From The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald Best Nearby Historic Sites (Attractions & Activities) (10 Overall Closest) Metro: Edmonton, AB City Hall (Attractions & Activities - Historic Sites) 1 Sir Winston Churchill Sq, Edmonton  AB  T5J 2C1 • 780-496-8200 • 780-496-8251 Distance: ~416 m         Description: Surmounted by a huge glass pyramid and flanked by a 200-foot bell tower, Edmonton's City Hall is a lovely, open building that welcomes visitors as much as it accommodates city government. The structure was erected on the site of the former city hall and incorporates stone flooring and columns from the old building. The interior and exterior are adorned with artwork, including sculptures, tapestries, and wall-mounted canvases. A shallow pool on the front plaza attracts a downtown lunch crowd in the summer and ice skaters in the winter. An elegant, spare-lined civic centerpiece. Edmonton Public Schools Archives and Museum (Attractions & Activities - Historic Sites) 10425 – 99 Ave, Edmonton  AB  T5K 0E5 • 780-422-1970 Distance: ~0.819 km         Description: Whether you're interested in education, history or architecture, this museum has something to offer. Housed in a stately brick building, erected in 1904, the museum features restored classrooms to illustrate the development of public education. The structure also houses a restored legislative chamber, which is where Alberta's policy-makers met in 1906 and 1907. Also on the grounds of the museum is Edmonton's first public school, a wood-framed building used from 1881 until 1904. A research room with photos, textbooks and other school-related data is available for public perusal. Alberta Legislature Building (Attractions & Activities - Historic Sites) 10800 – 97 Ave, Edmonton  AB  T5K 2B6 • 780-427-7362 Distance: ~1.296 km         Description: Occupying the site where Fort Edmonton once stood, this Edwardian-style building is the seat of Alberta's government. Built of sandstone and furnished with mahogany and marble, the impressive building is an Edmonton landmark. A visitor center orients tourists on the history of the province and the workings of parliamentary procedure. Free tours of the building are available hourly each morning and every half-hour in the afternoon. The landscaped gardens, complete with flowers, greenery and fountains, are an ideal place to catch your breath or have a take-out lunch. The on-site gift shop sells film, postage stamps, Alberta crafts, and many other gift and specialty items. John Walter Museum (Attractions & Activities - Historic Sites) 10661-91A Ave Kinsmen Park, Edmonton  AB  T5J 2R7 • 780-496-2925 • 780-496-7275 Distance: ~1.859 km         Description: Between 1874 and 1900, John Walter, an early Edmonton resident who began his career as a ferryman, built three homes. As he became more prosperous, his homes reflected his newly-acquired wealth. Located on their original site, these houses are a fascinating social and cultural commentary on the growth of Edmonton and the wealth that came with its development. On Sundays, domestic activities of the day, such as candlemaking, are demonstrated. Rutherford House (Attractions & Activities - Historic Sites) 11153 Saskatchewan Dr University of Alberta, Edmonton  AB  T6G 2S1 • 780-427-3995 • 780-422-2697 Distance: ~2.452 km         Description: This gracious, red-brick home, marked with a colonnaded portico, was built in 1911 for Alberta's first premier. Following years of use as the official residence, the home was restored to its present-day appearance. It now offers visitors costumed guides who lead them through the mansion explaining history, architecture and décor. Arbour Restaurant on the premises serves lunch and tea; call 780-422-2697 to make the necessary reservations. The gift shop carries period-styled gifts and souvenirs. Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village (Attractions & Activities - Historic Sites) Hwy 16, Edmonton  AB  T6G 2P8 • 780-662-3640 Distance: ~2.840 km User Rating: 10 / 10         Description: Approximately 30 restored buildings have been relocated to this site, creating a village similar to the ones Alberta's Ukrainian settlers would have known. The complex details the heritage of those immigrants who arrived in western Canada between 1892 and 1930. Costumed guides lead visitors through the buildings and explain Ukrainian culture and traditions. Horse-drawn wagon rides are especially great for the kids. A half-hour's drive from Edmonton. Alberta Government House (Attractions & Activities - Historic Sites) 12845 – 102 Ave, Edmonton  AB  T5N 0M6 • 780-427-2281 Distance: ~3.589 km         Description: Originally built to house Alberta's lieutenant governors, this lovely sandstone building made its premiere in 1913. By 1938, economic situations forced its closing, and the structure was leased to an airline. In succeeding years, the home became a veterans' hospital and then a veterans' home. In the mid-1970s, the Government House was refurbished and re-opened as a government conference center. Today, it retains its former architecture and beauty. The building's three stories currently house reception rooms and conference areas, six of which are named for the six lieutenant governors who actually resided in the Government House. High Level Bridge (Attractions & Activities - Historic Sites) 3543 – 106A St, Edmonton  AB  T6J 1A7 • 780-437-7721 Distance: ~8.017 km         Description: This historically significant bridge across the North Saskatchewan River was constructed in 1913, and was intended to carry foot, auto and rail traffic. Today, it's still completely functional, and vintage streetcars travel from downtown Edmonton over the top deck of the bridge to Old Strathcona. The bridge is also the site of the Great Divide Waterfall, a 1980 addition installed by artist Peter Lewis that sends 11,000 gallons of water through a series of nozzles to create an impressive cascade that's higher than Niagara Falls. The waterfall operates on summer weekends and some holidays. Father Lacombe Chapel (Attractions & Activities - Historic Sites) St Vital Ave, St. Albert  AB • 780-459-7663 • 780-431-2300 Distance: ~14.207 km         Description: Father Albert Lacombe is known for establishing several Catholic parishes in the Edmonton area. This chapel was constructed in 1861, but was transformed into a museum in 1929. It has been fully restored and furnished in 1860s style, and the knowledgeable staff vividly describes the life and times of Father Lacombe. Tours are offered in English and French. Declared a provincial historic site n 1977, the chapel is Alberta's oldest building. Dr. Woods House Museum (Attractions & Activities - Historic Sites) 4801 49 Ave, Leduc  AB  T9E • 780-986-1517 • 780-439-2797 Distance: ~31.089 km         Description: Dr. Robert Woods was a popular local physician who lived and practiced in Leduc from 1907 until his death in 1936. He had this home built in 1927, and maintained his medical offices here as well. The house was quite modern at the time, with full indoor plumbing, a telephone, washing machine, and electricity provided by a generator in the basement. The house is furnished in the style of the day, and several items belonged to the doctor and his family. In the doctor's offices you can see the exam room and some of his medical instruments – and be thankful that medicine has come such a long way! Copyright ©2001 10Best Inc. All rights reserved.