Fonds 061 Municipal District of Grande Prairie No. 739

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Summary information

Repository: South Peace Regional Archives
Title: Municipal District of Grande Prairie No. 739 fonds
Reference code: 0061
Date: 1912-1944 (date of creation)
Physical description: 15.5 cm of textual records

1 map

Language: English
Dates of creation, revision and deletion: Processed by Mary Nutting
Added to new database April 2023 – TD

Administrative history / Biographical sketch

The Municipal District of Grande Prairie No. 739 was formed in 1912, about the same time as the Rural Municipal District of Bear Lake No. 740, and held its first session on January 6, 1913. Councilors at that meeting were J.H. Harris, A.W. Carveth, Leo Schroeder, John Oatway and J.W. Shortreed. A.W. Carveth was elected reeve and the application of D.H. Axon was accepted for secretary-treasurer.

The M.D. of Grande Prairie No. 739 extended west from the Smoky River through range 5 and from the Wapiti River north through township 73. In the County of Grande Prairie No. 1 50th Anniversary Special Edition produced by the Daily Herald Tribune, we read that “while the first action taken by both municipalities was to set up herd laws, wagon roads and rail roads were of immediate concern to the ratepayers…. Councilors agreed to press for a government wagon road extending from the Smoky River west to the eastern boundary of the M.D. of Bear Lake.” Another of the M.D.’s early decisions was to file on a quarter section, NE 8-72-4 W6th, for Agricultural Fair grounds and an Experimental Station.

The area was served by the two rural municipalities until December 31, 1943, when they were disestablished and merged to create the new Municipal District No. 127 with considerable territory added. Five years later the County of Grande Prairie No. 1 replaced the old municipal districts system.

Custodial history

Records became the property of succeeding organizations, M.D. of Grande Prairie No. 780 and 127 and County of Grande Prairie No. 1, and were deposited on loan by the County of Grande Prairie in the Provincial Archives in 1970. The records were transferred to the Grande Prairie Regional Archival by permanent donation in 2000. An accrual to the fonds, the 1913-1943 minutes, was transferred by the County to South Peace Regional Archives in 2013.

Scope and content

The fonds consists of the records of the Municipal District of Grande Prairie No. 739 from 1913 to 1944. These records include by-laws and minutes, financial statements, a 1943 Alberta Gazette showing tax sales, and a town plan of Bezanson. The fonds is divided into three series: Minutes, Financial Management, and Maps and Plans.

Notes

Title notes

  • Source of title proper: Title based on the contents of the fonds

Restrictions on access

There are no restrictions.

Access points

  • Cartographic material (documentary form)
  • Textual record (documentary form)
  • Government (subject)
  • Politics and government* (subject)

Table of contents

0061.01, Minutes, 1913-1943

0061.02, Financial Management, 1942-1943

0061.03, Maps & Plans, 1913

Series descriptions

Series 0061.01: Minutes

Date: 1913-1943 (date of creation)

Scope and content:

The series consists of bylaws and minutes (1913-29, 1933-34, 1937-43) of the Municipal District of Grande Prairie No. 739. The meeting minutes contain various other records including accounts, monthly and yearly financial statements, audits, borrowing resolutions, oaths of office, election documents, and tax records.

Physical description: 15 cm of textual records

Access points:

•                Textual record (documentary form)

Arrangement:

The records are arranged in chronological or reverse chronological order. In some files, order was regularized by the Archivist.

Series 0061.02: Financial Management

Date: 1942-1943 (date of creation)

Scope and content:

The series consists of financial statements from the M.D. of Grande Prairie No. 739 from 1942 to 1943 and a 1943 Alberta Gazette with lists of properties sold in tax sales.

Physical description: 0.5 cm of textual records

Access points:

•                Textual record (documentary form)

Series 0061.03: Maps & Plans

Date: 1913 (date of creation)

Scope and content:

The series consists of a 1913 town plan of Bezanson, which fell within the M.D.’s borders.

Physical description: 1 map

Access points:

•                Cartographic material (documentary form)

File / item list
Reference code Title Dates Physical description
2003.33.02 Item – Bezanson  1913 1 plan : 16.5 x 24 in.
Material specific details [cartographic]:

200 feet = 1 inch

Scope and content:

Old Bezanson Townsite plan as a subdivision of S1/2 of NW-17-71-2