CHINOOK
          THE ACADIA HOTEL

    The hotel has a history of its own. According
to Vol. 2, page 244 of the book "Down Cereal's
Memory Trails", it was in existence in 1912 but
the original builder is unknown to the writer. I
think that J.L. Carter purchased it in 1917 from
or through a lumber company, possibly Beaver
or Imperial. It was sold by him in 1929 to a Mr.
Connell of Lacombe, who moved there with his
wife and children, Florence and Jack(?). In turn
Mr. Connell sold it to a Captain Peters (details
unknown).
    It was a three storey wooden structure, with
a basement containing a furnace and bins for
coal, wood and storage; a main floor with lobby,
office, beer parlor, kitchen, walk in refrigerator,
well house, dining room, "ram's pasture", sam-
ple room, and lavatory; and two floors of rooms
which housed transient and steady roomers. Ice
for the refrigerator came from an ice house, a
popular spot on a hot day.
    The "Ram's Pasture" as it was irreverently
called, was a large room with beds where harves-
ters, or players of visiting baseball and hockey
teams  were billeted. During  the terrible flu
epidemic  of 1918-19, it became a hospital and
with the help of others, Mr. Carter looked after
his own family as well as many other sick people.
Beyond this was a sample room for travellers,
also used as a store room for apples, etc.
    There was indoor plumbing (lavatory and
basin) on each floor. We had our own wells; good
beds, and good food served in a nice dining room.
    Some of the staff whose names come to mind
were Bill  and Delia Smith of Cereal, Mrs. Flater
and daughter Charlotte, Mrs. C. (Grandma)
Barton, Charlie and David (Chinese cook and
dishwasher),  Mrs.   Florence  Key,  Scotland,
Scotty, Ivan and Nessie, and Mrs. Hicklin.
    Among many roomers were,  Ted Nordin,
Walter Korek, Marg (Esler) Vanstone, Ward
and Alberta Steckle, all teachers in  Chinook
Cons. School; plus Bill Hughes and Mr. Morrison
who worked at Cooley's Garage. Among the
transients remembered forever were the
Chautauqua personnel who came spring and/or
fall.
    Although dances were held in the hotel the
writer does not have any memory of them; most
of the events I remember were held in the school
auditorium.
    The hotel  survived fires,  violent prairie
storms of rain, wind, hail and snow; gave com-
fort and shelter to many, and was home to the
Carters. Its broad verandah was a resting place,
as well as the scene of many a lively auction sale.
It is sad to think that it is now just a memory.
Sometime in the 1950's the Acadia Hotel was cut
in two, the ballroom part was moved to Craig-
myle. The  hotel in Chinook burned down, one
year later the part at Craigmyle burned down, all
that is left is memories.

              J.L. CARTER
        (Owners of the Acadia Hotel
        in Chinook from 1917-1929)

    James  L. Carter was born October 21, 1872,
in Keepville, Erie Co., Pennsylvania, where he
worked as a telegrapher for the railway, a school
teacher, and served in the U.S. Navy from 1898-
1908. In the fall of 1908, he and brothers John
and William came to the Delia district and filed
on homesteads; they ran a small country store at
Morrin for some years. On December 25, 1912,
Mr. Carter married Mary (Minnie) Taylor at St.
Thomas, Elgin Co., Ontario. Daughter Dorothy
M. was born on their farm October 3,1914, about
six miles from Delia. Mr. Carter also worked for
International Harvester Co.  as a collector and
later the family moved to Calgary, 1916, where
he continued with the firm.
    In 1917 the Carters purchased the Acadia
Hotel in Chinook and moved there to live; and on
April 30, 1918, their son Allen (Bud) was born.
Both children attended Chinook Cons. School
until the fall of 1929 when the hotel was sold and
the  family moved to Lacombe, Alberta, where
Mr. Carter retired due to ill health. The children
completed   their  education  at Nelson  High
School. Bud was with the  Canadian Armed
Forces from 1939-1946, serving in both Canada
and overseas. He married Lavina Falkenberg of
Stettler, September 7, 1946 and worked in the
Lacombe Creamery, the Liquor Vendors, and
lastly the Post Office, until his retirement. Their
daughter Kathy, husband Harold Drok, and son
David live  in Sylvan Lake, Alberta. Mr. Carter
? 665 ?


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