1

Bentley Street - 1915
1915
Bentley, Alberta

Credits:
Bentley Museum Society

2

Arcade Hotel & Livery Barn
1908
Bentley, Alberta

Credits:
Bentley Museum Society

3

Construction of Boulevard - 1956
1956
Bentley, Alberta

Credits:
Bentley Museum Society

4

Building the boulevard - 1956
1956
Bentley, Alberta

Credits:
Bentley Museum Society

5

FIRE OF 1916
This disastrous fire, which spread very quickly wiped out all the old buildings in one block on the south side of the main street. Among those destroyed were the first Thorp Bros. garage, Arcade Hotel, Livery barn, Blish & O’Neil Store, and Damron & Thorp Butcher Shop.This devastating blaze persuaded residents of Bentley to widen main street and build a boulevard in the centre to help prevent future fires.
It was decided to set the property line back another nineteen feet. The north side of the avenue, was originally set back approximately thirty-three feet from the road allowance. This made for a width of one hundred and eighteen feet through the two block business section.
In 1930 the centre boulevard was built through the business section and street lights were installed. Originally designed for fire protection, it has provided angle parking along the side walks of both sides and two lanes of traffic each way. To this day the street and boulevard sets Bentley apart from other communities in Central Alberta. The boulevard is the "Pride of Bentley".

6

Putland and Thorp Trading Post
1904
Bentley, Alberta

Credits:
Bentley Museum Society

7

Alexander Hotel - Built by J. B. Taylor
1919
Bentley, Alberta

Credits:
Bentley Museum Society
Glenbow Archives - Calgary Alberta

8

Creamery built by McPherson
Circa 1905
Bentley, Alberta

Credits:
Bentley Museum Society

9

Bentley High School Burns down
13 February 1972
Bentley, Alberta

Credits:
Bentley Museum Society

10

Bentley High School burns down
13 February 1972
Bentley, Alberta

Credits:
Bentley Museum Society

11

Wheat Pool Elevator destroyed by fire
1976
Bentley, Alberta

Credits:
Bentley Museum Society

12

Burning Wheat Pool Elevator
1976
Bentley, Alberta

Credits:
Bentley Museum Society

13

Other Fires
In 1919, fire destroyed the Putland & Thorp Store. The Alexander Hotel burnt down in 1920, Garries Hardware in 1921 and the creamery in 1930.
Bentley High School burnt in 1972 and two grain elevators, in Bentley, were destroyed by fire, in 1976.

14

Debris remaining after the explosion
14 September 2007
Bentley, Alberta

Credits:
Bentley Museum Society