TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL | Top 10,000 Places to Visit in Canada
The page created by Amerley | Northern Alberta Institute of Technology | Photo by Google Street View
July
Hairy Hill Rodeo is jam-packed with two days of excitement, including horse racing, pony riding, competitions, great food and an evening dance. This rodeo occurs annually over two days in July.
Information on events and upcoming dates can be found on the Hairy Hill Rodeo Facebook page.
Photos: https://www.facebook.com/groups/58856874517/
Hairy Hill was named by its settlers due to the large amount of bison hair that covered the hill when it was first established in the early twentieth century. Â Hairy Hill was a popular spot for bison due to the mild weather and abundant land and resources. In the spring, bison would migrate to the hill and rub themselves on the ground to shed their winter coats, leaving large mats of hair behind.
A bison statue can be found near the Hairy Hill Post office, and it has a plaque below with more information.
Photo: https://goeastofedmonton.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Hairy-Hill.jpg
After constructing the Canadian Pacific Railway line near Hairy Hill, settlers migrated from Soda Lake to Hairy Hill for better opportunities. Soda Lake is named due to the high soda content of its shallow waters. Soda Lake is now a designated Albertan historical site, and a sign is nearby to provide more information on the community’s history. As of today, Soda Lake is dry.
Photo: https://www.geocaching.com/geocache
In the early 1900s, Romanian families would attend church at St Mary’s Romanian Orthodox Church in the nearby community of Boian. Due to the abundance of Russians in Boian, the parish was led by Russian priests who preached in their language. For years, the Romanians fought with the Russians for a Romanian priest, and following many disagreements and a court hearing, the Romanians were advised to build their church.
The Romanians elected a church council, and two years later, Parochia Romana Ortodoxa Nasterea Fecioarei Maria din Hairy Hill was established. Today the parish of Saint Mary’s and Hairy Hill’s Romanian Church are joined. While primarily abandoned, two services are held at Hairy Hill Church; one on Patron Saint Day and the Day of the Blessing of the Graves.
Photo: http://orthodoxcanada.ca/
Hairy Hill post office was established in 1907. The post office was built near Soda Lake, so to prevent confusion, the post office was renamed Soda Lake, and the old Soda Lake post office got a new name. The post office is back to its original name of Hairy Hill.
Photo: https://live.staticflickr.com/5610/15411068047_da8dc5d3f4_b.jpg
Before the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway near Hairy Hill, Soda Lake was home to many settlers. A school was established there in 1904, serving as an educational facility and a venue for community gatherings and events. After the train line was built and settlers migrated from Soda Lake to Hairy Hill, the school was renamed. The brick building contained six rooms, and some of its structure remains in Hairy Hill.
The school closed in 1982, but past students have met for reunions over the years, and they commemorate alumni who have now passed on their Hairy Hill Reunion Facebook page.
Photo: Https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49848237407_0ee6aa1c26_b.jpg
This museum is a short ten-minute drive from Hairy Hill and was established by the Canadian Romanian Society of Alberta. The museum displays architectural and historical exhibits from the oldest Romanian settlement in Canada, Boian. Some of the displays include a restored Romanian house, family photos and farm machinery. The museum also provides Romanian language lessons and hosts events such as Boian Days and traditional weddings.
Much of their history also took place in Hairy Hill, so there are exhibits and information about their time there in the museum.
