Bragg Creek today offers its residents all the amenities of an up and coming town site plus an abundance of recreational opportunities. We have a little bit of Paradise to enjoy!
But let’s stop and remember. What was Bragg Creek like fifty years ago? There were no paved roads, no street signs, no sidewalks and no traffic. Our little hamlet housed a few locally run general stores, one of which had the mail service, a gas pump, to receive or dial out on the telephone there was a country switchboard with an operator and house fuel was propane. There were a few resident families who are now our Old Timers and most have families still in the area. Many cabin and cottage owners from Calgary could be seen during their stay during the summer holidays.
Bob and Jackie McLennan moved to Bragg Creek in the mid 1950’s. Bob built a log home for his family and it was the start of a very successful career as a log homebuilder, cabinet-maker and antique furniture restorer. This building, as well as being home to the McLennan family, was also the Bragg Creek Post Office from 1962 to 1980 when Jackie was Postmaster. Jackie is the longest serving Postmaster in the area. Raising a family of six, Jackie served the community for eighteen years from the front part of their home and mail boxes on the outside of the building. Set back from the main road this building is the Old Homestead preserved today and still located among towering trees in an idyllic setting.
Homestead Antiques was established in 1977 and this old home became a very active store. Homestead started with a focus on pioneer antique items pertaining to life on the prairies at the turn of the century. However, Bob and Jackie soon developed a strong interest in beautiful oak furniture of the era. The strong sturdy furniture of the Golden Oak Era of North America, circa 1880-1920, dominated Homestead Antiques. The McLennans searched the continent for premium examples of this beautiful furniture that played such a large part in Alberta’s early history. Many of their pieces have been used in movies filmed in the area.
Homestead Antiques then moved to a beautiful new store on the same property called The Pine Loft five years ago.