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A view of Redwater in 1948
Circa 1948
Redwater, Alberta, Canada

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Redwater 1949
Circa 1949
Redwater, Alberta, Canada

Credits:
N. Woycenko and J.N. Woycenko
With permission from George and Edward Woycenko, sons of J. N. Woycenko

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The winds of change brought in thousands of oilmen from across the continent. They rushed to Redwater to be part of the massive oil discovery. In a matter of months this sleepy farming community of approximately 90 residents, was transformed into a bustling boomtown of anywhere from 3000 to 4000 souls. Drilling rigs were moving in daily, and with the rigs came more and more workers. Entrepreneurs, scallywags and the down right curious joined the fray to be part of the Redwater oil boom.

The once quiet streets were soon filled with the clatter of heavy trucks and machinery roaring through town. The local townspeople and surrounding farmers carried on their every day activities. The wheat was hauled to the grain elevators, eggs were brought to the egg grading station, and cream cans still lined the platform at the train station. Life had to go on, but not quite as easily as it had in the past. Local vehicles had to dodge the oil trucks, and the wooden sidewalks were now filled with the rough and rugged oilmen in search of a hot meal and a place to stay. Children would dart in amongst the crowds of newcomers thoroughly enjoying the excitement of it all, and happy to have new kids to play with.

This economic activity gave a sense of optimism to the community. The shortages and rationing from World War II were still being felt in the community. Many local boys who had returned from war were facing unemployment and a bleak future. Many of these young men were able to secure work in the oil patch.

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November 1948. Camp town to the east of the old post office.
Circa 1948
Redwater, Alberta, Canada

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Looking south from the road on the west outskirts of Redwater. Families lived in these shacks
Circa 1949
Redwater, Alberta, Canada

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Housing shortages forced the oil workers to seek accommodation in granaries, tents, trailers, cars, or anything that would keep a roof over their heads. Jim Evasiw, Redwater Postmaster went on to speak of this.

"We had a little shack for gardening behind the house. It was a hothouse. Two fellows brought in their bedrolls, and moved in and stayed there. People stayed anywhere at all."

The few restaurants in town were hard pressed to feed all the oilmen. New restaurants were opening daily in homes, in the back of local shops, old streetcars hauled into town, and anywhere else a hot meal could be prepared. The town was ripe for any entrepreneurs who wanted to cash in on the oil boom of 1948.

In the midst of this chaos the only hotel in town burned to the ground on November 5, 1948. The local pool hall was also destroyed in this blaze. Three local men, William and Alex Melenka and Steve Malowany began the construction of a new hotel. This was not completed until May 19, 1949, which was a welcome addition to help ease the housing crisis.

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Dora Brisson beside the house in Redwater where they housed some of the oil workers.
Circa 1949
Redwater, Alberta, Canada

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The need to find housing for the oil workers who descended on Redwater was acute. Leo and Dora Brisson lived across the street from the newly built hotel. Sarah Melenka, from the hotel came to them begging them to take in workers. The small hotel in town had burned to the ground and the new hotel was not yet completed. Dora Brisson added.

"Sarah Melenka came and told me I had to take in workers until the hotel was finished, and said our garage was empty for them to stay in. I think she even gave us some beds to use. We had eight men staying in the garage and two beds upstairs. The fellows from night shift would get up to go to work and the day shift men would come in and take over the beds. I was so busy changing beds all the time and doing laundry. I was lucky because I had a washing machine. We didn't have running water but the people three doors down had a well so I brought water from there. It was very hard because I was pregnant.

"A young couple from Saskatchewan came to Redwater. They had eloped but they couldn't find a place to stay. This lady, Jean, came and was crying that they needed a place to stay. I tried to tell her I was full up. I gave in and they slept on the couch for two weeks. After that they bought a camper and parked it in our back yard. Jean was a big help and helped me with the cleaning. These men stayed with us through the fall (of 1948) through the winter until the new hotel was built."

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The first hotel in Redwater that burned down in 1949.
Circa 1948
Redwater, Alberta, Canada

Credits:
Imperial Oil Review October November 1948 Vol. 32 No. 5
Imperial Oil Fonds, Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Alberta

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The new hotel under construction
Circa 1949
Redwater, Alberta, Canada

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Boston Store
Circa 1948
Redwater, Alberta, Canada

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John Boston behind the counter of the family store in Redwater
Circa 1945
Redwater, Alberta, Canada

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With the surge of new people in town, business owners were run off their feet and new businesses were opening at an unprecedented rate. New restaurants would open their doors in the morning and by noon would be turning away people. It was not uncommon for a restaurant to serve upwards of a thousand meals a day. Stores, theatres, lumber yards and even a beauty parlour opened to serve the burgeoning population. The burned out pool hall was reconstructed on its original site and the Roxy Theatre was constructed on the site of the original hotel. The Roxy Theatre was one of two theatres in town, and both did a booming business as locals and newcomers alike would escape to the quiet of the movies for a relaxing evening.

The few stores in town could barely keep up to the onslaught of newcomers. Raymond "Mickey" Boston, whose family owned a general store in town recalled the early days and the impact of the oil boom.

"My Grandpa, Tom Boston, started the store, I think about 1905. My Dad, John, carried on the store and also had the John Deere dealership across the street. We had a gas pump in front of the store and out back we had a garden. We sold the vegetables in the store. In the back yard we had an icehouse, a garage and a granary. My Grandpa built a house on the back of the store and we lived there. "

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1946. Redwater May Day Celebrations at the Old Chicken Coop School. Mickey Boston front row centre.
Circa 1946
Redwater, Alberta, Canada