With more than 130 photographs, many of them seen here for the first time, Lethbridge: A History in Pictures offers a stunning portrait of this one-of-a-kind Alberta city and the country around it.

A then-and-now picture book full of photographs from Lethbridge’s past and present.

Third reprint of the book originally written in 1966 by Alex Johnston about the Battle of the Belly River in October of 1870, and edited in 1997 by Carly Stewart. This publication is being republished in 2020 in recognition of the 150th anniversary of this historic event.

Please note: Accounts of the event from the previous versions of this book are reprinted in the vernacular of the day as they appeared in the 1966 and 1997 versions.

Professional and amateur botanists and those interested in First Nations culture and traditions will find this publication a valuable, easy-to-use reference, which is illustrated by regional artists. The author, a former 39-year employee of Agriculture Canada Research Station, has drawn on his own extensive knowledge as well as information from many publications and sources throughout Alberta to develop this easy-to-use and fascinating work that both inspires and teaches all levels of readers. It was reprinted in 2020.

More of a popular account than a scholarly one, this book covers many details about Alberta’s Prohibition not told in wider-ranging works on the subject. Not strictly chronological and without an index, the text should be to read closely so as not to miss important, relevant, and fascinating historical details during the eight years of the absence of “the demon rum.” Many excellent photographs from both the Galt Museum and Archives and the Glenbow Archives enhance the story.

This little-known historical vignette, produced for the centennial of the First World War, is a treasure for the City of Lethbridge and nearby small towns to commemorate the establishment of the Lethbridge Highlanders and its brief role as a fighting unit in the war. Although it was only a short time before men were redeployed to fortify other units in Europe, the 113^th Lethbridge Highlanders was a source of local pride as “A Battalion of Our Own.” The 901 officers and non-commissioned men who answered the Highlanders’ call to arms came not only from Lethbridge but also from many other Canadian locations in 1915, an enduring source of pride and honour to this day.

Rising 307 feet from the valley floor, this bridge over which runs the Canadian Pacific Railway spans the valley in one mile and forty-seven feet. Completed in 1909, it is the longest and highest steel trestle bridge of its type in the world. Johnston's book uses numerous archival photographs to clearly explain the building of this remarkable structure, which is today considered Lethbridge's most memorable landmark. First published in 1977 as Occasional Paper no. 7 and republished with additions in 1984 (no. 12), 1993, 2002 (no. 37) and 2008 (no. 46).

Looks at commerce in Lethbridge from 1870 to 1920.

The Milk River rises in western Montana, flows north from Montana through Alberta and then returns to Montana in the eastern half of the state. The focus of the book is on the landscape, the geology, and the people around the river since it flows through an area with sub-humid to semi-desert soil climatic environment. Take a journey down the Milk River and learn about its rich history, and create a deeper understanding of this vital area of Southern Alberta.

A collection of 13^th Street North’s neighbourhood people’s stories and charming memoirs, this is not only an engaging work but is also very well written, as only a veteran newspaperman who grew up in the area can produce. Blue-collar people, both men and women, are warmly portrayed as the backbone of the community who contributed to the neighbourhood’s ethnic blend. A good selection of photographs nicely enhances the book giving it a special feel of time and place.

In 1905, according to an account from Andy Staysko, a man with a trained bear showed up in Lethbridge, and after the pair quenched their thirst for 30-40 minutes at the river bottom brewery, the man laid down and promptly fell asleep. The bear, however, stayed awake and proceeded to roam about in circles, making threatening mooing sounds and occasionally rearing up on its hind legs to scare anyone who dared approach. A short time later, his owner awoke perfectly refreshed, and they wandered off down Ford Street (now Second Ave. S.) looking for a place to perform. This story and many others like it are detailed in author Belinda Crowson’s collection of her favourite early Lethbridge stories. These stories are arranged chronologically by decade and are presented as found by the author.

Lethbridge’s Red Light District was seldom mentioned until author Belinda Crowson started giving tours of downtown Lethbridge. An anonymous concerned citizen called her one night to let her know that it was not “appropriate” to talk about those women and the controversial history that went along with them. Citizens tried to bury and hide this topic for over 100 years, so this book stands to uncover all of the stories and secrets. Through these stories, we can begin to understand how the Red Light District connects with and explains a great deal of Lethbridge history and society. The women who worked there seemed like a world apart to most people, but they were actually tightly woven into Lethbridge’s fabric and played a role in making the city into what it is today.

The nineteenth-century is the starting point of the story of child saving in Lethbridge. It signalled the beginning of the "child saving era," or what we now know as child protective services and services for young offenders. During the later parts of the century, Alberta residents started to recognize childhood as an essential stage of life separate from adulthood. As this new ideology of youth spread, the Social Gospel movement and the Child Saving movement had radical impacts on the services provided to children and families.

