C I T Y L I F E | H I STO RY
Airdrie’s Original
“Cool Guys” BY LAURIE HARVEY
A
irdrie pioneers all had one thing in common. They had a desire to make their own way and carve a place for themselves out of the sparsely populated West. They came to this area, knowing that there was not much but open prairies and opportunity. Most of them came here alone, leaving their wives and children behind, so they could scope out their new space and make a few first steps before bringing their families here. The first settlers to come to the Airdrie area were William Croxford and A.E. Bowers, in 1901. They were brothers-in-law and left their families in Innisfail (known as Poplar Grove at the time) to 90
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S U M M E R 2020
await word on when they could come. Croxford and Bowers built the first barn and house in Airdrie; barn first and then house. They built Croxford’s house next. A.E. Bowers took over the postal service from the Stevenson Stopping House and owned the first general store. Croxford donated part of his land to build the first church in Airdrie, after having the services in his home for a while. Bowers built and owned the first grist mill and many stock feeders came to get their grain ground up. Bower sold the hardware section of his general store to Robert Thorburn and he also started the first lumber yard with Thomas Fletcher.
