Spruce Grove Finders' Guide

“At the turn of the century, homesteaders challenged with the difficult journey to Edmonton for supplies, created settlements born from convenience. Small business and farming entrepreneurs were the original heart of emerging communities.

Many towns were named with reference to their surrounding landscape. Groves of spruce trees and poplars were prominent throughout the countryside of this region and our founders queried naming the new settlement after such, but were undecided as to which one to choose. ‘Poplar Grove’ was already established in the west so the decision was unanimous...‘Spruce Grove’ was born.

Spruce Grove was settled by French and Scottish families in 1891 and originally comprised a general store, livery stables, blacksmith shop, hotel and the Roman Catholic Church. The town's centre was located on the crossroads of Century Road and Baseline (now Highway 16).

In 1908 the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway came through Spruce Grove and a train station was built south of Baseline on the north side of the tracks, directly in line with what is now Main Street. This resulted in moving all of the established businesses three quarters of a mile west to the present location of the City of Spruce Grove. With the establishment of the railroad, the community became a busy grain-trading center.

Spruce Grove was incorporated as a village in 1955, a town in 1971 and celebrated its 25th anniversary as a city in 2011. As Alberta’s 16th city, Spruce Grove is one of Western Canada’s fastest growing communities.”

-History of Spruce Grove, The City of Spruce Grove website, http://www.sprucegrove.org/community/research/history.htm

-Photo: Spruce Grove Grain Elevator Museum Site at 100 Railway Avenue, The City of Spruce Grove Website, http://www.sprucegrove.org/community/photos/photo_galleries/museum_gallery.htm

Places to Contact:

Spruce Grove Public Library

Melcor Cultural Center

35 Fifth Avenue

Spruce Grove, AB

Phone: (780) 962-4423

Email: library@sgpl.ca

http://www.sgpl.ca/

Grain Elevator Museum

120 Railway Avenue