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Early Years: 1882 – 1920
Glenora began as part of River Lot 2, a parcel of land in the newly created Dominion of Canada. Malcolm Alexander Groat, a Scottish employee of the Hudson’s Bay Company at Fort Edmonton staked his claim in 1870 and was granted title in 1887 under the Dominion Lands Act.
1882
Source: Edmonton’s West Side Story page 4
Settlement around Fort Edmonton
1887
Source: Library and Archives Canada
Certificate of title granted to Malcolm Groat for River Lot 2
1903
Courtesy: Provincial Archives of Alberta Ernest Brown Collection B.7118
Malcolm Groat, shown after his retirement in 1903, a respected and prominent citizen of the City of Edmonton
As Groat develops his business interests, he sees an opportunity to profit by selling off all but 20 acres from his original 900 acres to a developer, William G. Tretheway.
1905
Courtesy: Archives de Montreal
Alberta becomes a province and Edmonton is selected as the Capital City in 1906 creating new development opportunities.
Tretheway sells his land to James Carruthers, a wealthy grain merchant from Montreal. Optimism fuels land speculation and James Carruthers envisions an exclusive subdivision west of the Groat Ravine and bounded on the south by the North Saskatchewan River.
In 1907, Carruthers sells 29 acres of land bordered by the North Saskatchewan River and Groat Ravine to the Provincial Government for Government House.
1909
Courtesy Edmonton Archives EA246-140
Wooden bridge across Groat Ravine c. 1909
Courtesy: Edmonton Archives EA 292-14
Newly constructed iron bridge with the Edmonton, Yukon and Pacific rail tracks in foreground.
Carruthers persuades the City of Edmonton to replace the wooden bridge across Groat Ravine with an new iron bridge to extend streetcar service west of 124th Street.
1910
Courtesy: Glenbow Museum Archives, Archives and Special Collections, University of Calgary NA-1328-64632
Looking west along 102nd Avenue (Athabasca Avenue) from 125th Street: Road being prepared for surfacing.
1911
Courtesy: Old Glenora page 16
Marketing begins for the neighbourhood of Glenora by James Carruthers and his Edmonton partner, Henry Round. A Caveat is registered on the lots by Carruthers to ensure exclusivity and prestige.
1911
Courtesy: Provincial Archives of Alberta B4545
Groat’s new house near completion overlooking the North Saskatchewan River and present day Groat Road.
1912
Courtesy: Provincial Archives A2017, John Barford
E Y & P steam train on the bank of the North Saskatchewan River above the Victoria Golf Course. Jack and Jim Barford train watching.
Courtesy: Provincial Archives of Alberta A9998
Hudson’s Bay land sale floods the real estate market in Edmonton and ends the speculative cycle, May 13, 1912. By this time Carruthers
has sold his lots in Glenora at the peak of the market.
1913
Courtesy: City of Edmonton Archives
Government House designed by architect R.P. Blakey, becomes first official residence of Alberta’s Lieutenant Governor. G.H.V. Bulyea is the first resident Lieutenant Governor.
For further information on Government House: www.alberta.ca/governmenthouse
Courtesy: Glenbow Archives, Archives and Special Collections, University of Calgary NA-1328-64895
Government House soon after completion.
Courtesy: Glenbow Archives, Archives and Special Collections, University of Calgary NA-1328-2071
Government House: Drawing Room
Courtesy: Glenbow Archives, Archives and Special Collections, University of Calgary PB-104-5
Lieutenant Governor Robert G. Brett.
Courtesy: Glenbow Archives, Archives and Special Collections, University of Calgary NC-6-6643
Government House: Conservatory
1920
Courtesy: Glenbow Archives, Archives and Special Collections, University of Calgary ND-3-3115
Government House and grounds are used for many events. Miss Alberta poses in the 1920’s.
For further information on Government House:
– Alberta’s Government House, A Vice-Regal Residence. Author Jane Ross. The book was written for the Government House Centenary in 2013.