Welcome to The Village Of Edberg
Early History
Edberg's first settlers arrived around 1893. Prior to this time, the area was used primarily by Cree and Blackfoot tribes as a battle ground. For the most part, the Aboriginals stayed around the Pigeon Lake area and west of the area that would become Edberg. The Battle River was used extensively as a highway by aboriginals.
One of the first settlers, Emil Edstrom, was the first of his family to settle in the area. During the late 1900's he convinced the rest of his family to move from North Dakota to the Edberg area. His father, John Edstrom opened the first general store and post office in his home. Supplies for the store were brought in on foot by his son Oscar. Local homesteaders would bring butter and eggs to the store to trade for supplies. The post office needed a name and Edberg was the name chosen. "Ed" being for Edstrom and "berg" was Swedish for hills.
Church was held in various homes as well as Moller Hall and schoolhouses as they emerged.
School Days
In 1901 the first school district, Hackberry 606, was organized by John Edstrom, Ole Bredeson, Charlie Johnson and Magnus Nystrom. The first school was built by Magnus and his two sons Oscar and Gus in 1903. In 1904 the first teacher, Agnes Frame, arrived and school began. At the time school was only held for 6 months out of the year as winters were considered too harsh for the students to travel in.
In 1914 a new two-storey school house was built and was opened in 1915. Miss Flack and Miss Johnson were the first teachers in the new school.
In 1943 Hackberry 606 joined the Camrose School District and a new 9 room school was built in 1948. This new school provided accommodations for students traveling from Rosebush, Stockholm, Dried Meat Lake, Little Beaver, Big Four and Viewpoint.
In 2008 the Edberg school closed its doors for the last time. Students are now bussed to New Norway and Camrose.
Businesses
As previously mentioned, John Edstrom opened the first general store and post office in 1900. By 1903 it became apparent that homesteaders were having to travel great distances to pick up their supplies, Emil Edstrom decided to open a second store and post office northwest of Meeting Creek. He called the post office, Edenville. Mr. Edstrom owned the store for just over a year at which time Axel Norberg purchased it. A second store was opened in 1907 by Mr. Nyberg which was bought by Emil Edstrom in 1908. This store was later moved to what would become known as the new townsite of Edberg.
The first sawmill was built in 1904 by Emil Edstrom and Art Halstead. In 1907 the mill, which was portable, was moved to Meeting Creek.
In 1910 the first boarding house was built by John Edstrom and Al Halstead. At the same time., Oscar Edstrom began building a new post office. Upon its completion, the old post office was abandoned and this new post office was set up on the new townsite of Edberg.
The first grain elevator was built by Emil Edstrom in 1912 and remained in operation until the early 2000's.
In 1908 the first blacksmith store was started by W.F. Wendt. Mr. Wendt also was involved in the insurance, real estate and implementation business.
Edberg's first Board of Trade was established in 1910. 1910 also saw telephone connections with Camrose established, a new livery barn, the start of Massey Harris Implement agency and completion of the new implement hall next door to Otteson's cafe.
Over the years Edberg has seen many businesses come and go from a creamery, a hardware store, a cafe, a pool room, several stores and garages, and more.
Fire!
Throughout the history of Edberg no event has had a greater impact on Edberg than the fire of '24. On May 24, 1924 at approximately 11 am, while many were enjoying a local baseball game, thin wisps of smoke were drifting into the air behind W.J. Small's store. It wasn't long before the shouts of "Fire! Fire!" could be heard throughout the village.
Edberg, having no fire fighting equipment and being built very close together, was quickly consumed by the fire. Every building in the business section of Railway Avenue was destroyed.