Lure of the Homestead

The modern history of Camrose dates back to the early 1900s. The area was traditionally inhabited by the nomadic Indigenous Cree, with European settlers, primarily from Scandinavian countries and the United States, arriving around 1900. The first commercial building, a general store, was established by Duncan Sampson at the corner of 50th Ave & 50th Street. Initially known as Stoney Creek, the hamlet underwent several name changes before finally becoming the Village of Camrose in 1905. The name is speculated to have originated from a town in Wales. The early 1900s saw rapid development in Camrose. In 1906, the first newspaper, The Camrose Mail, was launched, later replaced by the Camrose Canadian. The town administration, police and fire station, telephone exchange, and schoolhouse were built in 1907. The arrival of three rail lines – the CN, CP, and Grand Trunk – between 1905 and 1914, facilitated commercial and residential growth. In 1912, the Camrose Lutheran College, now the Augustana University campus of the University of Alberta, was established with the aid of local Norwegian settlers. The college’s primary building, Old Main (later Founder’s Hall), is an Alberta Registered Historic Resource. Camrose was incorporated as a City on January 1, 1955.

Notable early inhabitants included Pe-o-kis, a Cree man, Ole Bakken, and Francois Adam, a Belgian businessman known as “The Father of Camrose”. Adam played a significant role in founding the first school, hospital, and several other businesses.