History of the Cronquist House
The Cronquist Family
The Cronquist House is one of the few remaining buildings in Red Deer dating from the early 1900's when the district was settled.The three story, 3500 sq. ft. Victorian-style farm house was built in what is now West Park Estates by the Cronquist family who were Swedish immigrants.
Emmanuel Pettersen Cronquist married Hilda Carlsdater in 1886 and became a successful Alberta businessman with extensive farming and livestock operations. He completed their luxurious family home in 1912 in a location with a beautiful view of the Red Deer River Valley.
The House Through Time
The house fell into disrepair due to the death of the last surviving family member in 1974. It was vacant and neglected despite being a landmark for travelers along the old Calgary- Edmonton trail.
Then the 1000 acres of land which belonged to the Cronquist family were acquired by developers who intended to demolish the house and build a new subdivision.
Where We Come In
In 1976, the Red Deer Folk Festival Society (now the Red Deer Cultural Heritage Society) was given the opportunity and took on the challenge of rescuing the now famous Cronquist House from demolition. In relocating the house to its present site overlooking the picturesque Bower Ponds, the Society created one of the first multicultural centres in Alberta.
After the move to the Bower Ponds location, the Cronquist House was completely restored. The interior decorations of the house are new, although reminiscent of the era in which the house was built, and the beautiful and extensive woodwork is original. It stands on a new basement, however, the original bricks were removed for re-location and reset at the new site. New wiring, heating and plumbing systems installed by volunteers from trades and construction professionals to citizens who simply donated their time to help out in any way they could.
In July and August, the public is invited to enjoy the ambience of the Cronquist House over delicious light lunches or afternoon tea and dessert. The house may be rented for meetings, small weddings, or other private functions.