Kelsey, Alberta

Kelsey is a small rural hamlet on the central prairies of Alberta, Canada. It is located off Hwy 850, approximately km to mi|125 SE of Edmonton and km to mi|30 SE of Camrose, the closest major trading center.

With a small population, Kelsey is home to several local businesses, a community hall, and a Post Office. Both school and fire services are provided by the nearby villages of Rosalind and Bawlf.

Early history

In 1902, Mr. and Mrs. Moses Kelsey and their son Earl, arrived in the area from Milbank, South Dakota, and filed on the S.E. 4-45-18. The south-east corner of this quarter of land was later chosen as the site for the town of Kelsey.

In 1915, the Canadian National Railway began laying steel in a south-easterly direction from Camrose. It passed through what a few weeks later became the town of Kelsey. This stretch of railroad is noted for being the longest stretch of straight railway in North America... "if not in the world," some people add.

In 1916, a station house was built in Kelsey and Charlie Cooper, with his wife Anne and family, took up residence in it. The first grain elevator, and two stores were also constructed in the growing town.

By 1920 telephone service had been installed in the Kelsey district and the next few years saw the Kelsey Union Church, a dance hall, and a one room school.

The first power line to reach Kelsey was constructed in 1951.

Community

The community of Kelsey has felt many of the same pressures as other rural Canadian communities. Faced with a dwindling population, the town has seen the closure and removal of much of its history, including the various stores and shops, and finally, the rail link. In 1997 the last grain elevator, owned by the Alberta Wheat Pool, was demolished. However, not to be underestimated, the community continues to survive. In 1992, with the Kelsey Hall on the verge of being closed, a group of people who had acted in other local shows met at the hall, looked it over and proposed the idea of having a dinner theatre.

Staged with local talent, the Kelsey Dinner Theatre has become a much celebrated event, drawing attention and audience members from both nearby towns and larger centers such as Edmonton. "This Must Be The Place" was the first in the series, with 2002 marking the 10th annual "season" of the Dinner Theatre.

The Kelsey Community Society introduced "Summer Theatre - Under the Tent" in 2001. The four night performance of "The Foursome" was considered a resounding success and the catalyst to a second outdoor summer event in 2002.

Geography

Nearby communities include:
*Rosalind
*Bawlf
*Heisler
*Donalda
*Camrose
*Daysland

External links

* [http://www.geocities.com/kelsey_community_society/ The Kelsey Community Society website]