Trails to Little Corner Homecoming

By Laureen F. Guenther Times Contributor

Trails to Little Corner is a local history book, compiled in 1983 by over 100 Wheatland County residents. People from the communities of Elwood, Crowfoot, Harwood, Hammer Hill, Orange Valley, Cairnhill, Namaka, Namaka Farm and Westend Siksika contributed their stories and their labour to the book’s creation.

The book includes stories across 100 years of history, from 1883 to 1983. Marguerite Watson, the book’s managing editor, believes it may be the only Canadian community history book that includes stories of local Indigenous people as well as stories of settlers. Little Trails was the Indigenous peoples’ name for what is now commonly called Namaka.

Now, 40 years later, Watson invites everyone – especially those who were involved in creating Trails to Little Corner – to a Homecoming to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the book’s publishing and all who were involved in its creation. The event will also celebrate commemorative signs that are to be erected at the one-room schoolhouses of the district.

On July 15, at Namaka Hall, the Homecoming will begin with an Open House at 1 p.m. 

At 3 p.m., there’ll be a program, celebrating the commemorative signs. The sign erected at Namaka Hall will be unveiled. Clarence Wolfleg and other local residents will speak. Cake will be served. Over the supper hour, from 4 to 6 p.m., the Hunger Paynes food truck will be onsite.

There’ll be opportunities to watch homecoming videos from 1983 and to share pictures and stories with friends, old and new. Children can enjoy the playground. Wheatland County will provide local touring maps, prepared by Wheatland County, to guide guests in exploring the local area. Trails to Little Corner, 668 pages crammed with local historical anecdotes, will be on sale for $35 cash.

Over the past 40 years, significant revenue accumulated as many copies of Trails to Little Corner have been purchased. That revenue was used to purchase the commemorative signs, designed and being installed by John Sanden. The sign to be erected at Namaka Hall will be dedicated at the Homecoming.

Watson said the event will also give people a chance to reconnect with old friends, and perhaps to remember friends who have passed on. Newer residents, who arrived after the book was published, will be able to meet those who lived in the area before, and celebrate those who founded the communities they now enjoy.

Watson is grateful to Wheatland County staff, especially Community Services Coordinator Dave Rimes, for their support in coordinating this event and their permission to erect the commemorative signs on county land. She also expressed gratitude for help from Mandy and Don Todd at Namaka Hall and everyone else who has supported planning this event.

Everyone is invited to come and enjoy the Homecoming. This is a cash only event. There is no ATM onsite. Trails to Little Corner and food from Hunger Paynes food truck may be purchased only with cash.