About Our Organisation
Société historique de Smoky RiverThanks to a dedicated group of volunteers, the Société Historique et Généalogique de Smoky River offers a great deal of services to the public with regards to our collection and mission of preserving the heritage and history of Northwestern Alberta.
In the fall of 2023, the Board of Directors began a strategic planning process during which the organization adopted a clear vision and mission into the future. Dedicated to protecting the heritage and history of local communities and individuals, whatever their origins, the SHGSR and its team aim to offer you quality services in a warm and friendly environment.
As history is our passion, let us tell you a little bit about ours! The Société Historique et Généalogique de Smoky River was established in 1984 after a group of locals found their new passion through a genealogical research workshop. Initially informal, based in a small house in Donnelly, the SHGSR embarked on its first major project: the opening of a documentation centre that could double as an archive. We moved into our new premises in 1986, a space still continually improved through the labour of love, much like our collection. Thanks to the efforts of committed people like Marie Beaupré, archival holdings from Oblate missions and elsewhere were added to the collection of local history books, the various documentary archives and genealogical research tools. 40 years later, the SHGSR’s shelves of books are a sight to behold indeed!
The SHGSR aims to be an outstanding resource for your genealogical and historical research – that means that if we have material in our possession, we aim to try our best to not only to find it, but to help you interpret and compile in an effort to bring any story to life.
The SHGSR supports genealogical and historical research, preserves heritage records, and documents family and community history for future generations.
Activities and events
A word from the President
The Société Historique et Généalogique de Smoky River is the place to be for anyone interested in family, community history and genealogy. As the founder of our organization, Marie Beaupré, had put it so well on May 30, 1984 in the Smoky River Express newspaper: ``Our society has no boundaries. We have no race, creed or colour restrictions. We welcome information from any area.`` Today, our volunteers continue to promote the history and genealogy of Franco-Canadians and to acknowledge their important contribution to our area's growth, but we also recognise the historic impact of those who came from all over the world to settle in the northwest, clearing the land shoulder to shoulder with their neighbours, as well as those peoples who have walked this land since time immemorial. I invite you to become a member of the SHGSR, because your support is essential if our documentation and research centre is to remain a place that preserves our heritage and our history through its many collections of photos, archives, genealogical resources and various historical works. I invite you to come and say “Hello!” and discover for yourself a treasure trove of information waiting just for you.
Members of the Board of Directors
Carmen Ewing
PresidentElizabeth Bohnke
Vice-PresidentMarie Guénette
DirectorYvonne Sawchyn
DirectorSue Champion
DirectorThérère Lambert
DirectorGilles Roy
DirectorBarb Ann Laderoute
DirectorLucille Bussière
SecretaryWendy Gagnon
TreasurerServices
The Société Historique et Généalogique de Smoky River offers a variety of services to its members and the general public. You can count on the support of our volunteers and employees to guide you in your journey, whether genealogical or historical; our experienced individuals are happy to share their knowledge and expertise. Some services, such as research or translation, are subject to a fee. To find out more about our rates, consult our rates list.
Don’t fret if you are unable to come and search in person, or if you would prefer our volunteers to do the work for you! Search fees are $20/hour for members and $25/hour for non-members. You can make a request by completing the genealogical research form or the documentary research form. You can download the form, complete it, and email it back to us at shgsr@outlook.com. Once the work has been completed, an invoice will be sent to you by email. You can pay by mailing a cheque payable to the SHGSR to P.O. Box 224, Donnelly AB T0H 1G0, or by sending us an Interac transfer to shgsr@outlook.com with your name and invoice number in the message. You can also pay in cash or by credit or debit card directly at the documentation centre.
Consult the price list