Explore Grandma Parkes Abandoned House Built in 1917: A Protector & Provider, Tough as Nails!

Explore the abandoned house where Grandma Parke raised 13 grandchildren after two of her own children tragically passed away.

Elizabeth Jane Jordon was born in Ireland in 1856. In 1876 at the age of 20 she married James Park Sr. The immigrated to Ontario Canada and had 4 children. Eliza, Sarah, James Jr., and Alec. They moved to North Dakota and had two more children, Ettie and Bertha.

They came to Alberta in 1909 with three of their children, James Jr., Alec and Bertha.

In 1911, the eldest daughter Eliza died. At the time, she was living in Saskatchewan with her husband George and 7 children, including a newborn baby. Mrs. Parke brought her son-in-law George and the grandchildren to Alberta so she could care for them.

In 1913 her son Alex tragically passed away at the age of 26. He had willed his land to his mother and in 1917 a large 9-room house was built on the bald prairies to accommodate the growing family.

Over the next decade, times where tough. Crops were bad and they relied heavily on raising cattle and growing what they could to survive. The children gathered buffalo chips to be used as fuel for the cold winters.

Grandma Parke, as she was known, would travel great distances to care for others. She took care of many early settlers' wives when they would give birth. In 1918 she tended to casualties of the flue epidemic as doctors were hard to get.

Her husband James Parke Sr., passed away in 1928 at age 75.

Mrs. James Parke Jr., (Sarah Jane), passed away leaving behind 6 children. Her son James and the children came under her care into the big house on the prairies.

Elizabeth led a difficult, selfless and fruitful life caring for others. Through it all, she still found time to knit and quilt.

Surrounded by the children she raised, Elizabeth Parke passed away peacefully on Christmas day, 1946. She was 90 years old.

All information has been researched to the best of my ability. Names, dates, pictures and places have been sourced from local history books and online archives. Thanks for watching, commenting, subscribing and sharing.

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Time Codes:
00:00 - Intro
00:25 - Old Photograph of Mr. & Mrs. Parke
01:30 - Old Photograph of Grandma Parke, Grandchildren and Mr. Gillespie
03:00 - Front Porch
05:12 - Pantry
07:09 - Kitchen
07:47 - Breakfast Room
08:54 - Tin Toy Relic
10:10 - Cellar
12:21 - Old Wooden Trunk
13:50 - Coal Furnace
15:45 - Living Room
16:07 - Den
17:14 - Parlour
18:20 - Stairs to Second Floor
19:18 - Bedroom #1
19:38 - Walk In Closet
20:26 - Bedroom #2
20:48 - The View
21:30 - The Attic
22:00 - Bedroom #3
22:47 - Bedroom #4
25:06 - Old Leather Belt
25:43 - Outro