Rockyford and its Cemeteries

The village of Rockyford was named by a chief surveyor of the Canadian Northern Railway Company. The main channel of the Serviceberry Creek was narrow and deep and could not be crossed without difficulty even with a saddle and horse. The indigenous people used the ‘rocky ford’ to cross the creek on their way from Gleichen to their camp in the sand hills west of Baintree. The surveyors found it by simply following an old prairie trail and used it while surveying for a right of way to Calgary in 1908.

The first general store was opened in 1912 by Theodore Wiens, who moved here with his family from Iowa. In 1913 the Canadian Northern Railway was built along with a small grain elevator built by Parrish and Heimbecker. In 1914 the post office, a bank and the public school began operating. In 1915 the hardware store opened. Another general store opened in 1916 and telephone service began in 1917. Various businesses opened over the next several years and many continue to this day.

After several years of services being held in private homes, St. Rita’s Catholic church opened in 1918 on land donated by William Rudd. The Methodist church organized a pastoral charge in 1915 whose centre was in Tudor with services being held in schoolhouses. The church was built and dedicated on October 18, 1921. The church building was later moved to Rockyford. St. Rita’s cemetery is located directly west of the church while the Rockyford Union Cemetery is out of town about 3 km northwest, both on land donated by William Rudd.

Excerpted from “Where We Crossed the Creek and Settled” from contributor & AFHS member Sandi Miller.

Deaths

Longevity

Address

Twp Rd 263 & Range Rd 234
Nearest Populated Centre: Rockyford,
Province: Alberta

Map Location

Latitude, Longitude
51.24406, -113.16735

Map Location

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Surname Given Name Born Died Age Photo(s) Cemetery Obituary Narrative R Code

The 25 most common surnames found in this cemetery.

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The 25 most common given names found in this cemetery.

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Other Cemeteries

Box Springs Cemetery (Cypress County)

Twp Rd 142 & Range Rd 62 , Redcliff , Alberta

Strathmore Cemetery (Wheatland County)

Westridge Road; adjacent to Hwy 1 , Strathmore , Alberta

Blackie Cemetery (Foothills County)

490001 Hwy 799 , Blackie , Alberta

Eagle Valley Cemetery (Mountain View County)

4455 Twp Rd 340 , Sundre , Alberta

Carmangay Cemetery (Vulcan County)

Township Road 235 and Range Road 240 , Carmangay , Alberta

Highland Cemetery (Forty Mile County)

Township Road 120 and Range Road 84 , Whitla , Alberta

Bellevue Catholic Cemetery (Crowsnest Pass)

Bellevue , Bellevue , Alberta

Gaetz Cemetery (Clearwater County)

Range Road 41 S of Township Road 380 , Condor , Alberta

Hilda Baptist Cemetery (Cypress County)

Twp Rd 174 & Range Rd 12 , Hilda , Alberta

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