The Drayton Valley area was once heavily forested, with only small patches of cleared land that was once changed by fire. Navigating the area was challenging, and many early settlers had to carve their own trails through the dense woods. These paths eventually evolved into the first trails leading into the region. It's hard to imagine now, but in those early days, there were no roads, only makeshift clearings in the bush that hinted at the way forward. The primary route to and from the area ran from Rocky Rapids to Tomahawk, meandering through the undulating hills on the west side of White Whale Lake, now Wabamun Lake, and finally stretching out to Gainford.

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The first permanent settlers in the area arrived in 1907 when the Bray family, hailing from Perry Sound, Ontario, made their way to Rocky Rapids from Edmonton via riverboat. This journey was prompted by Mr. Bray's work in logging for a nearby company, which drew him to the rugged land. Upon reaching their destination, the Bray family selected four-quarter sections of land for homesteading that a previous forest fire had levelled.

 

Significant challenges and relentless obstacles defined life for the Bray family and their fellow pioneers as they worked tirelessly to establish their livelihood in the unforgiving wilderness. Surviving in this environment demanded unwavering determination, and many pioneers had to blaze their trails, often in solitude. Nonetheless, through perseverance and ingenuity, the early settlers utilized basic tools and enlisted the aid of livestock.

 

Building their log homes was no small feat either… and frankly, it was a tough job. Logs were cut using only an axe and saw and hauled with a horse or ox to the building site. This was not a day's work; a simple log cabin meant weeks, if not months of labour. There were no modern conveniences—no electricity or plumbing. Water was brought in by hand in buckets from the nearby springs, and the family supported themselves with a modest assortment of livestock and large cultivated gardens. The slow, back-breaking work produced no income, and it was a struggle in those days with homely precepts and traditional values of self-reliance guiding their lives. However, over time, they succeeded in taming and refining small sections of land, gradually converting the thick woodland into a mosaic of productive homesteads.

 

Carving more than just fields and homes, these pioneers built a legacy of resilience, a true story woven with threads of hard work, shared burdens, and an unmistakable sense of community in the middle of the Alberta wilderness.