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Provincial Archives of Alberta A-2620
Toomuchof agoodthing
WHILE THE VERY DRY 2017/18
growing season was followed by low win-
ter snowfall, diminishing the likelihood
of spring flooding, spectacular water
woes have hit Alberta farms in the past.
As this photo illustrates, the spring
weather of 1934 wasn’t kind to residents
in the Fort Vermilion area along the
Peace River.
Capturing the “main street” on the
Lawrence farm, the image was snapped
in late April or early May. A large
operation for its day, the diversified,
1,000-acre cropping and purebred cattle
operation run by Sheridan and Julia
Lawrence supported the couple’s family
as well as serving the nearby hamlet. Its
35 buildings included a flour mill, power
plant, machine shop, warehouse, general
store, slaughterhouse, tourist camp, fur
trading post, granaries and, for many
years, a schoolhouse.
Here, one of the 15 Lawrence children
floats on floodwater near the school-
house, store and machine shop. The
family prepared for the flood as best they
could. Published accounts note they had
heard about warm weather in B.C., and
surmised that snowmelt was on its way
downriver. Granaries were emptied,
with most of their contents moved to
higher ground along with machinery
that included the threshing machine
and sawmill equipment. As well, the
family moved their sleeping quarters to
the upper level of the schoolhouse and
the hired men made their beds on the
veranda.
The river ice began moving on April
27, jammed up and flooded adjacent
land. The pigs and cattle were moved to
higher ground as the farm was inundat-
ed. It sustained damage to buildings,
200 bushels of wet wheat required dry-
ing and the water took out the straw pile,
trees and telegraph lines. Neighbours
who hadn’t prepared weren’t as lucky.
Several lost livestock and buildings, hay,
feed and firewood.
Although the farm recovered, in 1938,
the Lawrences retired to the town of
Peace River, where they resided until
Sheridan’s death in 1952. Julia passed
away in 1974.
AGAINST
THE GRAIN
Spring
2018
Grains
West
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