The Paszkowski House
The Paszkowski house was built by Emil Swensen. Begun in 1926 and finished in 1934, it was home to Emil, Helen, and June Swensen, who moved to B.C. in the mid-forties. The home was then occupied by Bill and Grace Leonard and their children: Donna, Anne, and David – now our northern historian and well-known author, Dr. David Leonard.
In 1947, the farm was purchased by Walter and Mannie Paszkowski, who had arrived in the area from Poland in 1930. The house became home to their family: Jean, Mary and Walter Jr. The Paszkowskis farmed that land for many years. Walter Sr. passed away in 1966, but Mannie remained on the farm until June, 1991, caring for her large garden and her beautiful lilacs.
The Hon. Walter Paszkowski Jr. served with distinction as MLA for the Grande Prairie-Smokey constituency from 1989 until 2001. During his term of office, he was named as Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, later as Minister of Transportation, and, finally, as Minister for Municipal Affairs.
In the fall of 1996, the Paszkowski house was generously donated to the Sexsmith and District Museum Society by the Paszkowski family and stands as an excellent example of a 1930s farm home. The family cookstove remains in the kitchen. Appreciation is extended to the Paszkowski family for the gift of this prominent landmark, which overlooked the Town of Sexsmith from one-half a mile east for seventy years.
Donors of items found in the Pazkowski house:
- Larry and Vellla Anderson
- Estate of Robert Shaw
- Gail and Jim Sherman
- Alberta and Joyce Tomshank
- Simon Haakstad family
- Alva and Norman Badger
- Sexsmith Lutheran church
- Fred and Evelyn Roessler
- Emil and Bella Stredulinksy
- Gil and Lorraine Bouchard
- Alida Logan
- Martin Houdeba
- Jean and Bobby Rycroft
- Kathleen Gathercole
- Lynne and John Braseth
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