Wetaskiwin District Heritage Museum Centre & City of Wetaskiwin Archives
an inclusive gathering place for the local community to engage in the history, heritage and culture of Wetaskiwin City, County, and the Maskwacis Cree Four Nations
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Category: From the Vault
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History of Coffee Grinders: From Millstones to Modern Use
It takes a strong will to compel someone to get out of bed in this weather, but an even stronger cup of coffee! In order to launch pioneers into the ‘grind’ of the day many resorted to the morning beverage with the initial chore of making ground beans with the coffee grinder. For over 2800…
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The Art of Pleating: A Historical Journey
Bringing us back into the Heritage Moment ‘fold’ this year is a late 19th century Hand Fluter. A tool used to pleat clothing, the hand fluter functioned like a sad iron and often consisted of a ridged base and a corrugated rocker. An item of clothing would be moistened prior to being placed on the…
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The History of the Fork: A Culinary Evolution
Come ‘fork’ and learn about this mighty utensil! What may be a surprise to some, the fork is considered a recent invention originating in the Middle East and Byzantine Empire during the Middle Ages. Although the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans used a two-tined cooking tool resembling a carving fork, they failed to apply it…
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Heritage Moments: The Trumpet’s Journey Through Time
Sounding in the New Year and the first Heritage Moment of 2020 is our trumpet from 1909, Scotland. Earliest forms of the trumpet were found in China, South America, Scandinavia, and India who used various materials including animal horns, conch shell, bamboo, and tree limbs. Prehistoric man’s basic technique was to blow through a horn…
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The History of Christmas Cards: From 1843 to Today
Nothing ‘says’ Christmas like a card filled with well wishes and holiday dough! It wasn’t until 1843 that the first Christmas Card made its way to the “Penny Post” in Victorian England. Henry Cole was the founder of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and being a renowned socialite, he had a few too…
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Exploring Hudson’s Bay Company Whiskey History
Holiday cheer is always near in our artifact storage with so many empty bottles on the wall! One such bottle is the Hudson’s Bay Company Adventurers of England Whiskey made in Scotland in the early 20th century. Produced professionally since the 1700s, scotch whiskey distillation was first a method of preserving excess grain harvests. Mass…
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The History of the Magnetic Fish Pond Game
‘Once Upon a Christmas’ this Magnetic Fish Pond was a best seller in Germany and England under the Spear & Sons game company. The company became Spear Spiel during WWII and rose to infamy with the production of a game entitle “Bombing England.” Later Spear Spiel recovered its reputation when its original Jewish founder returned…
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The Art of Christmas Carding: A Textile Tradition
Christmas ‘carding’ was and continues to be a common pastime amongst textile enthusiasts. Intended to separate, remove impurities, and align wool into parallel fibres, hand carders untangle fibrous materials including silk, cotton, wool, and fur. This set of carders was made by Andrew Sjorlund circa 1900, who used hardwood and numerous nails secured by leather,…
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The Evolution of Bag Carriers: From 1950s to Today
Tis’ the season when bags are laden with gifts in such a manner that one either needs a sturdy and willing escort or a ‘handy’ pair of parcel holders! Well look no further than these nifty bag carriers consisting of a wooden or cork cylinder with a wire drilled through the center that has two…
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Discover the Fascinating History of Ice Skates
This year’s NHL season commenced early this month and hockey fanatics across Canada are delighted. It’s hard to contest that the frosty sport isn’t one of the nation’s favorites, and many take to the ice to lace up themselves come the colder months. But ice skates have changed drastically since its original design! These detachable…