that the first Pool elevator, a 40,000-bushel structure was built in Airdrie. With the loyal support of members in the district, handlings were large and in 1939 the elevator was twinned.

The First Grain Elevator was built in 1904-1905

Interest in the highway to Edmonton was revived with the advent of the automobile after 1900. In 1906, the first auto trip was made from Calgary to Edmonton over a decaying trail system. The new Province of Alberta was already in the midst of a fantastic wave of public works development, and the new Provincial Highway was added to the list becoming the first Highway No1.

In rough fashion, but more respectful of the farms in its path, the first highway followed the railway to the many towns that had sprung up as sidings, section points, and grain elevator service centres. Crossfield and Airdrie both owe their existence to the railway and were two of the towns joined this way.

Picture taken in 1906 from the top of the CPR water tower.

What a boom time it had been since the post office arrived in 1900. There had been nothing then but what the railway had built. A few years later there was a hotel, restaurant, three grocery and general stores, three blacksmith shops, a livery stable, butcher shop, drug store and country doctor.

Nose Creek and Nose Hill were named by a Blackfoot Tribe. There are several theories and legends regarding the names. The first theory is that Nose Hill resembled the nose of a chief’s face with Nose Creek on one side and Bow River on the other.

Main Street Airdrie 1904

The second theory is that it was named for the practice of cutting the nose off a native woman who was unfaithful to the tribe. The last theory is that it was named after a drunken brawl in which a brave bit his partner’s nose off. (Nose Creek Museum)

The rising ground upon which the modern town of Airdrie, Scotland was built was the actual scene of the Battle of Arderyth. Once the battle was fought it was an important decisive engagement because it secured the independence of Strathclwyd as a kingdom for about 400 years. It is interesting to note that the name of the town had its beginnings in a fight for independence and freedom.