Smoky Lake County Regional Heritage Board

03/20/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1NkmaUUL8U/

03/02/2026

Thanks to H.A. Kostash School, the community and students benefitted from a drama group that was brought in and the students creativity and enthusiasm to go with it. Using simple props, ideas were developed and brought to fruition with all grades in less than a week to make skits about the history of Smoky Lake.

01/07/2026

Remember a few months ago, walking on the scenic Lovers Lane Nature Trail? Now you can cross country skiing on the trail. Thanks to Scott Adamson, he and his son packed down with their snowmobile, then he made cross country skiing tracks.

10/19/2025

10/17/2025

10/14/2025

10/12/2025

From October 2024. Welcome to the 'House in the Middle of Road' aka the 'Anderson House'.

Simon Whitford lived on River Lot 14 with his family in the earlier buildings (the ruins) that are found closer to the river. He applied for a homestead application in 1905, but passed away before it was approved. His wife then applied for the homestead application; however, she passed away in 1906 prior to the application being approved. Henry Anderson, the husband of Whitford’s daughter, and Joseph Favell, acquired the land after Mrs. Whitford’s death in 1906 and built the larger home known as “The House in the Middle of the Road” sometime between 1906 and 1912. Henry Anderson’s hometead application was approved in 1912. Following the building of the “The House in the Middle of the Road”, the granaries and stable were built. The method of construction varied from rounded log construction in the earlier buildings (the ruins), to dovetail log construction on the house. The locations of the homes and buildings moved up from the bank of the river over time. In 1914, Spurge Van Iderstein bought the property from the Andersons and then sold it to Ivan Ference in 1926. In 1948, two brothers, Sam and Tarus Charuk, purchased the land and were the last two people to live in the house, which they did until 1974. They sold the land to Donald Van Iderstein, the grandson of Spurge, in 1974. Brent Fletcher purchased the land from Donald in 1988 and still owns the property. (Source: Alberta Registry of Historic Places)

The house has been beautiful restored by the county.

10/12/2025

Christine Meroniuk playing the sopilka, a tradition Ukrainian wind instrument.

10/12/2025

What a great day pumpkinfair was and here are a few scenes at the Ukrainian Showcase.

10/12/2025

Art, music, food, and craft demonstrations were at Ukrainian Showcase during Smoky Lake's Pumpkin Fair.

10/12/2025

Ukrainian Showcase in Smoky Lake welcomed many visitors during Pumpkin Fair.