This is an inconspicuous dome, in a field, that dates back to 1902. Beautiful stonework was shelter for a few people over a few years in the early 1900's.
The note taped to the inside of the front door, reads as follows: SUNNYSLOPE SAND-STONE SHELTER A rancher here at the turn of the Century was Jack Smith, who mentions in his Memoirs that one of his closest neighbors in 1902 was “Mr. Stein, who lives in a shelter dugout South of me.” The first records in the Edmonton files, regarding this quarter, list Erice C. Steendahl, as making entry for the quarter on August 22, 1902, and asking to release it on June 26, 1903. Early pioneers recalled seeing Mr. Steendahl, with a horse-drawn stone-boat, or wagon, hauling sand-stone from the shores of a nearby lake. This was from South shore, of, what we call “Cornie Pauls Lake”. In 192, it was probably known as “Bolma Lake”. The land bordering the South Side of this lake, is owned by Derek L. Page, and the West quarter by the Cornilius Pauls family. In 1902, a blacksmith in Olds was Mr. Coventry. Visiting here years later, he told Jack Smith that Mr. Steendahl had come to him and asked him to make hinges for the door of his shelter, which Mr. Coventry did. They went over to see the shelter and found the hinges there then. Mr. Steendahl was a stonemason. The 10’ x 12’ building has a dome-shape ceiling, in which there is a skylight. The chimney has disappeared. He whitewashed the walls & ceiling with lime, so it was very bright. Pioneers believed that he built the “dug-out” as a storm shelter. In the fall of 1902, someone in Sunnyslope noticed smoke off to the N.W. They feared a prairie fire, so, acquiring wet funny sacks to squelch the flames, a group of men jumped on their saddle horses and went to investigate. It was the smoke emanating from Mr. Steendahls’ chimney. Mr. Steendahl spent the winter of 1902-1903 in the shelter. It is believed that he came from Wisconsin; was of Swiss origin; and that when he left Canada, he went to North Dakota The next person recorded for this quarter, was George J. Scheck. He obtained entry on February 12, 1904. He first resided there from March 1, 1904 to April 8, 1904. He returned to Montana to work as a laborer for a while. He moved back to this quarter on August 10, 1904. Hence, some of the old-timers who remembered Mr. Schech living in the stone shelter, presumed he built it. The Schechs’ put up frame buildings, and used the dug-out for a root cellar. In the August, 1964 issue of the Farm & Ranch Review is an article on the dug-out. It is titled “One Mans’ Castle.” Thus the Sunnyslope Sand-Stone Shelter is often referred to by this other name. In 1978 Mr. Tas Richardson, Linden, Alberta, repaired the arched entrance way, and Derek Page built a new door, hung on hinges he made. Brian J. Page, Calgary is the current owner of this quarter. It is farmed by his nephew Dan Page, of Didsbury.
The note taped to the inside of the front door, reads as follows:
SUNNYSLOPE SAND-STONE SHELTER
A rancher here at the turn of the Century was Jack Smith, who mentions in his Memoirs that one of his closest neighbors in 1902 was “Mr. Stein, who lives in a shelter dugout South of me.” The first records in the Edmonton files, regarding this quarter, list Erice C. Steendahl, as making entry for the quarter on August 22, 1902, and asking to release it on June 26, 1903.
Early pioneers recalled seeing Mr. Steendahl, with a horse-drawn stone-boat, or wagon, hauling sand-stone from the shores of a nearby lake. This was from South shore, of, what we call “Cornie Pauls Lake”. In 192, it was probably known as “Bolma Lake”. The land bordering the South Side of this lake, is owned by Derek L. Page, and the West quarter by the Cornilius Pauls family.
In 1902, a blacksmith in Olds was Mr. Coventry. Visiting here years later, he told Jack Smith that Mr. Steendahl had come to him and asked him to make hinges for the door of his shelter, which Mr. Coventry did. They went over to see the shelter and found the hinges there then. Mr. Steendahl was a stonemason. The 10’ x 12’ building has a dome-shape ceiling, in which there is a skylight. The chimney has disappeared. He whitewashed the walls & ceiling with lime, so it was very bright. Pioneers believed that he built the “dug-out” as a storm shelter.
In the fall of 1902, someone in Sunnyslope noticed smoke off to the N.W. They feared a prairie fire, so, acquiring wet funny sacks to squelch the flames, a group of men jumped on their saddle horses and went to investigate. It was the smoke emanating from Mr. Steendahls’ chimney.
Mr. Steendahl spent the winter of 1902-1903 in the shelter. It is believed that he came from Wisconsin; was of Swiss origin; and that when he left Canada, he went to North Dakota
The next person recorded for this quarter, was George J. Scheck. He obtained entry on February 12, 1904. He first resided there from March 1, 1904 to April 8, 1904. He returned to Montana to work as a laborer for a while. He moved back to this quarter on August 10, 1904. Hence, some of the old-timers who remembered Mr. Schech living in the stone shelter, presumed he built it. The Schechs’ put up frame buildings, and used the dug-out for a root cellar.
In the August, 1964 issue of the Farm & Ranch Review is an article on the dug-out. It is titled “One Mans’ Castle.” Thus the Sunnyslope Sand-Stone Shelter is often referred to by this other name.
In 1978 Mr. Tas Richardson, Linden, Alberta, repaired the arched entrance way, and Derek Page built a new door, hung on hinges he made. Brian J. Page, Calgary is the current owner of this quarter. It is farmed by his nephew Dan Page, of Didsbury.