Eventually, Ukrainian immigration to east central Alberta made it
the largest pioneer settlement in Canada. In 1971, a group of
Ukrainian-Canadians decided to recognize the important role these
settlers played in Alberta; their vision was to create a living
history museum. They acquired some historic buildings and moved them
onto land they purchased. In 1975, the province took over operation
of the village, designated it a provincial historic site and
continued to acquire buildings and artifacts.
Today,
the village depicts a typical Ukrainian settlement in
Alberta between 1892 and the 1930s. The buildings are authentic, and
costumed interpreters reenact the lives of people who once lived in
them. They stay completely in character, "a unique feature which
makes the visitor a time-traveller, learning first-hand what life
was like," says Grandt. This lively glimpse of the past now lures
50,000 visitors a year to the village.
"We want to provide an authentic experience of the past, so
everything-including costuming, animals and the gardens-is
historically correct," Grandt says.
Lessia Petriv is responsible for research on the gardens. Thanks to
old Eaton's catalogues, letters, diaries, photos and documents here
and in the Ukraine, along withinterviews with remaining relatives
and others who lived in the area, Petriv has pieced together details
to guide reconstruction of the gardens. The eight gardens at the
village are authentic in their dimensions, layout (number and
direction of rows, location in the yard), type of fence (if any) and
type of plants grown. As much as possible, Petriv uses heritage
seeds. Some seeds, such as Homesteader peas, are still in common use
today.
During annual public tours of the gardens (which occur the first
weekend of August, during Edmonton History Week), Petriv
enthusiastically describes gardening, cooking and homemaking details
in the life of each gardener. Annytsa Slemko (1919), for example,
grew three kinds of potatoes, one of which was Netted Gem. Helen
Yurko (1929) grew 100 to 200 cabbages per season, all begun in her
hotbed, where manure, mixed into the soil, raised the temperature
and made them grow faster. Maria Pylypow (1927) grew very little
corn, because she and her husband were old and had no teeth.
Heritage Community Foundation Presents
 in Vaselina Hawrelak\'s north flower garden. One of several perennial flowers.',16,16))
, and both self-seeded.',16,16))
