Dreamland, the vanishing city

Sunday, July 12, 2026
10:00am to 12:00pm

Selected as a Taproot pick

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Organized by: Alberta History Tours

July
12

The Heart of Downtown – markets, department stores, banks, cinemas, hotels, government buildings, and the train station. Like a mirage, they are here then disappear, often reappearing in a different likeness somewhere else.

Sometimes when you arrive at it, it is just a skeleton of what was.

Unlike other cities' downtowns which have shifted miles away over time, Edmonton's downtown has remained relatively stationary, Jasper Avenue with major cross streets at 95, 97 and 101 Streets. This was the downtown that every visitor and immigrant arrived at and formed community.

But, the buildings fronting these thoroughfares have been in a constant state of change and the communities often struggled to keep their identity.

Join us on an historic walking tour of Edmonton's "dead centre" to learn of its many rebuildings, its vanished structures, its disappeared occupations and its current identity crisis.

We will conclude our tour at the Mah Society building. Option to go inside for a separate tour hosted by the Mah Society and learn about this admirable city centre survivor, thriving in spite of the rest of its neighbourhood "vanishing".

The starting location will be emailed to participants shortly before the event. The tour is outside on flat ground and will take place rain or shine.