Road map of Drayton Valley and Edson surrounding area (Alberta, Canada)

Western Heartland

Aregion of natural beauty set atop a high plateau between the  North Saskatchewan and Pembina rivers, Alberta's western heartland is  where the agricultural land of the east meets the oil-rich, forested  foothills of the west. Churches and museums evoke the era of  19th-century missionaries who helped prepare for the coming of settlers.  A mere stone's throw from Edmonton, the area is like a homespun quilt  of cultures and traditions, stitched together by the historical tracks  of the railroad.

Alder Flats [E6] The unusual campground Em Те Town was built  over the years to recognize the old wild west. Each building was erected  to depict a western town with saloon, barber shop, sheriff's station,  blacksmith shop, general store, bank, and more. Visitors can fish and  tube along Rose Creek and stay overnight in cabins or rooms.

Drayton Valley [d6]

Lumbermen and trappers first came to this area at the turn of  the century. Later, mixed farming took over, then oil in 1953, and the  population of Drayton Valley boomed from 75 to 2,000 people as workers  and entrepreneurs moved in to extract from the Pembina Oil Field, the  largest of its kind in North America. The Brazeau Dam has many points of  interest for visitors along the Reservoir. An osprey nesting and heron  colony in the flooded area are worth a peek.

Edson [b1] Hopper cars of bituminous coal rode the rails  through Edson in the 1930s enroute to markets all over the world. When  diesel took over as a source of fuel, Edson wavered until the 1950s when  the upgrading of the Yellowhead Highway brought a heavy flow of private  and commercial traffic. Indeed, Edson is now known as the "Heart of the  Yellowhead." The Native Interpretive Trail illustrates aboriginal  lifestyles with tepees, smoke pits, tanning racks as well as programs  incorporating dances, food, and drumming. Galloway Station Museum  displays artifacts showing the role transportation and industry played  in the town's history.

Eansburg [b5] and entwistle [Вб]

Evansburg's Pembina Lobstick Historical Museum holds pioneer  artifacts from the early 1900s in five pioneer buildings. At Entwistle, a  275 m bridge (and highest steel trestle on the CN Line) crosses the  Pembina River. The trestle was manufactured in Scotland and assembled on  site. Named after Grand Trunk Railway locomotive engineer and early  settler James Entwistle, the town is near scenic Pembina River  Provincial Park.

Lac Ste. Anne [A7]

The first Roman Catholic mission in Alberta was formed here in  1844 by Rev. Jean-Baptiste Thibault. Today, as many as 20,000 people  visit a shrine here on the feast day of Saint Anne, July 26. In nearby  Glenevis, the homestead and gardens of George Pegg offer a rare look at  284 plants unique in Alberta.

Stony Plain [b8] Sixteen downtown murals limn the history of  this railroad town. Brush up on pioneer skills such as making soap and  waving wool at the Multicultural Heritage Centre, which includes a  library, restaurant, and a gallery. Shikaoi Park is a beautiful  ornamental garden park commemorating the special relationship between  the town and their sister town in Japan. Kids will enjoy nearby Alberta  Fairytale Grounds, a 10-hectare shady site with trails leading to  familiar fairytale characters.

Wabamun Lake [b7]

Wabamun is Cree for mirror, and the placid waters of Wabamun  Lake draw people from all over the province for sailing, canoeing, and  fishing. There is a provincial park on the lake, and The All Saints  Heritage Place Museum in nearby Seba Beach covers the history of one of  the Heartland's oldest resort areas.

ATTRACTIONS

ALDER FLATS

Em Те Town

DRAYTON VALLEY

Drayton Valley Historical Society Museum Brazeau Dam

EDSON

Galloway Station Museum Native Interpretive Trail Wild Sculpture Trail Red Brick Arts Centre

Emerson Lakes Silver Summit Ski Area

ENTWISTLE

Pembina River Provincial Park

GLENEVIS

George Pegg Historic Gardens

LAC STE. ANNE

Shrine of Ste. Anne

STONY PLAIN

Multicultural Heritage Centre Pioneer Museum Shikaoi Park Rotary Park Alberta Fairytale Grounds

WABAMUN LAKE

Wabamun Lake Provincial Park All Saints Heritage Place Museum