Old Hillside Cemetery

Old Hillside Cemetery was established on six acres of land along Seven Persons Creek in 1884 by Saint Barnabas Anglican Church.  Five years later a section of this parcel of land became the Roman Catholic Cemetery.  Burials here continued until 1919 (Catholic) and 1923 (Anglican) and was officially closed in 1934 at which time The City of Medicine Hat took charge of the cemetery.  All further interments were at the New Hillside Cemetery, located west of town, which is still in use to this day.  As with all things historical...exact dates vary from one source to another.  

And then there's that goose that kept an eye on me while I took photos...most likely looking for a place to build a nest.

Thanks to the Saint Barnabas Anglican 

Church Archives.

Photographed on April 22, 2017.

Milk River Valley Church of the Brethren

One of my favourite abandoned churches that's way out in the middle of nowhere.

The Milk River Valley Church of the Brethren is located northwest of Kremlin, Montana and west of the Fresno Reservoir in Hill County.  It is also known as the Kremlin-Gildford Church of the Brethren and has long been abandoned.

For those who aren't familiar with the area, this church is less than forty miles southeast of Comrey Cemetery in southeastern  Alberta.  And I'm sure everyone knows where Comrey is, right?!  

The inside-looking-out window views in the two photographs directly above are views of the cemetery across the road from the church and what may have been a parsonage.  The original parsonage burned down during the construction of the church between 1915 and 1918 and I believe this may have been its replacement.  Other than that, I could find no other online information about the church or cemetery.

Enjoyed my trip into the wilds of Montana that day and seeing this old abandoned church, well...made my day!

Photographed on May 21, 2017.

Quiet Nook School

The following quote is from William Peter Baergen's "Pioneering with a Piece of Chalk - The One-Room Country Schools of Alberta 1885–1982"

"The descriptive, poetic name was suggested by

Mrs. Perley, who said that, except for the occasional 

squeal of red river carts over the Victoria

Trail, or the shrill whistle of a steamboat on the

river, it was a relatively quiet nook. Opened in

fall 1912 in this cosmopolitan mix by Mr.

Coyne, who did not finish the term. Mr. Perley,

a trustee who had taught in the United States,

finished the term on a permit, as he had no

Canadian certificate. A two-room school was

built on NE 6 and the original one-room was

sold for use as a community centre. Closed in

1957 and the children were bussed to Vilna. It

also became part of the Quiet Nook

Community Centre. In 1964, it was donated to

the Shandro Museum of artifacts for its final resting 

place."

Photographed at The Historical Village and Pioneer Museum (now closed) near Shandro, Alberta on November 09, 2024. 

The Spinning Cloud

Ran across these photos while organizing a hard drive the other day. 

Maybe it's just me but this cloud appears to be spinning 'round and 'round.  Pretty cool!

These photos were taken north of Cascade, Montana along Mission Road.

Photographed on November 24, 2017.

Fenster's Time Share

Fenster's Time Share in Hamlet, North Dakota.  

Don't forget to book your stay.

Photographed on June 20, 2023.

Post Office in Monitor

The abandoned post office building in Monitor, Alberta.  I love the facade and that the lettering is still legible after all these years.

Photographed on November 6, 2024.

Saint Margaret's Church

New front steps, wheelchair ramp, door and window sills and window frames were installed at Saint Margaret's Church this past summer and fall.  Thanks to everyone who donated their time, money and effort to keep the little church in the hills looking good.

Photographed on October 16, 2025 near Eagle Butte, Alberta.

Mayfield Cemetery

Mayfield Cemetery is located south of Alsask, Saskatchewan in the R.M. of Chesterfield No. 261 and northeast of Empress, Alberta.

According to information on Canada Gen Web's Cemetery Project site this cemetery was established when a pioneer named Zach Leach lost his daughter 

May to tuberculosis in the winter of 1913.  It was too cold to make the trip to Alsask so he donated a piece of his land for the cemetery which is named in 

her honour.

As you will see in the photos above, I had some company during my visit.  When I reached the far end of the grounds I suddenly heard a loud rattling.  I had disturbed a rattlesnake that was sunning itself and it was giving me fair warning not to come any closer.  After the initial surprise I got a few photos of it returning to its den underneath a large headstone.

This well tended cemetery sits on top of a hill and offers a panoramic view of the surrounding prairie and coulees.  It's a particularly appealing spot, rattlesnake included.  Everyone should be so lucky to end up in such a lovely setting.

About six or seven years later I made a return trip to Mayfield Cemetery and it looked much the same as in the photos shown here.  Someone is taking good care of it and that's always a good thing to see.  And I also met another rattlesnake sunning itself just down the road from the cemetery.  Nice to see some things don't change.

Photographed on June 2, 2017.

Happy!

Winter has returned to the prairies!  Windy, blowing snow and freezing cold.  

These shots of sunflowers were just what I needed to cheer me up.  Hopefully they'll do the same for you.  Enjoy!

Photographed west of Hilda, Alberta on August 11, 2017.

Ogema B.A. Gas Station

A vintage service station in Ogema, Saskatchewan that I've had the pleasure to visit over the years, and hopefully for many more years to come.  

Photographed on October 26, 2017.