Booklet tribute to famous names and places in Lloydminster

On the 120th anniversary of the founding of the City of Lloydminster, the Friends of the Lloydminster Regional Archives have put out a booklet tribute with vignettes of the famous people whose names adorn locations in the Border City.

From James Edgar ‘Bud” Miller for whom the popular city recreation space is named after, to Raymond Joseph Nelson whose name heralds the main thoroughfare – Nelson Drive or 44th Street or Highway 16 in Lloydminster.

Lynne Smith, chair of the Friends of the Lloydminster Regional Archives or FLRA says they call the booklet the Notable Persons Recognition.

“It’s like 40 things that are named after local people over the years – like going back to Reverend George Exton Lloyd who was where the name Lloydminster came from. He was the leader of the Barr Colonists. Bishop Lloyd school is named for him. There are numerous parks named after people. It’s very locally flavoured.”

People like Richard Larsen for whom the Richard Larsen Barr Colony Foundation is named after, which supports the Lloydminster Museum and Archives, along with Barr colonist Henry Messum whose name is on Messum Park, and a more recent addition, Ken Baker, a former mayor and member of the Kinsmen whose name is now on the park next to the outdoor pool. Just a few of the names that fill the pages of the Notable Persons booklet.

Smith says they are working on two more projects which will take some time to complete.

“We’re doing a history of the business sector for 120 years and also cultural groups that are still here and their history – when they started and what they have done. We don’t have a lot of that information in the Archives.”

The Lloydminster Regional Archives are presently housed at the new location of the museum on the eastern side of the city.