The Chipman Hotel is located on the corner of 50th Street and 50th Avenue in the village of Chipman Alberta. It is situated a bit southwest of Highway #15 and the Canadian National Railway Line. At one time the train station and the grain elevators were located down there, but they no longer exist. The trains still run, however.

In the old days the intersection of 50^th and 50^th (for towns that followed that pattern) was considered the most important corner and the prime location for a hotel.

“I’d like to say like Lloyd from The Shining…he likes the music, and he’s more than welcome to stay here.” – Dave (speaking about the hotel’s resident spirit).

Chipman was founded in 1905 with the coming of the Canadian Northern Railway. In the 1920s that firm was amalgamated into Canadian National. The town was named for a railway official, one Clarence Campbell Chipman.

Chipman officially became a village in 1913 and reached a population peak of around 450 people around that time. It remained steady at roughly 300 well into the 1980s, but has since declined slightly. Locals fondly refer to their town as “Coyote Country,” likening the residents’ adaptability and resilience to the coyote’s own survival skills.

“I’m the chief cook, bottle washer (and server) here at the Chipman Hotel…and I’ve worked for Dave ever since he bought the hotel in 2015.” – Gail.

Much of the farmland to the northeast of Edmonton was settled by immigrants from eastern Europe, but mainly the Ukrainian. Present day there is a large population remaining in the area with lots of Ukrainian names not only in Chipman, but throughout the area.

“I was a natural here because I was a carny and know how to handle people. This used to be a peeler bar, believe it or not, back in the day.” – Gail.

The current hotel was built in 1947. An earlier one stood on almost the same spot and it dated to 1905. That was the Myrtle Hotel and was a narrow three story structure, with an attached restaurant. There were other hotels in Chipman over the years including the Arlington and the Ritz (both only mentioned briefly in history books) but only the Chipman Hotel remains.

An old photo in the Molson Brewery archives shows a view of the Chipman Hotel from the 1950s and it looked much as it does today. Change is slow in small prairie towns. The hotel was one of this brewery’s clients. At the time it was listed as having 11 rooms and a seating capacity of 60 in the beer parlour. Today the rooms are no longer rented but owner Dave maintains some for those guests that might require somewhere to stay in an emergency.

“If there’s out-of-town people who can’t make it home, I’ve got some nice rooms upstairs. I don’t advertise it, because what can I charge for a room with no bathroom? 35 or 40 bucks?” – Dave.

Team Beer Parlour Project visited during an unseasonably warm stretch in the winter of 2024. This made for interesting photographs thanks to the resultant fog, but it meant a slow , cautious drive back home after finishing the night’s work.

“My doctor advised me to retire and slow down, but I’m not, you know, leaving the country or anything…I told Dave I’d still be here, you know, if he needs help.” -Gail (on retiring soon).

Chipman is in snowmobile country and during winter months it is not uncommon to see a collection of sleds parked out front. In summer months it is similarly popular with the motorcycle fraternity. A Hot Rod Show & Shine every year is popular and a busy time for the hotel. A hitching rail for horses remains in place on one side of the building and we are told it sees occasional use.

“I’ve got ample parking for sleds, horses and bikes and they’re all welcome here.” – Dave.

Chipman, Alberta: Population about 240, located in Lamont County and it is 75km NE of Edmonton.