Rutherford House Provincial Historic Site

Rutherford House Provincial Historic Site This post-Edwardian 1911 brick mansion and its beautiful surrounding gardens have been restored to their former glory for visitors to enjoy. to 5 p.m.

Experience a glimpse of the past with costumed interpreters, guided tours, and special events. Admission:
REGULAR DAILY ADMISSION
Adult (18 to 64 years) $7.00
Senior (65 and over) $6.00
Youth (7 to 17 years) $5.00
Child (6 years and under) FREE
Family (two adults and their children 7 to 17 years of age) $20.00
Group Tour Bookings (Group tours of 15 or more people) 20% discount on admission when pr

e-booked. All prices include G.S.T. Admission fees are subject to change without notice. Summer Hours:
10 a.m. daily
From May 15 to Labour Day (first Monday in September)

Winter Hours:
12 noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Closed Mondays. From Labour Day to May 15

School and Group Programming/Birthday Parties:
Rutherford House Provincial Historic Site offers a variety of programs
throughout the year. For more information take a look at:
https://rutherfordhouse.ca/programs-experiences

Gift shop
12-5:00 Tuesday - Sunday
Great and unique gift ideas for all occasions.

Spring is in full bloom, and so are the gardens at Rutherford House!On May 23, Rutherford House staff and volunteers beg...
05/31/2026

Spring is in full bloom, and so are the gardens at Rutherford House!

On May 23, Rutherford House staff and volunteers began planting – and weeding – the gardens at Rutherford House. Most of the beds are now filled with colourful annuals — including nasturtiums and sweet peas, two of Mrs. Mattie Rutherford’s favourites.

A huge thank you to our volunteers. Your hard work makes our gardens shine.

One hundred years ago today, the Edmonton Zoological Society was launched, with Rev. A. Rehwinkel as its first President...
05/27/2026

One hundred years ago today, the Edmonton Zoological Society was launched, with Rev. A. Rehwinkel as its first President.

Its role was primarily to support the Borden Park Zoo (where Northlands Park now sits), raising money through donations, membership fees, Exhibition booths, tag days, and whist drives.

“An inventory of animals at the zoo in February 1929 included: 3 elk; 3 buffalo; 2 mountain sheep; 2 mule deer; 2 badgers; 2 coyotes; 3 black bears; 2 beaver; 7 porcupines; 1 woodchuck; 3 albino gophers; 7 rabbits; 1 monkey; 14 canaries; 10 mallards; 1 Canada goose; 1 Egyptian goose; 2 peacocks; 2 silver pheasants; 24 pigeons; 1 golden eagle; 1 American red legged hawk; and 1 great horned owl. In November 1929 it was estimated that there were a total of 198 animals at the zoo.“

Images from February 24, 1926 and May 26, 1926 edition of the Edmonton Journal courtesy newspapers.com.

On May 26, 1910, Alexander Rutherford resigned as Premier of Alberta. He had been Premier since September 1905 and had r...
05/26/2026

On May 26, 1910, Alexander Rutherford resigned as Premier of Alberta. He had been Premier since September 1905 and had recently won re-election in 1910. Rutherford retired due to a financial controversy over Government of Alberta railway financing and loan guarantees.

Developing Alberta’s railway infrastructure was a primary focus for the Government of Alberta under Rutherford’s leadership and the Alberta Liberal Party ran the 1909 election with the slogan “Rutherford, Reliability and Railways.” To promote the building of railways across Alberta, Premier Rutherford’s government offered financial incentives, such as guaranteed loans, to railway companies. One of railways, the Alberta & Great Waterways Railway (A&GWR), which planned to build a line between Edmonton to Waterways, on the Athabasca River just south of Fort McMurray via Lac La Biche. Early in 1910, the Government of Alberta’s deal with the A&GWR started to receive criticism for being overly generous and when the Province of Alberta received lower value for its share of the company’s bonds sold, while the company and other investors received greater profits, accusations of corruption, favouritism and kickbacks were made against Premier Rutherford.

Liberal backbenchers and Cabinet Ministers revolted in protest of Rutherford’s handling of the A&GWR financing and bond sales. Rutherford convened a Royal Commission to examine the affair and survived a vote of non-confidence in the Legislative Assembly. However, under increasing pressure, Rutherford resigned as Premier on May 26, 1910, and was replaced by Chief Justice Arthur L.W. Sifton.

Alexander Rutherford maintained his innocence of the accusations made against him. The Royal Commission found numerous problems with the Government of Alberta’s handling of railway financing but concluded that Alexander Rutherford had exercised poor judgement but had done nothing illegal. Rutherford ran, and lost, as an “Independent Liberal” in the 1913 provincial election.

Thank you to Ronald Kelland, Historic Places Research Officer and Geographical Names Program Coordinator for contributing this post!

Images courtesy Provincial Archives of Alberta: "Ground being broken to start the construction of the Alberta & Great Waterways Railway", November 1909, A11251. "Alberta & Great Waterways train at the Edmonton Station, 107 Avenue and 121 Street", ca. 1912, A4429. "Construction on the Alberta & Great Waterways Railway near Bon Accord, Alberta", 1914, A8274.

