Museum Exhibit Musings -- 1911 Was an Interesting Year in Lethbridge

While I didn't mean to be working on my 1906-1913 research this weekend, these years are such an important part of the early development of Lethbridge that whatever items I'm working on, episodes from these years crop up. And I can't resist capturing them for possible use in the 1906-1913 exhibit.

The year 1911 appears to have been an incredibly interesting one in Lethbridge. In the space of just a little research I have found:

• 1 case of a woman escaping an abusive husband in England; this woman is caught "living in sin" with a man in Lethbridge and is sentenced to be deported -- the woman sneaks back to Lethbridge to be with the 2nd man and is deported again

• the Balmoral Hotel fire and the death of the Fire Chief 2 months later from pneumonia

• a case involving attempted assault on a woman, attempted blackmail, a woman who deserted her husband (who tried to get her to work in a brothel) and the woman is now living with another man in Lethbridge claiming he's her husband (and this is all part of the same case) (a 1913 Lethbridge Herald article was titled "Lethbridge a Mecca for Runaway Wives")

• at least 25 people up on charges of running, being an inmate of or a frequenter of a "house of ill fame" (at one time!)

• Starland theatre opened in 1911

• only execution ever in City of Lethbridge (at NWMP barracks)

• several liquor cases before the court

• great preparations for the coronation of George V

• home mail delivery started

• it's announced the Lethbridge will have a CPR Superintendent and 10 more train crews will be posted here

• the Lethbridge Board of Trade put a full page ad in the London Daily Times and discussed the possibility of placing a full time publicity commissioner in London, England, to attract immigrants

What else will I found? And, remember, this is only 1911.

And, most importantly, which of these stories do you want to learn more about? Let me know -- I still have a lot more research to go but I would love to hear what you think should go into the exhibit.