Bremner House
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Brief overview
Bremner House is located in Strathcona County, northeast of Sherwood Park.
- The house is located on 80 acres on Range Road 225, 2.25 miles north of the Yellowhead Highway 16.
- Built in 1903 by Charles Bremner, the house is 5,400 square feet.
- Two additional houses are located on the site.
- Other buildings include a shop and garage, and a Quonset storage shed.
- The surrounding land is leased out for farming.
Strathcona County Council decided to purchase the Bremner House in 2004 to preserve the community's heritage for future generations.
News releases:
Council designates Bremner House a municipal historic resources, the County's first (June 30, 2009)
Council approves 10-year strategy to restore and develop Bremner House (June 4, 2009)
Brief history
J.C.C. (James Charles Chatterton) Bremner, born in 1864, was known as a remittance man from Scotland. He was a valuator and appraiser for the CPR, and raised horses. He and his wife were the main residents of Bremner House from 1903 to 1928. They held social events on the third floor of the house. He leased out the land for farming. Charles Bremner died in 1928.
The house was purchased by William Schroter in 1929. The Schroter's had 10 children. They had a dairy and grain farm. Horses and then steam engines and thrashers were used in farming, until they went to tractors. The children went to the nearest school, East Clover Bar.
Local farmers established a creamery, butter and cheese factory at Bremner Corner (corner of Highways 21 and 16) in 1906. A post office and other amenities were eventually located here.
Future plans
Bremner House will be a multi-use facility that portrays the story of the settlement and history of agriculture and rural culture in the area. The site will also shed light on the lives of the residents (Bremner and Schroter families), from 1900 to the early 1950s.
Plans to restore and develop the site
(Note: All construction and restoration work is subject to annual budget planning and Council approval.)
2008
- Heritage Site Master Plan completed
- Restoration Plan completed
2009
- Restoration of veranda and conservator
2010
- Upgrade work: fire suppression, mechanical, electrical and safety code
Future
- Further interior and exterior restoration
- Parking
- Water and septic system
- Interpretive research and display
- Exhibit display building
Protection and maintenance
Strathcona County will conduct ongoing maintenance and ensure protection of the house and site.
Public input and information
- Public focus groups were held in October 2005 to determine future uses of Bremner House
- Other stakeholders (historical groups, educators, special interest groups, members of the public, etc.) were consulted in 2006 and 2008
Further information: 780-416-6739
Last updated: Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Page ID: 2125