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

412 Serviceberry Trail
Nearest Populated Centre: Rockyford,
Province: Alberta

Map Location

Latitude, Longitude
51.23471, -113.14750

Map Location

Search for:
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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

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Township Road 64, Range Road 91, Highway 885 , Etzikom , Alberta

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Twp Rd 230 just west of Rge Rd 222 , Cluny , Alberta

Glen Banner Lutheran Cemetery (Forty Mile County)

Township Road 72 and Range Road 64 , Orion , Alberta

Redeemer Lutheran Cemetery (Mountain View County)

30572 Range Rd 25 , Didsbury , Alberta

Frankburg Cemetery (Foothills County)

Range Rd 273, S of Hwy 23 , Frankburg (ghost town south of Blackie) , Alberta

Hand Hills Baptist Cemetery (Special Area No. 2)

Range Road 163 and Township Road 302 , Hanna , Alberta

Duchess Cemetery (Newell County)

204075 Range Road 144 , Duchess , Alberta

Millarville Cemetery (Foothills County)

Highway 49 , Millarville , Alberta

Ferrybank Cemetery (Ponoka County)

Highway 795 and Range Road 251 , Ponoka , Alberta

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