Our Stories
Barb Benson
I grew up experiencing the “coulees” as we call them in our family. My grandfather bought the quarter we now live on in our cabin seasonally, in 1937. He and my uncle bought 3 more shortly after.
I remember going for rides in the back of a pickup truck with my brother and cousins to check cows, pick berries or just wander and look for interesting rocks.
One very memorable occasion my youngest uncle Hal Boulter borrowed a teepee from a friend and we set it up and camped on lookout point. That was amazing coming out in the morning and seeing the whole valley as the sun rose. Hal is gone now but he loved those coulees and any time he could he’d come back for a hike to find the wild onions and just be in them.
Other memories that aren’t so wonderful is from as long as I can recall also seeing the old bentonite mine that is on another uncle's land. That stripped area where the mine was has changed very little and I’m going to be 60 this year. It’s a blight on an otherwise precious and productive landscape. 
Forrest Hagen Following timely acquisitions of historically significant lands by my parents over their 65 year life in the Ferry Point district, I am now the custodian of these Hagen Family lands. My focus is the preservation, documentation and sharing of local history through LPEcotours.ca. Collaboration with the Royal Alberta Museum, Tyrell Museum and the Reynolds Museum have validated many important sites in the area. The latest chapter in the increased recognition of the Battle River valley is a forthcoming book documenting the geological history of the Battle valley - how it was formed (in a remarkable 8 days) - when the moraine that contained glacial Lake Edmonton catastrophically failed and released its contents 11000 years ago, as well as anecdotal accounts, including the bentonite deposits in the Rosalind area badlands.
Our journey has been anything but ordinary. Through every step, we've focused on staying true to our values and making space for thoughtful, lasting work.
