In researching the history of Midnapore, I’ve had to deal with the reality that not all of it has been well-documented; most of it is the opposite. In light of this, this page will be devoted to past sites that I would be interested in hearing and seeing more of. For a visualization of the location of many of these sites, see the historic map. Over time, I will add more information and links to relevant photos and articles. If you have something to share, I would be like to hear from you; it doesn’t have to be some century-old account of pioneer families either, it could just be your experiences in the area. If you have a photo to share contact me at maschmidt@outlook.com, and let me know if I can use it in on the site.
I am also interested in hearing more about the existing sites in the area that pre-date suburban development (circa 1977). The only buildings which remain from this time, as of February 2015, are:
-St Paul’s Anglican Church (historic)
-St Patrick’s Catholic Church (historic)
-The Bow Valley Ranche House and Foreman’s House
-Willans Barn
-The Shawnessy Community Centre (McInnes Barn)
-The Midnapore Hall (at The Calgary Board of Education Midnapore Substation)
-Other wooden-framed buildings in Fish Creek Park, south of the Administration Office
-most of the buildings on the St. Mary’s University campus
-The Father Lacombe Nursing Home and related convent
-Watkins Machine Shop
-remaining homes on the west block of 1 St SE, south of 151 Ave SE
-former Midnapore Veterinary Clinic (also Innovations Incorporated)
-Rona building (former Totem, expanded southward in late 1980s)
-Midnapore Pump Station
-Fish Creek Park Administration Buildings
As for the rest of it, I have divided it up based on the present-day area it was originally in. The majority of the original town of Midnapore was in the modern-day community of Midnapore. However, a large part of it was in Millrise, as well as Shawnee Slopes, with additional sites in Sundance, Shawnessy and even Canyon Meadows. Furthermore, the historical origins were in present-day Fish Creek Park. The term “Midnapore Area” was used pretty loosely in reference to all of this, so I’ve tried to keep it as clear as possible. Sites have been separated based on whether they were built pre-development (as part of the original Midnapore townsite) or post-devleopment (following subdivision and construction initiated by the city of Calgary).
Some of these things have been gone for a century, while others were lost in the last few years. Contact me at maschmidt@outlook.com if you have anything to add or corrections to submit.
Fish Creek Park (first settled 1873; made Provincial Park in 1975)
-John Glenn cabins
-Shaw Woollen Mill
-Stables by Bow Valley Ranche House
-bridges and general area, pre-2005 flood
-any other farms and settlements
Midnapore (townsite settled 1873, named 1883, annexed by The City of Calgary in 1961)
-Texaco Station/ Midnapore Motors on Shaw Road
-Other Buildings on Shaw Road (north of Machine Shop, south of Texaco)
-Grocery Store/Post office on current Totem site
-Wheel In Motel
-L&M Motel
-B Bar D Cabins
-Dominion House Hotel/ Midnapore Hotel
-Lacombe Home
-Totem/Rona, prior to southern expansion
-Houses on Bannister and 1 st se, between 146 and 153 ave se
-House on Lacombe Home SW corner
-Houses south of Totem, prior to building expansion
-Apartment building at SW corner of 146 avenue and Bannister Road
-Houses on Gas King/ Centex lot
-St. Martin’s church
-Lacombe Home grounds (tennis courts, other buildings etc)
-Shaw Post Office/ General Store
Community of Midnapore (established 1977)
-Gas King
-The Garden Centre where South Gate Alliance Church is
-Dixon’s (previously Seahorse and Rusty Rudder)
-Midnapore Mall- pre renovation exterior
-any interior tenants: Rogers, Shoppers Drug Mart, Liquor store (at NW corner), Pet shop, comic book shop, table top gaming store, Allegro Music, Loonie Plus, Save-On Foods,, Grandma Lee’s, Olive Grove, Cozy Corner, Eyeglass store, Hallmark, Shoe Store, SAAN, ATB, BMO, post office.
-7-11/Esso
-Midnapore Village Strip Mall, former tenants Video Store (at current Golf Trends, former Shadowbox Gallery) , Time Masters (Sushi Me), Subway (Wonderful Food Store), Robin’s Donuts (Subway)
-Old McDonald’s interior
-Old Wendy’s interior
-Oh My Dog (previously Mac’s…Oasis, Cafe le Matin, Priyas etc.)
