PIONEERS CABIN
Opened in 1959, this rustic log cabin features a huge stone fireplace, planed poplar floor, window frames made of spruce, and cedar shingles on the gable roof. It was built by a 76-year-old log craftsman named Hobart Dowler for the Northern Alberta Pioneers and Descendants Association.
Designed and constructed of spruce logs at Dowler’s property on Pigeon Lake, each log was fitted, then numbered before being dismantled and rebuilt on a fieldstone foundation in Edmonton. Dowler used notch and saddle-style connections to form a tight weatherproof fit without the need for chinking or plaster.
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The Cabin was situated in the river valley on Scona Hill, on a site which had been leveled to provide fill for the Low Level Bridge. The cabin is a relatively modern example of log construction. The style was consciously chosen for its status as a pioneer icon, reflecting the Northern Alberta Pioneers and Descendants Association’s connection with the past. The association dates back to 1894 when it was founded by Edmonton’s earliest prominent businessmen, such as James Gibbons (1894 – 1895), Donald Ross Sr. (1896), John McDougall (1897), and Harrison Young (1898).
In 2020, the name was changed from Old Timers Cabin to Pioneers Cabin, but we will always cherish the rich history of our log cabin no matter the name.
1894
The historic cabin was built by a 76-year-old log craftsman named Hobart Dowler for NAPDA for the Edmonton Old Timers Association, one of Edmonton's oldest chartered clubs. The association was established by a group of 36 pioneers and early prominent businessmen who either trekked across the prairies from the east or worked their way up the Saskatchewan River by boat.
1925
The association's name changed to Northern Alberta Pioneers and Old Timers Association in 1925.
1959
The association's name changed to Northern Alberta Pioneers and Old Timers Association in 1925.
1983
The association's name changed once again to Northern Alberta Pioneers & Descendants Association in 1983.
2018
The cabin has been renovated inside and out by a government grant to maintain the historic charm and durability, as well as bring the interior up-to-date with modern facilitation for events, including a retreat room, lower level events space, and exterior restoration.
2020
In 2020, the cabin's was changed from Old Timers Cabin to Pioneers Cabin, but we will always cherish the rich history of our log cabin no matter the name.
PIONEERS CABIN
With its rustic charm and picturesque scenes of the River Valley, Muttart Conservatory Pyramids, and downtown skyline, the Pioneers Cabin is a unique Edmonton events venue and one of the best locations in the city to hold one-of-a-kind wedding ceremonies and receptions, corporate events, and social celebrations.
If you would like to inquire about the Pioneers Cabin for your event or book a tour to see what the facility has to offer, please get in touch with us through the Contact Us page. You can also read more information under Booking.
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