J. Whyte Photography

Michichi is one of those little prairie towns that most people have not heard of and certainly have not visited.  It's located just south of Highway 9 between Drumheller and Hanna. There's no real reason to stop at Michichi. There are no services that I can remember seeing the last time I went through town. Its not particularly beautiful in terms of its setting. Having said that, the town has developed a fairly nice path system along the Michichi Creek which looks to be worth visiting.  If you are looking for some interesting facts about Michichi, the name comes from a Cree word and it means 'hand'.  It refers to the fact that Michichi is located near the scenic Hand Hills near Hanna. According to the 1941 census, there were only 73 people. In 1991, the population had dropped to 42.  I tried to find current census data, but that information wasn't easy to find. My guess is that the population has only gone down. Photographing Michichi There are really only photogra...

Fort Macleod in southern Alberta is great place for photography. The town's main street is one of the most beautiful in Alberta with several historic stone buildings jammed together in two long rows.   For Macleod is so fantastic that one of the films in the Ghost Busters franchise was recently filmed here. There was a great car chase ghost scene that caused havoc all over town.  But one of the most interesting buildings to photograph is the old, abandoned American Hotel on the edge of Fort MacLeod's downtown.   History of the American Hotel It has been a challenge to find historical information on the American Hotel. According to the Alberta Heritage Survey Program database, the American Hotel originally opened in the 1890s as the Klondyke Hotel.  In 1900, the name was changed to the American Hotel and sold to one HH Wash. In 1901, Tom Atkins Purchased the hotel from HH Wash.  Later in 1913, WH Atkins constructed addition to the hotel which included 4...

Whenever I head out from Calgary on a rural exploration trip that takes me towards the south east, I often take a drive past Brant's last remaining wooden grain elevator to have a look at it and see how it's doing.  And maybe if conditions are good, see if I can get a photo that is better or different from what I have currently.  The old Wheat Pool Elevator is pretty easily accessible along a gravel road on the edge of town. It's the last remaining elevator here, and would likely have been torn down long ago but for its purchase by a local farmer for grain storage and handling.  The tracks that run through town are still being used, so there is some economic sense to keep it in operation. **Scroll down to see pictures** The grain elevator itself dates back to the 1920s and was likely built by Home Grain. After a series of mergers and acquisitions, the Brant elevator found itself within the Alberta Wheat Pool system.  In fact, it retains its current green colour from ...