A bit of Langelaar Alberta history

This post is about the first eight years that my parents lived in Canada.  So, you are welcome to continue reading, but no requirements to finish.

My mom, dad, brothers John, Ben and Case all immigrated to Alberta from Ede, Holland in April of 1952.  My parents were talking about going to three possible places, Australia, New Zealand, or Canada.  The opportunity came to purchase a ride on The Waterman in April of that year.  It was short notice, but if they passed up the chance to go, they would have been bumped down the list.
My mom's brother and sister-in-law were already here in Red Deer, Alberta, so when they arrived on the train, my parents stayed with Ome Niek and Tante Toos for about two months.

First house where my parents stayed in Canada.

When we stopped to take a picture, a lady came out and we talked with her for a little bit, telling her why we stopped.  She said that the house was built in 1905.  She said she fixed it up and used some of the original designs.  Can you imagine two families living in there for two months, six children and four adults?
When my parents immigrated, my dad worked in construction, while also at various times raising animals. 
My parents bought a lot, not terribly far from where Ome Niek and Tante Toos lived.  Dad first built a garage and that's where the family lived while dad was working on building the house.

This is the garage.  The part dad built was where the two green doors are.  The lean-to part was added later. 

The house was framed, but an opportunity came to move to Mirror before it was finished.  During this time dad was working for Louis Victor as a bricklayer.  My brother Nick was born prior to moving to Mirror. 
When the family moved to Mirror, it was a farm share rental opportunity with the Wildeboers. The farm was rented from Henry Nice.  Dad and mom had pigs that they took care of here.

The house is no longer there.

 The house was old when the family moved in.  It was poorly constructed and stories were told of being able to see through the walls.  It would have been located in the trees, before the existing garage, a little to the right. 

The shed.

This shed was there when they lived there.  I thought that was pretty neat.  They lived in the "house with see through walls" for a year when the Wildeboers moved away.  Dad and mom and family moved into the other house after the Wildeboers moved out. 

This was the other house on Henry Nice's property. 

Mirror is a small village.  Here are a few pictures of what it looks like now.

While they were living there, they attended the CRC in Alix.  The small number of families met in what is now the public library in Alix.

A small group of families met in this building most Sundays.

Four times a year the families would meet with the Woodynook CRC so they could partake in Lord's Supper.  When they met in Alix, different men would read sermons.  Dad was one of those men and apparently mom played the organ!
The last place the family lived was in Lacombe.  There was an empty house and some land that the Martina family had available and offered that to dad and mom.  They moved there.  Unfortunately the house is no longer there.  The trees surrounding the house were still there, though.

The house was located in that clump of trees. 

This was the one room schoolhouse that my brothers attended when they were in Lacombe.

That was the end of the tour.  I had been to the different places before, but hadn't paid attention or remembered all the details.  It was good to see all those places.
Afterwards we did stop at Gull Lake and Sylvan Lake.  I do not remember visiting Gull Lake very often, but do remember visiting Sylvan Lake, although it has changed quite a bit since those days.  

Gull Lake was high and choppy today. 

On the way home we stopped to pick up some cheese.  Interestingly enough, this store had a lot of Dutch items for sale.  I just couldn't resist!

Dubbel zout drop!

Speculaas! 

It was a great day!  I enjoyed touring around Central Alberta and listening to the history of Wynand and Engbertdina Langelaar's eight years of adventures!  It was evident that God was their constant companion!