1

John McDonald House
19th Century, circa 1892
Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
From the Multicultural Heritage Centre Archives

2

John L. McDonald and with his wife two of the first people to settle in the area of Stony Plain
The 19th Century, Circa 1885
Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
From the Multicultural Heritage Centre Archives

3

Stony Plain's local Blacksmith Jacob Schram
The 20th Century, Circa 1900
Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
From the Multicultural Heritage Centre Archives

4

The Original Townsite Sign
The 20th Century, Circa 1980
Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
From the Multicultural Heritage Centre Archives

5

John Leod McDonald
Many of the firsts in Stony Plain can be directly attributed to their first settler. John L. McDonald was one of the first pioneers to truly settle in the area that was at the time called the Stoney Plain. He was the first settler to the area of the Stoney Plain and is now referred to as the "founding father of Stony Plain"
McDonald was born October 22, 1854 in Broekfield, Prince Edward Island to Scottish parents. After graduating from school, he apprenticed as a carpenter and cabinet-maker. He worked his trades for a while but there was a pioneering spirit in McDonald and he headed west in the late 1870s.
While in Fort Garry (which is present day Winnipeg) he worked in construction and then got a freighting job which, to McDonald, was a bit more exciting. His "rig" consisted of two oxen (named Mick and Duke) and a Red River cart. McDonald's route was from Fort Garry to Fort Edmonton; a long and treacherous journey to be sure.
In 1884, McDonald was offered a job from Indian Affairs to build log cabins for the reservations of Wabumun and Enoch. McDonald wanted to be in a centralized location and asked the local Indians where he could find a place. The local Indians told him of a place with lush grass and a creek that was teeming with fish. They called it Atimoswe (or Atim Ozwe Sipi) Dog Rump Creek.
He settled in that area which is about two miles south of where Stony Plain is today. In fact, a lot of the new development that is happening around Stony Plain is where the "old Stony Plain" used to be.
John Leod McDonald was the first white settler and before long others started to lay claim in the area. More and more people came to settle in the "Stoney Plain" and with that McDonald decided it was time to apply for a post office. Before that, settlers would have to travel to Edmonton to get mail from families and loved ones.
The application for a post office was a big step in a community. Literarily it would put you on the map. McDonald applied for the name Stony Plain, and amidst a bit of controversy, received the rights to the name; this put Stony Plain on the map.