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Historical Society
100 Years of Peace Ceremony, 1921
On 6 September 1921, Lethbridge residents participated in the Hands Across the Border celebration to honour a century of peace between Canada (Great Britain) and the United States.
Mayor Hardie along with members of the Board of Trade, Rotary Club, Good Roads Association and other organizations traveled to Sweet Grass-Coutts to participate in the ceremony. Approximately 500 people from both sides of the border were in attendance and representatives of both countries lined up along the border.
The national anthems of both countries were sung. Then Ella Crawford, representing America, and Vera Haskell, on behalf of Canada and Britain, clasped hands across the border (as shown in the photograph). Both of the young girls were draped in their national colours and flags. During the event, David Elton noted that he hoped that the “clasping of the hands across the border today would be a bond of everlasting friendship…. He pleaded for a better understanding between the two English speaking peoples, and for the squelching of little Americans and little Canadians who were forever stirring up trouble.”
After the ceremony, everyone was welcomed to the American side of the border for a baseball game.
Lethbridge Historical Society
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