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Your LOCAL Media since 1918! VOLUME 107: ISSUE 46
Remote control aircraft event in Tofield ~ story inside
www.tofieldmerc.com
Wednesday, July 16, 2025
Legion of Frontiersmen holds second annual open house
LORRAINE MCNEELY PHOTO
Cassandra Lundbek Staff Reporter
After last year's successful open house celebrating their 120th anniversary, the Legion of Frontiersmen Museum, located west of Tofield, decided to make it an annual event. A large community turnout last Saturday, July 12 showed they were right to do so. Under clear skies, visitors spent the day immersed in important history, enjoying hot dogs from the barbeque, refreshing lemonade, and engaging displays. Several people stated they were unaware the museum even existed. As a crowd lined up against the road, the Fron-
tiersmen shot blanks from a vintage artillery gun every hour with a resounding bang. The flare from the muzzle and smoke that filled the air made it a discovery they were certainly glad they made. Jennifer Severson, museum curator, described it as "a hidden treasure that shows a lot of cool history." "It’s a peek into a really interesting but often forgotten piece of Canadian history. The Legion of Frontiersmen have been involved in a lot of different aspects of Canadian history, a lot of military history and civil initiatives, as well as helping out in our community,” she said. Built from the field-
stone picked from the land it stands on, the fieldstone fireplace, a part of the original field headquarters, took shape at the same time as the cenotaph seen from the road. It survived a fire in the '70s that consumed the original building. It now stands in the museum, a beautiful testament to the strength and resilience of the Frontiersmen themselves. Since last year, more discoveries have been made on the property and were displayed outside. An antique sawmill and snowplow that would have been attached to a tractor and used to plow the road many years ago could be
The Legion of Frontiersmen Museum, located west of Tofield, held their second annual open house on Saturday, July 12. Pictured: The artillery gun rang out every hour. CASSANDRA LUNDBEK PHOTO
Attendees take in history in the museum. CASSANDRA LUNDBEK PHOTO
seen. In addition to the historical displays, a young local artist was commissioned to create a peek-aboo display where groups could take photos to commemorate their visit. Within the museum, there was some Boy Scout memorabilia and a few other items added.
Educating about the past while looking towards the future, the Legion of Frontiersmen Museum plans on continuing to offer an open house every year. "When we did this for the first time last year, we discovered that many of the people in the immediate vicinity had driven past hundreds of times
and they never knew what was down here," said Severson. "We want to welcome those neighbours and celebrate the rich history." The Frontiersmen plan on offering new experiences and displays every year, with big plans for their 125th anniversary in 2029.