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Map of Land Use1900
The districts around Mirror
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This map shows the types of land use in our general area, along with the locations of some of the school districts and lakes we speak about in this exhibit.3
The Gadsby Original Home1900
Near Mirror, Alberta
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This is Jim Gadsby's original log home, tucked into the trees on the west side of Spotted Lake.Jim 'first' built and lived with his family in a leaky shack about 2 miles south of this cabin.
After moving out of there, the family rented for awhile, and around the turn of the century, finally built this log home.
Jim had homestead number 61912, the first registered homestead in this area. He called his homestead "The Amen Corner". We're not sure if the original shack or this cabin was built on the homestead's land.
Jim and his wife, Mary (Root) and their nine children, Sarah, James, Mary, Ann, Fanny, Jane, Margaret, and Johnny (and one child who died as a small child) lived here for many years .
Jim, also called "Longhair Jim", because he wore his hair very long, was a real character, even being linked to the James gang for awhile.
He died in 1932, and is buried in the Mirror cemetery.
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The Gadsby Barn1900
Near Lamerton, Alberta
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And here is the Gadsby's original barn that was also built of logs on the homestead.7
Manadon, The Home of Walter and Irene Parlby1910
Near Mirror, Alberta
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In 1910, Eugene Bashaw, founder of the village of Bashaw, built this house for a Major Amphlett.Walter and Irene Parlby later bought this farm after Irene entered politics, and named it "Manadon", after the Parlby family home in the County of Devon, England.
Irene, being an avid gardener, planted trees, flowers and shrubs around their new home, and they entertained many friends and dignitaries at this gracious old house.
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The Original Weatherill Home?1905
Near Mirror, Alberta
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Here, William Weatherill and his wife, Minnie are getting ready to leave for Ponoka with a team and buggy.Behind them is William's original house, called a homestead shack, he built around 1902 on his homestead in the Rutherford district, NW of Mirror.
The house was constructed of logs, and consisted of a kitchen, pantry and two bedrooms. The floor was made of wide boards, partly covered with linoleum, and the rest was painted. The roof had no shingles, only slabs and tar paper, and had a tendency to leak during heavy rains. The Weatherill's lived in this house until 1915, when they built a bigger house on the homestead and moved into that.
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The Weatherill Farm1917
Near Mirror, Alberta
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In 1915, the Weatherill's built this much bigger home, shown on the left in this photo.The farmstead was growing by now, and had many outbuildings as well.
In the foreground of this photo are 3 men leading a number of horses somewhere. And along the fenceline, to the right of the house in the photo, are a woman and child watching the men.
This photo was taken in 1917.
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Charles and Alice Westhead Outside Their Home1890
Near Alix, Close to Mirror, Alberta
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A photo of Charles and Alice Westhead, in front of their ranchhouse.They built this large home on Prospect Hill, close to Alix (Alix is a few km SW of Mirror) in 1890.
The Westhead's home was a major centre for social and sporting events in the Buffalo Lake area.
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