Earl Kitchener School Interior: Part 3

It was roughly a year ago that I was invited inside the former Earl Kitchener School by the Anderson family to see the abandoned space that they were about to transform into their home. Even then the potential of the space was clear, but there was also no question that there was a lot of work to be done on this century old property. That's no longer the case.

Last week I reconnected with the Anderson family and was invited over for a personal tour of their property. "Wow" seemed to be the word of the night as I was lead into each room. The transformation is nothing short of incredible. Naturally, now that it's a private residence I was more selective about what to share - hence I only photographed the main living areas. Regardless, I think it's clear to see the hardwork that went into this renovation.

The wooden floors are original, as are the exposed brick walls, and both were cleaned up nicely and incorporated into their design. The main thing that makes the home so impressive is the scale of everything. The ceiling heights, the width of the main hallway, the rooms themselves, even the light fixtures and accessories are all big to fit the space. It may seem surprising, but it actually all feels very cozy and warm. I was blown away with how well it all came together - especially having the before images as my only point of reference.


I want to thank the Anderson family for their invitation and for allowing me to photograph and share their home. I hope others seeing what was accomplished here use it as inspiration for what could be possible for some of the other historic properties located in downtown Medicine Hat, Alberta. It was a lot of work, but there's no denying that this home is truly one of a kind.

Click here to see the vacant interior I photographed one year ago.

Click here to see my images of the exterior when the property was still vacant.

Ghost Town of Rowley, Alberta: Part 1

As I pulled into Rowley I was surprised to see freshly mowed grass, pristine paint, and a welcoming main street. What kind of ghost town was this? Shortly after I was greeted by a couple of women who invited me inside the saloon to look around. Just north of Drumheller, the small community of Rowley, Alberta (less than 10 people actually live here) may be one of the best kept secrets in the Canadian Badlands. 

It wasn't long after that that I found myself on an impromptu tour with a couple of Belgians who drove into town. We were shown around the various buildings along main street, including the train station. Locals have actually turned Rowley into a heritage community of sorts - not exactly authentic, but an interesting sampling of prairie history nonetheless. The grain elevators were also restored not too long ago and are quite a sight to see.

One of Rowley's claims to fame is that it was apparently a shooting location for the 1994 Brad Pitt film, Legends of the Fall. I was also told of Rowley's popular pizza parties held in Sam's Saloon once a month that apparently bring people out to the town in droves. What else can I say about this place? It's not at all what I expected, which turned out to be for the best.