1915 Alberta Map

1915 Map of Western Canada Homesteads

This historical cartographic document, produced by the Railway Lands Branch, provides a detailed visual representation of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta during the peak of the settlement era. The map is specifically designed to highlight the availability of land under the Dominion Lands Act of 1908.

Key features include:

• Settlement Grids: Precise township and range markings showing quarter-sections available for homestead entry.
• Land Designations: Color-coded or outlined areas indicating pre-emption zones and purchased homestead areas.
• Infrastructure: Early 20th-century railway lines and major water bodies that dictated where pioneers could realistically establish farms.
• Regional Districts: Large red-bordered administrative districts such as Peace River, Grande Prairie, Edmonton, Calgary, and Lethbridge.

Interesting Alberta Facts: 1915

• The Dawn of Prohibition: In July 1915, Albertans voted overwhelmingly in a provincial plebiscite to ban the sale of "intoxicating liquors." This led to the Alberta Liquor Act, making Alberta one of the first provinces to go dry during the WWI era.
• The Peak of the Homestead Boom: Despite the outbreak of World War I in 1914, 1915 remained a massive year for land seekers. The "Last Best West" campaign was still in recent memory, and the province saw thousands of new arrivals attempting to prove up their 160-acre claims as shown on this very map.
• Political Shifts: While the Liberal Party under Arthur Sifton held power provincially, 1915 was a year of intense organizing for the United Farmers of Alberta (UFA). Originally a lobby group, their growing influence in 1915 laid the groundwork for them to eventually take over the provincial government in 1921.