A bustling community is blooming just east of where the hallowed halls of a rural school site once stood in Alhambra.

Just north of Hwy 11 on RR 5-4, a metal sign now marks the spot where West Country children began school as early as 1914.

Heather Loomer, a lifelong Alhambra resident, attended the school from 1948 to 1956.

“Except for a few years away in school, I’ve lived here for almost all of my 82 years,” says Loomer.

High school was offered until 1956. Students were bused into Rocky Mountain House for a short time until David Thompson High School was completed in 1957.

Elementary classes were taught at the school until 1963, when students were then bused into Condor.

Loomer recalls the wild playground equipment kids would play on.

“It would certainly not be allowed [on playgrounds] now,” she says. “It had triangular ends and a board in between that went back and forth — eight or ten kids sat on it — it’d pinch your fingers if you got them on the wrong end.”

Heather Loomer recalling the playground equipment at the old Alhambra School

 

She also recalls that the school building was a gathering spot for all seasons, hosting everything from Christmas concerts and skating in the winter to volleyball games when the weather was fair.

Heather Loomer recalling the seasonal gatherings at the Alhambra school site

Like many rural schools, kids travelled to class on horseback.

“A lot of kids came on horses at that time, because the bus did not go out north of Alhambra — there was a bus that came from the south, but nothing from the north,” says Loomer. “So kids came on cutters and horses; we all drank out of the same water bucket with the same dipper!”

Heather Loomer recalling how kids would arrive to Alhambra school

 

As a lifelong resident, Loomer has seen the growing community transformed over the years.

She recalls the community’s former grain elevator, train station, lumber yard, two stores, dance hall and more.

In more recent years, an eight-acre plot across from the hall has been subdivided, with folks eager to embrace a rural lifestyle moving in.

The sign is one of many dotting the Clearwater County landscape; a project started in 2024 by members of the Rocky Ag Society.

According to the society’s website, the first Alhambra school was located in an old log house from 1914 and 1915 before a new school opened in 1916.

It was then purchased by the community and used until the mid 70’s when it was sold and moved to a new location for a personal residence.

For those interested in learning more about Alhambra’s history, Loomer recommends reading the Alhambra history book Our Priceless Heritage, which is available at the Rocky Library.