If the walls of the Westlock Pioneer Museum could talk, they would speak of how far the area has come in the last century.
With antiquities dating back at least 100 years, the community’s history comes alive at the museum.
“The goal here is to really just preserve history,” said the museum’s summer program coordinator Rebecca Skuban.
“There’s so much to learn, especially in an agricultural community. You have these people who have built this area up ... There’s so much to be learned from the people who lived here.
“The museum preserves history and kind of integrates it into the present.”
Once an outdoor pool, the museum was officially established in the autumn of 1991.
“Prior to that, there were other smaller locations where the Westlock District Historical Society had their temporary displays, but this was the first official home for the museum in Westlock,” said museum supervisor Karen Letts.
Restored by owners Leo and Flore Valcourt, museum supervisor Karen Letts stands beside a vintage 1920 McLaughlin.
Since then, the museum’s collection has grown and is now made up of five signature collections.
Donated by community members, the collections hold treasures both unique and unbeknownst to the rest of the world.
“The members of the Westlock community have been very generous in their gifts of artifacts for our collection,” said Letts.
With a total of 200 working machines, the Bernard Wiese gramophone collection is a sight to behold.
The Bernard Wiese Gramophone/ Phonograph collection is made up of 200 machines which are all in working order.
It is also the largest collection of gramophones in western Canada and includes a one-of-a-kind gramophone — the Edison Opera is the only known example in the world of a nickel-plated Edison Opera machine.
The museum often plays record for their visitors, in order to showcase early sound recordings.
“This applies to all of our big collections, the people want to share it with the community instead of just keeping for their own family or friends’ viewing. They wanted to have a broader audience to share it generously,” Letts said.
That distinctive gramophone isn’t the only rarity the museum possesses.
Just a few examples from the Max and Mary Wiese Aladdin Lamp collection, which will help light your way through the museum.
Consisting of kerosene and electric lamps, the Max and Mary Wiese Aladdin Lamp collection shines.
With a large variety of lamps on display, there are quite a few special ones. The one that stands out the most, is an old 1912-1913 wall-bracket lamp. With a total of only five copies left in the world, it really is unique.
Donated by Art Avery, president of the Westlock and District Historical Society, the large history book collection is also rooted deep in Westlock history.
“The history books are used as a resource. The number of folks that come in here that are doing either genealogy searches to find out more about their families and connected relatives use them or family members that didn’t have access to history books come in and use them here,” said Letts.
“There are so many stories that are in those books. And so they’re a resource really, for lack of a better word.”
The Del Trueblood gun collection is made up of more than 95 guns firearms from the last 100 years and beyond.
The museum also has an impressive Trueblood gun collection made up of more than 95 guns and the Mildred Hay doll collection.
The doll collection is perhaps the most personalized of them all, made even more special because of the variety.
“The variety and the uniqueness kind of characterizes all of them. You know, it’s like she does have a variety but you can tell it’s all her favorite,” Skuban said. “That makes it very special because it’s personal.”
“That’s what you hope to achieve honestly, that your museum reflects the feeling of your community,” said Letts.
Skuban said, “It’s important to your roots to revisit that simplicity. The way of life and the way the pioneers lived and just their innovation — we have a lot to gain from that.”
With a silent auction held at the Westlock Fair and multiple Kids Days over the summer, the museum continues to make its mark around town. Admission fees are low at $5 for adults and $2 for students and stat holidays are free for all.
“We’d like to welcome the community to come in and go see their museum,” said Letts.
For more information, visit https://westlockmuseum.com.