-Jackpot Junction
-Turbo Gas (Midnapore)
-old Mother Teresa school playground
-Midlake Blvd/ Shawnessy Blvd, pre-overpass
-Gravel Pits (south of Lacombe Care Centre, another in what is now the Midnapore business park)
Millrise (established 1982)
Pre-development:
-Grain Elevator
-Feed Elevator
-Lumber Yard on 5 St
-Glenncoe Kennels
-old Midnapore schools
-Propane Loading Station
Post-development:
-a&b sound (and previous grocery store, Food Barn)
-Southside Self-Storage
– U-Haul lot
-Turbo Gas (Millrise)
-Millrise Video Store
Sundance (established 1982)
Pre-development:
-CFCN radio tower
Post-development:
-Sundance Plaza,former tenants: Meats and Treats, collectibles store, Sundance Video, Corey’s Pizza etc
Shawnessy (established 1981)
Pre-development:
-Tree nursery/forest where Superstore and Boulevard Shopping Centre were built; there was at one time a farmhouse on the site as well
Post-development:
-Shawnessy Alley sites: Tee to Green, Full Gospel Church and other offices
-Wind C-kers, Red Devil and other defunct stores from the Shawville Boulevard shopping centres
-Bishop O Byrne Subway
Shawnee Slopes (Golf course established 1965; community established 1986)
-Welding shop and house on current site of Highbury Condos
-Shaw-Nee Slopes Golf Course and associated buildings
-Trailer sales yard and Esso station at Shawnee Station site
-Lumber yard on current site of Fish-Creek Lacombe Station
Canyon Meadows area
-Mannix House
-Mayhew Nursery
Great website! It’s great seeing all the old buildings in Midnapore. I moved to Midnapore with my mom and sister in September of 1995. I still remember playing on the old wooden playground at mother Theresa when I was in kindergarten. Also, going to Midnapore mall was a weekly occurance. I remember the pet store in the mall and going to grandma lee’s to get bread with my great grandmother. I’m not sure how old it is, but the old petro Canada gas station, now mechanic shop right across from the mall has been there awhile.
Thanks for trip down memory lane!
Geoff
I grew up in the area from about 1981 to 1997. I definitely remember playing on the wooden playground at Mother Teresa school. I still have a scar on my knee from a huge sliver I got while playing it. It was so dangerous, but so much fun!
Some of the other things i can remember from the area at that time include –
– The Petro Canada used to be a Gulf service station.
– The Esso service station on Bannister road seemed like it was in the middle of nowhere on a country road at that time
– All the really old houses near 1st street. I always thought they looked so out of place across from the newer houses built in the late ’70’s
– The grocery store at the mall changed hands many times over the years. i remember it being AllWest Foods before it was Save-On. Then it was something else after that.
– There used to be a Dairy Queen in the mall. I think it eventually became a place called Chirpee’s for a little while and many things after that.
– The interior of the mall had a sunken floor in the center of it. I was never sure what that was for.
– I remember the Wheel In Motel. When i was a kid, i thought the cabins were actual houses. I am trying to locate a photo of the place, but not having any luck.
– For some reason i remember the Domo gas station surrounded by nothing but grassy field, until they started building the Esso/7-11 and some of the other stores.
– Gas was $0.38 at the time. No idea why i remember that, but i recall thinking that was expensive!
– I rented Nintendo games all the time from Variety Video
– Swimming at Sikome lake before it was closed for several years 🙂
Thanks for the walk down memory lane! I moved to Midnapore in 1977 and my family built the two level “Kieth” home just in from Midnapore School on Midridge Road. I fondly remember Meats and Treats as it was the first place I was allowed to go on my own on my bike. I also remember when the Midnapore Mall first opened. We went to the grand opening lol. I was so excited that there was a Dairy Queen so that we didn’t have to drive down MacLeod. The sunken floor in the middle of the mall was, at one time, an indoor skating rink. It was a type of plastic material that ended up not being terribly slippery so it eventually got covered over with carpet. Why anyone would think we needed fake ice in Calgary is beyond me. I attended Midnapore Community Council meetings with my dad at the old one room school house/community hall off Bannister Road. It is now just a run down shack. I also sat in my lawn chair next to my dad and watched the first of the two elevators get torn down. Years later I wrote about that memory in my Master’s thesis. I remember when the tree branches on either side of MacLeod Trail nearly touched in the middle and how Santa used to drive around the community on an old fire truck on Christmas eve. WOW. So many fond memories! Thank you for this site!
Thanks for sharing your memories Jen! So interesting to hear what the area was like then. The skating rink in the mall was before my time, but I’ve heard a little bit about it, very strange! And it’s really sad to see the shape that the old Midnapore Hall is in, I would really like to see it restored.