On May 25, 1914, Victoria Park was officially opened to the Edmonton public as part of an elaborate Empire Day (Victoria...
05/25/2026

On May 25, 1914, Victoria Park was officially opened to the Edmonton public as part of an elaborate Empire Day (Victoria Day) celebration. Attendees were treated to speeches, a flag raising ceremony, parade, races, and sports competitions. As the Edmonton Bulletin noted, “Victoria Park, the new playground on the Hudson’s Bay Flats, was formally christened yesterday morning by Mrs. J. D. Hyndman, regent of the Municipal Chapter of the Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire. The ceremony preceded the Empire Day Celebration and military sports meet held on the grounds. … Before hoisting the park flag, Mrs. Hyndman made a patriotic and appropriate speech, urging the importance of emphasizing the imperial aspect of Canadian citizenship.”

Images from May 26, 1914 editions of the Edmonton Bulletin and Edmonton Journal courtesy newspapers.com.

On this day in 1974, Rutherford House – “Alberta’s first fully furnished heritage site” – officially opened as historic ...
05/11/2026

On this day in 1974, Rutherford House – “Alberta’s first fully furnished heritage site” – officially opened as historic house museum.

Other than being closed for 2 years during the COVID epidemic, the museum has operated continuously, offering tours, programs and special events for hundreds of thousands of visitors!

Image from May 13, 1974 edition of Edmonton Journal courtesy newspapers.com.

Happy Mother’s Day!While Anna Jarvis initially commemorated Mother’s Day in 1908 by giving white carnations, people soon...
05/10/2026

Happy Mother’s Day!

While Anna Jarvis initially commemorated Mother’s Day in 1908 by giving white carnations, people soon began adding carnations in other colours, and then other kinds of flowers.

Mrs. Rutherford would have enjoyed sweet peas and roses. What flowers would you choose?

Image from May 10, 1913 edition of the Edmonton Bulletin courtesy newspapers.com.

On this day in 1906, the University Act – which had been sponsored by then-Premier Alexander Rutherford during the new A...
05/09/2026

On this day in 1906, the University Act – which had been sponsored by then-Premier Alexander Rutherford during the new Alberta Legislature’s first sitting – receives royal assent.

Tonight is opening night for the Toronto Tempo, the newest addition to the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA...
05/09/2026

Tonight is opening night for the Toronto Tempo, the newest addition to the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), and the WNBA’s first Canadian team! They join a long and distinguished history of Canadian women’s basketball, including many teams in the Toronto area such as the Toronto Lakesides, the Young Women’s Hebrew Association, the Toronto Ladies Athletic Club and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

None of those teams, however, were able to defeat one of the greatest basketball teams of all time: the Edmonton Commercial Graduates, or the Edmonton Grads.

Over 100 years ago, in 1915, the Grads began playing basketball, eventually posting a 502-20 record. Over the next 25 years they were National champions for 19 years, North American champions for 17 years, and World champions (including exhibition games at 4 Olympic Games) for 16 years.

We wish the Tempo the best success!

Image of “The final Edmonton Grads roster, joined by former players, photographed July 3, 1940” courtesy Provincial Archives of Alberta.

Between May 4 and 5, 1908, over two thousand people packed into the Thistle Rink in Edmonton to attend the inaugural Alb...
05/04/2026

Between May 4 and 5, 1908, over two thousand people packed into the Thistle Rink in Edmonton to attend the inaugural Alberta Music Festival; the first regional music festival held in North America.

Among the attendees was supposed to be Alexander Rutherford. However, although he was a patron of the festival, he was unable to attend as he was in Regina meeting with Saskatchewan and Manitoba premiers Walter Scott and Rodmond Roblin to discuss government ownership of grain elevators. Rutherford, however, clearly supported the festival, as the following year, the Rutherford Shield was introduced as a prize for the best female choir performance. Awarded between 1909 and 1914, the Rutherford Shield was won each year by the Edmonton All Saints’ women’s choir.

Images of the May 6, 1908 edition of the Edmonton Bulletin and the May 16, 1908 edition of The Saturday News courtesy newspapers.com.

Today is National Principal’s Day, a day held to celebrate and recognize the valuable work performed by principals acros...
05/01/2026

Today is National Principal’s Day, a day held to celebrate and recognize the valuable work performed by principals across Canada.

Of the many principals who deserve recognition, is Miss Maude Bell, the first principal of Rutherford School; a school named in Alexander Rutherford’s honour. Bell served as principal of Rutherford School from 1911 to 1941 and was a fierce advocate for the school and its students. For example, when the school board failed to provide funding to purchase sports equipment, Bell and the students at Rutherford School grew and sold potatoes to purchase the necessary equipment.

As Mrs. B. L. Saunders, a former student recalled, “Rutherford’s first principal was a resourceful woman… . When no sports equipment was forthcoming from the School Board, she took action herself, and arranged to have the field to the west of the school plowed. The students planted potatoes in the spring, tended to them throughout the summer and harvested them in the fall. The potatoes were sold for enough money to buy the sports equipment” (“A Century and Ten: The History of Edmonton Public Schools” by M. A. Kostek, p. 114).

Did you attend Rutherford School? Do you have any special memories of a principal? Feel free to share them in the comments!

“Rutherford School, 1914” courtesy of Glenbow Archives, NC-6-769.

Address

11153 Saskatchewan Drive
Edmonton, AB
T6G2S1

Telephone

(780)427-3995

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