New Bridgen Water Tower

I have seen 2 railway water towers in Alberta. The first, at the Anthony Henday Museum in Delburne, AB. It was moved a short distance from it's original location, restored, and now houses part of the museum collection. The museum (which is an old train station) also has a restored one room schoolhouse, CNR caboose and a speeder. Worth a visit when they are open in the summer.

The other tower, which I have been wanting to see for ages, is in New Brigden, Alberta. This water tower is unique in the fact that it still exists in it's original location. It is a local landmark and the tallest and oldest building in town. There are a few more of these octagonal beauties around Alberta, Saskatchewan and BC that I know of. I would like to see them all.

Lone photo of the lone tower.

The tower is 13 meters tall and was built in 1925. The community also used the water tower to flood an outdoor skating rink and for the ice in the nearby curling rink. Maybe it's because of those other uses that it has survived the steam engine era as well as the closure and removal of the rail line through the area. It has been looked after by the locals and was given Provincial Historic Resource status in 2009.

Speaking of the curling rink......there happened to be a bonspiel going on when we were there, how CANADIAN. We stopped in, ate some delicious food and just hung out. I loved the atmosphere in there, and I am pretty sure everyone knew each other. I grew up in a big city so I never did things like this. I enjoyed myself and so did H.

Also, since I mentioned Delburne, here are some previously unreleased photos from July 2017 of our visit! It remember it being a very hot day. The school at the museum was one I had gone to look for in it's original location not realizing it had been moved.