What are the opening hours?

Tuesday 1pm - 4pm Wednesday 1pm - 4pm Thursday 1pm - 4pm

Fort Ostell Museum

Name: Fort Ostell Museum
Address: 5320 54th Street, Ponoka, AB, T4J1L9, CA
Telephone: 4037835224
Price range: $

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Ponoka, AB
Fort Ostell Museum

Winter hrs: 1 Sept - 14 May, Tues-Thurs, 1-4pm
Summer hrs: 20 May-Aug, M-F, 10am-4pm

Fort Ostell Museum has displays celebrating Indigenous Peoples, early pioneers, and a unique exhibition chronicling the early days of mental health treatment in Alberta. Museum is dedicated to the pioneers of the area and holds many artifacts related to the history of the area as well the Alberta Collection entitled Care and Treatment of the Mentally Ill in Alberta.

09/03/2026

Historical Items...
This is a Ceremonial Pipe, specifically from Chief Samson (also known as Kanatakasu) of the Samson Cree Nation!
Chief Samson’s leadership spanned the mid-19th century to the early 20th century, with his most critical historical impact occurring between 1876 and 1900. He directly secured the homeland for his people, transitioning them from a nomadic territory to the established Samson Cree Nation in 1889.
This pipe was utilized by Chief Samson as a vital link between humans and the creator or spirit world, smoking the pipe is a form of sacred prayer. The rising smoke from the pipe carries intentions and requests upward towards the creator.

09/02/2026

War Wednesday...
Francis Roger Fink (1921 - 2010) was born in Ponoka in 1921, and enlisted with the RCAF during WWII in 1941. He has been regarded as an insanely heroic man from Ponoka for his service and rescue. Lieutenant Commander J.H. BEEMAN (pilot) Lieutenant Commander Fink (co-pilot) and two seamen were jointly responsible for saving the 21 members of the crew of the Liberian Freighter S.S. 'KISMET II' via helicopter, which had run aground on the rocky coast of Cape Breton Island against a cliff which rose almost vertically from the sea to a height of some 400 feet and was being pounded to pieces by heavy seas.
Francis Roger Fink was one of 2,154 people to be awarded the George Medal for Bravery, and even fewer was given the medal by Queen Elizabeth herself. Francis is regarded as a local hero and forever will be.

09/01/2026

People of Ponoka...
This is John Gordon and Alice (Simons) Gordon are some majorly important people for Central Alberta's journalism.
John Gordon's father, George Gordon was the publisher of the Ponoka Herald (1904-1938), as his father retired John took to inheriting the printing business. Additionally, he also founded the Ponoka's Air Cadets No.65 Branch and worked as the first commanding officer. He would operate in running the Ponoka Herald until 1953 when he entered partnership with Al Badry in general insurance. John passed in 1965.
His wife Alice was not shy to the journalism business as well, as she worked as a correspondent for the Red Deer Advocate, Edmonton Journal, and the Calgary Herald all while living in Ponoka. What a family!

08/31/2026

We have an art exhibit at the Civic Building!

The lobby of the Library/Town Hall now showcases paintings and photos from the museum's collection. On one wall, two photos show the original Canadian Bank of Commerce buildings. The other wall features "Ponoka's Past" - landscapes painted by Ponoka artists over the past 70+ years. Artist biographies are at the Ponoka Library front desk.

Head over and check it out!

For more information, contact the museum:
40378-5224
[email protected]

08/30/2026

With kids back in school next week, we are returning to our winter schedule for open hours. For September - May, we will be open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 1-4.
If you have any questions, or need to access the museum outside of our open hours, please contact me - Sara Konig, Museum Manager - at:
phone: 403.783-5224
email: [email protected]

Thanks for a lovely summer!

08/28/2026

After an amazing, crazy, fun, BUSY summer, our summer students are heading back to school. Cameron and Sofia have been here since May, working hard on museum projects, display development, and summer programming for children. They have been an incredible addition to the museum and we're really going to miss them. Thanks so much, you guys, for all your hard work and have a great winter at university!!
Last week, Blaine Calkins came to the museum to meet the students, see the work they've done, and present them with Certificates of Recognition. What a great way to cap the summer!

08/27/2026

The winners are...just about everybody!
This is a Military-issue Fuel Ration Heating Tablet!
Issued out to overseas troops in their ration boxes during WWII and the Korean War, these were essential to keeping people warm and fed!
The tablets inside this tube were perfectly portioned to heat up 1 ration of food, soldiers would stand a couple tablets upright, protect them from the wind, and then ignite it under a mess kit. These were perfect because they burnt smokeless as to not give away enemy positions!
However...It did cause a lot of injuries and even fatalities. Hexamine breaks down into byproducts including carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and hydrogen cyanide gas so soldiers suffered from respiratory distress and poisoning, or died in their sleep via gas asphyxiation and carbon monoxide poisoning if they lit these inside their shelters to stay warm. There was also the issue of soldiers accidentally ingesting the tablets, not aware of their chemical makeup. Let's just say, that didn't turn out well.

Thanks for playing this summer!

08/26/2026

War Wednesday...
We're always taught in school that women's contributions to the war effort was just manufacturing, but did you know it goes further than just that?
The Canadian Women's Army Corp was founded in 1941 when the country realized there was a severe lack in manpower and numbers were dwindling for the forces at a rapid pace. Members would serve in 55 different non-combat trades and vastly excelled.
For example Joan Bamford Fletcher was a Canadian Officer who led a group of over 200 former Allied prisoners of war and civilians out of the Japanese jungle.
There was also Elsie MacGill, who was known as the "Queen of the Hurricanes," she was the world's first female aircraft designer. She oversaw the production of the Hawker Hurricane fighter aircraft in Canada for the war effort.
The faction was disbanded after WWII, then reactivated during the Korean War, only for it to be dissolved in 1964 when women were finally accepted into the Canadian Military.
Pictured below is a CWAC Summer Uniform from the 1940's.

08/25/2026

What is it?
This week I've got an itty bitty item that might stump you guys.
Used between the 40's - 50's, this item is LOADED with hexamine, and was valuable to a certain group of people for sustaining life. This item was a North American invention, and other countries didn't provide this to people, possibly because it's poisonous in nature with contents like ammonia, hexamine, and formaldehyde.

That's all I can give for now!
This is the last 'What is it?' for the summer, so give it your all!!
See you Thursday!

08/24/2026

This Week in History... August 30th, 1960
With the back to School Season rounding the corner, I bet we all wish things we're as inexpensive as they were in the 60's...I mean its ROUGH out here you guys.

"Back to School Foot Notes...
Growing feet grow straight in true in Savage Shoes
Our entire fall stock of Savage Shoes have arrived for back-to-school in a pair of Savage Shoes. Expertly fitted by our courteous staff. Bring your children in today.

Children's Dresses: Fall cotton Dan River plaids, corduroys and novelty materials. Sizes 4 to 6x, 8 to 14 years.

Children's Blouses: A large assortment of Back-to-School Blouses in Broadcloth and Terylene. Short and 3/4-length-sleeves. Sizes 4 to 6x and 8 to 14 years.
$2.95 to $3.95.

Children's Sweaters: In good quality S**g, Plusher, Orlon, Bulkie Knit cardigan, and matching pullover.
4 to 6x and 8 to 14 years.
$2.95 to $6.95."

Address

5320 54th Street
Ponoka, AB
T4J1L9

Opening Hours

Tuesday	1pm - 4pm
Wednesday	1pm - 4pm
Thursday	1pm - 4pm

Telephone

4037835224

Website

http://fortostellmuseum.com/

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