Wetaskiwin District Heritage Museum Centre & City of Wetaskiwin Archives

The task of moving is hectic, time-consuming, and sometimes even backbreaking, but luckily our ancestors were up to the challenge when they decided to pack their bags and immigrate to Canada. This large rectangular trunk, now featured in the museum’s Swedish exhibit, belonged to Copenhagen-born Paul Sorenson of the Usona area. The trunk is covered in burlap painted brown with black detailing and features its owner’s initials P.S. on the center top. Remnants of Paul’s travels remain attached to the baggage, as travel labels may be found glued to its exterior while a cardboard tag hangs from one handle and reads ‘Cunard Line Transit Baggage London to Liverpool’. The wear and tear of the trunk indicates that it likely saw better days but served its purpose accompanying Paul on his journey. The questions remain: why did Paul chose Wetaskiwin? What belongings or memories did he leave behind? What treasures did he chose to bring in his trunk? The Heritage Museum would love to hear YOUR answers! We are planning to unveil an exhibit commemorating the immigration process and welcome any tales pertaining to your experiences, or a family member’s experiences, immigrating to the area of Wetaskiwin.