Edmonton has many sites of interest for both locals and tourists alike. For instance, have you ever visited the Rutherford House Provincial Historic Site? Built in the early part of the Twentieth Century, Rutherford House was the home of the first Premier of Alberta– Alexander Cameron Rutherford. He and his wife and family moved into this brick mansion and it was a noted place to visit for decades if you were among those invited. Today, it’s a public tourist site, where people go to see what life was like “back then.” Restored and furnished with Edwardian-era classic pieces of furniture and art, Rutherford House offers guided tours, costumed interpreters, and special events. If you visit, be sure and see the Delta Upsilon board room, the maid’s quarters and the Chancellor’s garden.
Besides Rutherford House, Edmonton is home to several heritage sites and historic old buildings worth visiting. Did you know there’s a new walking tour app available for your smartphone? Launched by Friends of Rutherford House Society in collaboration with Digital Fractal Technologies, the app is called FRHS Walks and available in iOS or Android application stores. This one-of-a-kind app is meant to help people get a better understanding of the places they pass by as they walk around historic Edmonton and its well-known buildings. For instance, the app gives an interactive digital tour of landmarks like the University of Alberta campus, the river valley and the Alberta Legislature.
Thanks to a $10,000 grant from the Edmonton Heritage Council, the FRHS Walks app helps people learn about the early days of Alberta government as well as the significance of various buildings. Rutherford House, by the way, is the starting point of the first walking tour utilizing the app.
Are you looking to get some exercise and take a walk around Edmonton? Why not utilize the FRHS Walks app for a two kilometre, 30-minute interactive experience… err, walk. If you complete all nine stops, a bonus feature is unlocked. If anything, it makes for a more interesting walk thanks to technology.
Edmonton has a lot of history and is well worth exploring, whether you live in/near the city or are just visiting for the day.
