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With the end of the Great Depression and the drought of the 1930's there was optimism in the air. Then the Second World War brought new concerns for the people. A number of the men from the town went off to serve in the armed forces. (Some of them gave their lives in service of their country, so that we could enjoy the freedom we have today.) This meant more men were needed to work in the mines. In addition, it became important to have abundant supplies of energy for the war effort especially for manufacturing and industry. The need for coal increased and with the increased need for miners there was another boom in East Coulee. The population grew to over 3,000 people ! The town had many businesses to meet the needs of the people. Among these were two hotels, three community centers, a bakery, a pool hall, a doctors office, a post office, telephone exchange, drugstore, a two-story general store (fondly known as the "Big Store" by the locasl), a car repair shop, a gas station, taxi service and three churches.The number of mines now operating was four and the demands on the town were getting bigger. This led to more construction and opening of businesses to serve the ever increasing number of people. Everything looked good for the future. The war effort was going well and prosperity was improving. Then, there was the discovery of huge deposits of oil in the area just south of Edmonton (GEOGRAPHICAL link) near Leduc. This meant this fuel would be cheaper than coal and was much easier to use. Most of all it was much cleaner than coal - both the material itself and when burning the fuel. People started switching from coal to oil as the preferred way to heat their homes but it would be sometime before the availability of oil was more widespread.
East Coulee continued to be a going concern though the level of growth started to decrease. Life continued to be simple but rich in experiences of community and contact with the outdoors. People continued to arrive to start a new life. No one was aware of how much impact the discovery of oil was going to have on this thriving town which in the late 1940's had a population of almost 4,000 people.
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Family Just arrived1 October 1935
East Coulee, Alberta, Canada
Credits:Unknown
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East Coulee Transport1 October 1945
East Coulee, Alberta, Canada
Credits:Unknown
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East Coulee "Limo"1 October 1946
East Coulee, Alberta, Canada
Credits:Unknown
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Mrs. Repas in her store1 October 1940
East Coulee, Alberta, Canada
Credits:Unknown
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The need for a bigger school was pressing as the population of the town grew. There is some dispute as to when the school was expanded from the original 4 rooms to the 12 room building that still stands there today. The commonly heard folklore is that the plans for an expansion of the school started as soon as the first part opened up. This story continues on stating that the date for the construction of the expansion was 1936. Yet, there is other evidence to indicate the expansion was not completed until the 1940s. This is suggested by some of the government records and by some photographs (reportedly) taken in the 1940s. If these photographs are in fact dated as indicated then the expansion was finished sometime after 1942 (based on a picture of a couple standing on the school yard property and clearly showing the 4 room school in the background). Perhaps someday there will be some other evidence come to light that shows exactly when the expansion was built.7
Picture of the 4 room school1 October 1942
East Coulee, Alberta, Canada
Credits:Unknown
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Hills of the Badlands1 October 1980
East Coulee, Alberta, Canada
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The East Coulee School Museum1 October 1930
East Coulee, Alberta, Canada
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