One man started
this quaint little town in 1980. His name is Len Mohr and he is a retired
building contractor from Spruce Grove. He lived across the Rose Creek
until his house was flooded one spring and he moved across the creek
into a meadow where the town now sits. He started building with the
jailhouse which became his home for a few years while he worked on other
buildings in the town. The next building he finished was the saloon,
which is across the street from the jailhouse. From that point on he
just kept building, never saying what was next just building it. In
1984 he started construction on the Cottonwood House and that was his
new home until he sold it in 1990. He has since moved to Stony Plain
and now resides on an acreage.
Miles and Judy Melin
and their children, Corby and Deon, purchased Em-Te Town in 1989. They
opened the gates to the public on the July long weekend of that year
and moved into the Cottonwood House in November of 1989. Miles and Judy
ended up living in that house for three years until the log house on
the hill was finished.
Here is a short
chronological history of Em-Te Town:
1989 - finished
Damant's and opened it as the admissions booth, post office and store
1990 - church
went up on the May long weekend. We had a raising to which about 70
people came with their hammers, handsaws, log peelers or their team
of mules. all workers were supplied with food, drink and a dance that
evening for their services. Their have been 75 weddings in the town
since the church was built. Construction was started on the cabins in
January this year.
1991 - School
went up this year on May long weekend and we had another raising. About
60 people showed up and everything went as it did the year before. The
fifth cabin was also finished this year and the landscaping for the
campgrounds began.
1992 - Sawbuck's
Morg. was finished as well as another cabin and new log corrals were
built as well. the arena, including bleachers and an announcers booth,
was started and finished that summer.
1993 - Log
cabin #6 was built in the winter of '93 and a shower house was built
on the hill for the cabins. Two more buildings were also moved in and
they became the grainery and the tack shed.
1994 - More
landscaping was done during the summer months to increase the number
of camping stalls. A new bridge and main gate were also constructed
this year.
1995 - The
Cottonwood house became open for viewing and a new banquet room was
started in the early spring. The camping area was expanded to 56 stalls
with more picinic tables and fire pits as well as a Gazebo for the outdoor
weddings.
1996 - The
banquet room was finished and the installation of the washrooms and
kitchen began.
1997 - Finished
the kitchen and installed water, power and sewer systems.
1998 - No
more free wood starting in January because Ole's Svenson's Wood Sales
was completed and filled with split wood for the summer.
2000 - Early
in the spring the Old Timer Motel was started. The motel was finished
in June of that year.