Authors John Dormaar and Rob Watt left no stone unturned in their extensive research related to the first producing oil well in Western Canada, now located within the boundaries of Waterton Lakes National Park and the park’s first National Historic Site. This is a story of high hopes and fortunes that were never realized at the turn of the 20^th century, resulting in dry holes and disappointments in petroleum development there. While the book lacks an all-important index, it does include 253 footnotes and many maps, diagrams, and photographs in the telling of the tale. Also included are locations of dry holes, drilling specifications, and technical information. Related appendices also provide additional material for the technically curious.

Canada has a long history of sending people into foreign war zones, serving as combative soldiers, air and naval personnel. Southern Albertans, the youths from the prairies who were mostly in their late teens and twenties, have played a significant role in this world in the First World War, the Second World War, and the Korean War. You can see that contribution in the attestation of the cenotaphs and military memorial sections of rural and city cemeteries. This book explores the stories of a handful of boys and girls, men and women who went into the Canadian Armed Forces, and others who stayed at home.

This book by former Lethbridge Herald sports editor Garry Allison tells the stories of our city’s most famous sports teams—including the Broder Chinooks (Canadian senior basketball powerhouse of the early 1960s), the Lethbridge Maple Leafs (world amateur ice hockey champs 1951), and the Lethbridge Native Sons (junior ice hockey). Individual athletes are also recognized, and chapters are devoted to rodeo stars and indigenous sportspersons from the Kainai and Piikani Nations. Allison also relates behind-the-scenes stories from the city’s annual Kinsmen Sportsmen Dinners, which featured a who’s who of famous athletes, from boxers Rocky Marciano and Jake LaMotta to track and field Olympian Jesse Owens.

For more than fifty years, Ernest Gaskell Sterndale Bennett strove to improve the standard of theatrical production throughout various parts of Canada. His efforts can be traced through three fairly distinct chronological periods, each characterized by somewhat different career patterns and theatrical activities. During the first of these periods, he spent time living in Lethbridge and formed the ”Lethbridge Playgoers Club” with the aims of attracting professional plays, producing quality shows, and developing local dramatic and musical talent. Lethbridge recognizes his significant contribution to the art and drama community and continues to honour his legacy through The Sterndale Bennett Theatre located in Lethbridge, adjacent to City Hall.

Many southern Alberta families have a sugar beet story. The sugar beet industry has significantly impacted the people, economy, and community development. From the beginning, sugar beets were challenging to grow and very labour intensive but provided a very high dividend per acre. To this day, this industry remains strong in southern Alberta more than 100 years after it began.

Medicine in Southern Alberta holds a unique place in the medical history of this province. The practice of medicine began here, and medical imprints are visible in southern Alberta from 1859 onwards. Four of the five surgeons covered in this book were brought to Alberta by the North West Mounted Police. Discover more about doctors Kennedy, Mewburn, deVeber, Malcolmson, and Nevitt and their remarkable stories of perseverance and ingenuity.

A portrait of early medicine in Lethbridge written by Dr. Alex Johnston, Jack E. Stokes, and Irma Dogterom.

Kátoyissiksi, or Sweet Pine Hills, is the Blackfoot name for what is now known as the Sweetgrass Hills. The Hills have many distinct geological, biological, cultural and spiritual histories. This place is of significant traditional historical value to First Nations people of the surrounding prairies of what is now Montana, Southern Alberta, and Southern Saskatchewan. The Sweetgrass Hills captivated author Johan F. Dormaar in 1971, and he spent over 40 years exploring and researching them until his death in 2011.

In 1904, the Canadian Pacific Railway embarked on mission to replace their Lethbridge to Macleod rail line of the Crow's Nest Branch. This new route required two large viaducts, one of which is now the iconic symbol of Lethbridge. This book is a reprint of the 1909 printing of Paper No. 295 by the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers. This edition, printed in 2009, marked the 100th anniversary of the Lethbridge Viaduct.

In her book, author Belinda Crowson expertly guides readers on “self-guided” tours of St. Patrick Cemetery and Mountain View Cemetery, which are Lethbridge’s two largest and oldest cemeteries. The histories of these and several other local cemeteries are described, but most of the book retells stories and details about the lives of more than two hundred local citizens interred at these sites. Vice, Virtue and Lust will particularly appeal to those exploring family history or simply enhancing their understanding of the social, political and economic history of Lethbridge. Includes locations, descriptions and photographs of particularly noteworthy monuments, an index of names and a list of further reading.

Well-known local historian Belinda Crowson is one of the LHS’ most prolific authors. In this limited-time bundle, you can get all 6 of her books at one low price!

A collection of 3 titles from local author Gary Allison. Get all 3 for one low price during this limited time offer!

A collection of 4 titles. Get all 4 titles for one low price during this limited time offer!

Get both titles for one low price during this limited time offer!

Get both titles for one low price during this limited time offer!