Rutherford House Provincial Historic Site is proud to be a part of Historic Festival & DOORS OPEN Edmonton, July 3 – 8, 2012. This year’s festival theme, “Celebrate our Heritage … our Cities,” commemorates the 100th anniversary of the merger of the cities of Edmonton and Strathcona. The Rutherford family contributed greatly to the history of this community and it is fitting for us to celebrate this milestone.
Daily Events
Our events depict what life was like in a large household, in Edmonton, during the early 1900s. Follow the work week of the Rutherford family and the maid of the house. Each day of the festival will have a different activity:
- Wash Day – Tuesday, July 3
- Gardening, the Historic Way – Wednesday, July 4
- Cleaning and Historic Crafts – Thursday, July 5
- Kitchen Clean Up – Friday, July 6
- Baking Day – Saturday, July 7
- A Day of Rest, Music and Tea! – Sunday, July 8
To try your hand at these activities – visit the house between 10:00am – 5:00pm on the indicated day. Rutherford House is located at 11153 Saskatchewan Drive, on the University of Alberta campus.
The Rutherfords’ Contributions to Early Edmonton
Mr. and Mrs. Rutherford with their 2 small children arrived in the community of South Edmonton in 1895. The terminal station of the C & E Railway was located on the south bank of the North Saskatchewan River, not far from the current Strathcona Farmers Market. South Edmonton was a budding establishment with growing businesses, rapidly expanding land claims and only 1 lawyer. Mr. Rutherford saw an opportunity to establish his law office and settle his family in this flourishing community.
South Edmonton later became the Town of Strathcona and in 1912 the cities of Strathcona and North Edmonton joined to form Edmonton. Mr. Rutherford not only had a thriving business in this community, but he held several noteworthy positions, including Secretary-Treasurer of South Edmonton School Board, Secretary-Treasurer of the Town of Strathcona, President of the Strathcona Liberal Association, Deputy Speaker of N.W.T. Legislative Assembly, Alberta’s first Premier and the University of Alberta Chancellor. Mr. Rutherford’s commitment and contributions to his community have left an enduring legacy.
Mrs. Rutherford’s commitment to the community was different than Mr. Rutherford’s, but similarly important. She volunteered for the Red Cross, organized charity drives to help the less fortunate and frequently opened her home to fundraising events. She hosted “At Home Teas” and extended an invitation to the community to join her for an afternoon of tea and conversation.
Read about other Historic Festival & DOORS OPEN Edmonton events.
Rutherford House is also a Provincial Historic Resource. Learn about its heritage value from the Alberta Register of Historic Places.
Written by: Alison Moir, Program Coordinator (Rutherford House Provincial Historic Site)
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