Moscow School Marker Vandalized

Anton Powley - Submitted

  Sometime between October 13, 2025 and November 1, 2025, a piece of Alberta history was stolen when vandals stole three bronze plaques from the MOSCOW SCHOOL MARKER site located in the southeast corner of Lamont County. The marker was one of the greatest school monuments in the province. The marker was built in 2005 as one part of the Alberta province’s centennial projects. The school existed at the sight from 1905 to 1955, when rural schools were closed and students were bused to larger communities. Many former students, teachers, and community members celebrated the centennial at the site on August 6th, 2025.

  This marker was constructed as centennial project by members of the “Friends of Moscow School Historical Society” to celebrate the pioneers’ education foresight when they came into the community in the early 1900’s. Moscow School was initially constructed at the site as a one room school in 1905 and later expanded to a two room school in 1923.

  The left stolen bronze plaque of the maker provided a brief history of the lands within the MOSCOW SCHOOL DISTRICT NO, 1435, the names of all the school district’s trustees, and all the teachers of the one room and the expanded two room school.

  The right stolen plaque listed the over three hundred students that attended the school over its fifty years of existence.

  The smaller center stolen plaque provided information of the names of the founding Directors of the Friends of Moscow School Historical Society (this formal Society was dissolved in 2015), the names of all the donors to the project, and the names of additional students.

  The marker was maintained by very few volunteers over the last twenty years with regular grass and ground cleanings during the summer and replacement of the Canadian and Alberta flags.

  We ask that anyone with any information about this unfortunate incident please contact the Vegreville RCMP detachment.