By Michael Joel-Hansen

Heating history

In past P.A. had to stay warm in different ways

Feb 8, 2019 | 3:02 PM

Some weather records have been falling by the wayside this winter.

Prince Albert and the surrounding area has endured cold temperatures not seen in decades. The conditions have likely left many thankful for their furnaces.

However in a prior era, people in P.A. had to use different means to stay warm during the cold winter months, according to Ken Guedo, a volunteer with the Prince Albert Historical Society.

“Everybody would have burned wood for heat. I mean cutting cord wood was a big deal, a lot of people made their living cutting cord wood, because you had to supply all the homes in the city,” he said.

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An ox team pulling a sled of wood. (submitted photo/Prince Albert Historical Society)

Natural gas was not widely available in the city and surrounding area until the mid-1950s. Along with heating homes, wood was used for other important purposes.

“The power house in Prince Albert was powered by cord wood,” Guedo said.

The wood which was crucial to survival during this time period came from the surrounding area and was brought into the city. Guedo explained his father was involved with the process.

“He would cut a cord of wood in the morning and load it onto his team of horses and take it across the river to Crutwell, where there was a huge storage area for cord wood,” he said.

Once the wood arrived at the yard it was transported into P.A. via the railroad.

An old wood stove at the Prince Albert Historical Museum. (Michael Joel-Hansen/paNOW Staff)

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MichaelJoel.Hansen@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @mjhskcdn