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The following is taken from the book, "Land of the Lakes", by the Lamerton Historical Society:Lamerton began as a country trading post, the original Buffalo Lake Trading Post, where furs were bought and supplies sold by Fletcher Bredin in the late 1800's. In 1893 he opened the post office in his store and renamed the post, Lamerton. After the turn of the century it grew into a village.
The records of the postal service show the following:
Lamerton Post Office opened August 1, 1893 and closed November 11, 1913.
The first detachment of the North West Mounted Police opened in Lamerton in1895, with one man and one horse stationed there.
In 1904, they became the Royal North West Mounted Police, which in 1920, finally became our well-known Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Lamerton had two general stores, a hardware, harness shop, doctor's office, lumberyard, a creamery, a large hotel, a Methodist church, NWMP police barracks and jail, a blacksmith shop and two livery stables.
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Members of Alberta's First Legislative Assembly1905
Edmonton?, Alberta
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Fletcher Bredin (shown here - far right, last row, has hat on) was born in the county of Stormont, Ontario, close to Ottawa, in the early 1880's.Mr. Bredin, an early Free Trader, was called the Father of the North by the "Country Guide". He was the first businessman in our area and since his trading post evolved into a town, was the actual founder of Lamerton.
Later he went to the Athabasca country, where he became a member of the first Legislative Assembly in 1906.
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The Census of Lamerton1910
Lamerton, Alberta
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This is the official cencus list of the businesses in Lamerton in 1910.Most of these businesses moved to Mirror during 1911/1912, as Mirror grew, and Lamerton began to die.
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A View of The Town Across the Prairies1911
Lamerton, Alberta
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A photo of Lamerton from a distance, around 1911.A tiny speck on the huge prairie.
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A Closer View1905
Lamerton, Alberta
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A closer look at Lamerton.Writing on the photo seems to indicate it was taken in 1905, definitely pre 1912.
This photo gives you a good look at the bridge over the Lamerton ditch.
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A Side View1911
Lamerton, Alberta
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Main Street, Lamerton from another direction.Photo was taken around 1911.
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The Ditch and Bridge Outside Lamerton1911
Lamerton, Alberta
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A look at the Lamerton ditch and first bridge in 1911.On May 1, 1909, a crew of 27 arrived in Lamerton to dig this ditch, by hand, to straighten out the creek that ran along side the town. The work took a couple of months.
They petitioned the government and received permission to widen the creek into a ditch so the water would run faster, with a stronger current, so it wouldn't back up in flood years.
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Building the Lamerton Bridge1905
Lamerton, Alberta
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