Attractions

St. Edmund’s Church

Sitting on the hills overlooking the Village, our landmark blue 1916 Anglican church is a provincial heritage site.

In late 1914, the Anglican Diocese of Calgary received a letter and the sum of $500.00 from Mrs. Caroline Leffler, an English lady, who raised the money by making and selling children’s clothing. The letter indicated her wish that the money be used to establish a Church of England anywhere in western Canada that the Diocese saw fit.

By 1915, Big Valley was booming. It was a well established ranching community, an important divisional point on the Canadian Northern Railway and a prosperous coal mining center. The community’s population seemed certain to exceed the 2,000 mark. The Diocese soon decided that Big Valley was the logical choice for the new church. They chose a site on top of the valley edge overlooking Main Street and contacted a local craftsman, Mr. Walter Dennis, to build it.

The church, named St. Edmund’s, was virtually completed by the end of 1916 and the first church service was held in the nearly-finished building on November of that year. For the first six years, the entry doorway was on the west side. Strong, prevailing north-west winds were a problem, so the present bell tower was added in 1923 to provide an east-facing doorway. The exterior finish, which had originally been stucco, was changed to siding at that time and painted the traditional cream color.

After many years of serving the community, the church gradually saw less and less use. The last regular service was held in the 1960’s. The building soon began to show signs of neglect. A community Homecoming was organized for 1974 and the conspicuous but shabby church was in need of paint. The organizers had no money, but the local lumber yard offered a large quantity of blue paint that they had “been stuck with”. The offer was eagerly accepted and the church became blue! The furor of the local Anglicans was something else indeed, but the unusual blue color has been gradually accepted and is now a trademark of the town.

In 1997, the quaintness of the Blue Church was further enhanced by the addition of an automatic bell ringing device donated by Harry Stuber and designed by his son, Lionel. The huge bell now rings out the hour, much like a grandfather clock. It’s rather like the “Big Ben of Big Valley.”

Each year, many couples choose the beautiful old church as a unique setting for their wedding.

Roundhouse

These historic ruins are a favorite for all train enthusiasts to visit.

The remains of the railway locomotive shops and servicing area are located across the railway main line and to the south of the station site. This area has now been reclaimed through the efforts of our local volunteer organizations and features interpretive signage describing the one-time important role of this facility.

The roundhouse, originally constructed in 1912, looms like colossal ruins and is a must-see for all visitors to the village. An effort has been made by the Canadian Northern Society to portray an ‘undiscovered’ look.

The Roundhouse is located at 148 Railway Avenue, South.

Big Valley Jailhouse

Come cool your heels in a real jailhouse! We are proud to have restored and brought our original 1914 jailhouse back to the Village.

From about 1914 through the 40s, this jail cell was part of the Big Valley scene. Many a young cowboy, miner, or railroader cooled their heels in this small lock-up.

The jail was sold to a local rancher, who used it as an out-building and then as a well house. An inside view will confirm that some of the comforts in jails today were not available when this was in use.

The rehabilitation work has been a project of the Big Valley Communities in Bloom committee, with donations from local organizations and citizens. 21 Main Street, East.

Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions

Big Valley is the destination of Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions! Come and be a part of the excitement when the big steam or diesel engines pull into town.

Big Valley is the destination of Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions. Departing from Stettler, visitors board the train and have a scenic and relaxing trip down the line. Entertainment is often on board. Once the train rolls into Big Valley, passengers are greeted warmly by our hosts. There is never a shortage of residents or visitors on hand when the train pulls into town, over 70 times during the year. After checking out the local sights, a hot meal (prepared by Catrina’s Catering) awaits inside the Jubilee Hall.

Railway Avenue & Main Street. See more photos in our gallery.

Contact Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions at (403) 742-2811 to plan your visit.

Canadian Railway Hall of Fame

Everything you wanted to know about the railway and more.

The Canadian Railway Hall of Fame is a project that will honour Canadian achievement in the railway business – specifically related to the development of Canada’s vibrant railway industry. It is unique in that it will be accessible to all Canadians through the medium of internet technology. This Virtual Hall of Fame” concept allows the Hall of Fame to be truly National in scope.

A secondary physical component of the Hall of Fame is a pavilion established in the historic community of Big Valley. Using the medium of interpretive signage, visitors to the Village can take a self-guided tour through the outdoor pavilion facility honouring the inductees to the Canadian Railway Hall of Fame. This pavilion is located directly south of the historic 1912 Canadian Northern Railway depot.

The specific objectives of the Canadian Railway Hall of Fame are as follows:

1. Education of Canadians, especially our youth, on the importance of the railway industry in developing this great country.
2. Honoring those individuals whose contribution to the development of the railway industry has assisted the development of the Canadian economy, and have played a vital role in the shaping of Canada.
3. Promotion of our rich Canadian heritage, enhancing the quality of life in our communities, our province, and our country.

The project is co-sponsored by the Railway Association of Canada and the Canadian Northern Society. Federal charitable tax receipts can be issued to those who make financial contributions. For information on the Canadian Railway Hall of Fame, or to help out, please contact the Canadian Northern Society, Big Valley, Alberta TOJ OGO, or visit www.canadiannorthern.ca.