I have posted this a few years ago, however thank you to Patti Evaskevich, we now have a photo with names of people on the platform. Thank you Patti for this photo.

In 1911, the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway surveyed the route of their branch line from Bigger, Sk to Hemaruka, Ab. In 1912 the grade for the railroad was constructed to Loverna and the following summer the steel arrived. Along with the railroad arriving in the area, the town of Loverna sprang up, with restaurants, a Chinese laundry, a poolroom, and a lumber yard.
It was a grand celebration the day the steel was completed to Loverna, people were invited to drive some of the Last Spikes, as Loverna was the last station in Saskatchewan. That night, homesteaders from near and far gathered in the pool hall, they danced and celebrated. The line was completed to Hemaruka, Alberta in 1924.

The Pratt family was always a big part of my life growing up in the Esther community. Jim was one of the early settlers in the community, after he and Beatrice married, they had three sons. Bruce and his wife Ann on the left, George and his wife Phyllis in the middle back, George worked for my Dad in his younger years and taught me how to drive at a very young age. You could always count on George to come and help with anything you needed help with. He was a magician with a pair of pliers and a table knife, able to repair anything. Roy and Roxie on the right, always family friends, Roy and I worked together, played ball together, hunted together and curled together for many years. I do remember some of the all night sessions with our friends making sausage at Roy and Roxies house. Jim and Beatrice seated in the center were the matriarchs of this family, Beatrice often babysat my siblings and I when Mom and Dad were off curling. Beatrice made a sauve called Pratt's Sauve, and I am sure it would cure anything that ailed you. Phyllis and Roy and Roxie still live in the Esther community and are active in the happenings about the community.

Welcome back all, after some time I have rejuvenated my blogging and hopefully everyone will enjoy what I have to offer. The photo here, is the house my Great Grandparents built in the 1800's near Candiac Saskatchewan, I had the opportunity to travel there and photograph it a week or so ago. My Grandmother Edith Hewines was born in this house in 1898, she lived there until it she went on to further her education and become a teacher. My Granddad came from London England to Canada and arrived in Glenavon Sk to work for a local farmer. He wanted to file for a homestead so he travelled to Alberta, landed in Sibbald on the train and heard there were homesteads available north towards Esther. He walked several miles and found a 1/4 section that he liked and filed for homestead there. A few years later he and Grandma were married and moved to the homestead a few miles south of Esther and that is where my part of life began. My Mom was born in Loverna, Sk. and later on met my Dad at one of the local dances and the rest is history for another blog.