North Railway Street SE (Part 2)

Here, we look North to where North Railway Street begins off 1st SE by the river. The evergreen tree on the right is where the Royal Canadain Legion is located. Part of the Abel's Autobody building collapsed during a storm a few years ago.

This was an old Dry Cleaning business, in another brick structure. It's had many people try to make a go of it as a restaurant since the Dry Cleaners closed it's doors.

There's been Restaurants, Meat Shops, Bookstores, Pubs, Buy Sell and Trades, Antiques stores and Artisan Studios lining this Street for many years across from the Train Station.

This used to be the location of the Star Dust Chinese Cafe. Down at the corner is the Mainliner Pub where many great musical Jam sessions have occurred.

 Other commercial and retail businesses lining the Street.

This used to be the old Altin's Grocery Store for many years, now, an Artisan Studio. There are still the odd hint of old advertising written on the sides of the brick structures.

A few of the older buildings have had some upgrading over the years. Apartments have always been on the upper floors of the Antique Shops.

 Here's an old GUM advertisment on this old brick structure.

Looking South towards the other end of North Railway Street, to the left is one of the oldest Parks in the City. Rotary Park. To the right is the CPR bunkhouses.

The Old Rotary Park archway entrance. Built out of round river rocks, 1932.

Inside Rotary Park there is now a small Gazebo where many local weddings have taken place. There used to be a swimming pool in this Park where alot of our parents grew up and spent the hot summer days enjoying swimming. It was a sad day when it was closed.

 The Gazebo project was made possible by Esther Anderson and the Medicine Hat Folk Arts Council.

 Esther Anderson lived in this house across the Street from Rotary Park in the house her Father built.

There is plenty of parking at Rotary Park if you ever want to put on a large event or just have a small family picnic. The Large trees provide plenty of shade in the summer heat. We have many Parks in Medicine Hat and they are wonderful places to bring your out of town visitors.

Nearing the Southern end of North Railway Street is more old brick structures of which some still have the old advertisements written on their side walls. This one, Royal Crown Soap.

Under this overpass on the left side is where Bridge Street SE meets North Railway Street SE. The old brick building you see here, used to be the Five Roses Flour Mill which was converted and completed in 1977, the last project of Mr. Adolf Dederer (enterprises), when he was in his late '90's and Jerrine and Roy Casat, his Grandaughter. They turned into the Hotel called The Inn at the Old Mill. The brick walls are 13 inches thick. Before building began and it was empty, we used to slide down the flour shutes for some fun. The Mill Wheel inside was damaged when a local construction company dropped part of the building on it. A couple of stories had to be taken off the top when it was converted. It is now the Silver Buckle Hotel which holds large Hallowe'en events each year claiming the Hotel is haunted possibly by workers from it's past. The large grey colored building looming in the background is abandoned and empty now but still reminds us of the busy flour Mill days in the City.

I hope you've enjoyed your stroll down North Railway Street SE and you are welcome to post your own memories about this street, in the comments.