Prairie Bank Museum

Innisfree Historical Prairie Bank Museum

Next Historical Society meeting on Thursday, May 14, 2015 at 7:00 pm at the Village Office.

The Village of Innisfree's name stems back to a visit by the president of the Canadian Bank of Commerce who said that he would build a bank in our village if it would change its name from Delnorte to Innisfree.

This , 1906 historical landmark, the former Bank of Commerce Building, has been developed into the Prairie Bank of Commerce Museum. The Innisfree Historical Bank Museum is also home to a craft store, an art gallery, and tourist information for the municipality of Innisfree, AB.

According to an article written in 1932 and contained in branch records, the village, up until 1907, was called Delnorte. In the fall of 1905, after the Canadian Northern Railway was completed, Sir Edmund Walker, then President of the Canadian Bank of Commerce, made a cross Canada tour of the area on the railway. Upon stopping in Delnorte, he was taken on a tour by James Hunter, mayor of the village. They walked to the top of the hill to the south of the village where a considerable area could be viewed, and the story goes that Sir Edmund was very impressed with the beautiful view and Birch Lake. He stated that it reminded him very much of the Scottish town of Innisfree, a name said to mean "the little village in the wooded highland." Mayor Hunter is reported to have stated that the town would welcome a branch of the institution such as Sir Edmund represented and assured him if this could be arranged, the name of the village would be changed from Delnorte to Innisfree. However, before Sir Edmund left, Mayor Hunter stated that the name of the village would be changed to Innisfree in honour of Sir Edmund's visit.

The museum is open May long weekend until Labor Day.

Photo Credits

Header Photo - Joan Anderson

Museum - Charlotte Smith