Picture Butte celebrates its centennial

Dozens gathered at Picture Butte's post office to commemorate the beginning of their town a century ago.

The Town of Picture Butte is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

Dozens gathered at the town’s post office to commemorate the beginning of their town.

It was a hundred years ago Wednesday that a post office was established in Picture Butte.

That marked the beginning of what would eventually become the town of Picture Butte.

The anniversary was marked with a ceremony and the unveiling of a new plaque.

“It’s great to be here with the residents. They’re the people, as we call the old-timers; they’re the ones that established the communities, and their forefathers before them,” said centennial committee president Boyd Folden.

The area was originally serviced by a post office east of where the town is today.

But that first post office shut down in 1923.

Getting the permanent post office a few years later signified the town was here to stay.

“It was always if you lose your post office, your school or your local store, that’s often a sign your community’s not going to make it. So, we often look at those things when we’re studying the history of a place,” said southern Alberta historian Belinda Crowson.

As part of the centennial, a book about the history of the town is currently being put together.

People from all over the community have helped contribute stories and facts.

“A lot of the businesses have submitted stories. Yeah. Old stories. So it’s going to be an interesting book,” said Pete Brouwer with the publication committee.

Longtime CTV News Lethbridge reporter, news director and Picture Butte native Terry Vogt helped to ring in the festivities.

While he now lives in Lethbridge, he still considers Picture Butte home and is happy to be a part of the centennial celebration.

“For me, it’s been really interesting because I’ve gone through hundreds of different stories about Picture Butte from people who’ve grown up in Picture Butte and their stories about living here over the past 100 years,” said Vogt.

This summer’s Picture Butte Jamboree Days will be expanded to mark the town’s 100th anniversary.

It runs Aug. 14-16.