The Greenhill Hotel was constructed in 1921 (a few reports say the year prior) for the mining firm West Canadian Collieries. They owned the nearby Greenhill Mine, as well as other coal diggings in the area. It is located right between the railway line and the old Crowsnest Highway (20th Ave today). The trunk road now bypasses town but in the old days everyone driving through went right past here.

The Greenhill was constructed during prohibition, but likely in anticipation of that law ending within a few years. Research suggests the writing was already on the wall and so they simply played a waiting game. Therefore it had no bar for the first few years yet magically there was space set aside for later.

“I met my husband here at the Greenhill Hotel where I’m sitting right now, over 50 years ago. He was a bartender here. I was underage and he let me in because he thought I was pretty cute. We had a great marriage and we were truly in love. I miss him every day…” – Margaret.

West Canadian used the hotel as a convenient place to house visiting dignitaries, investors, company directors, government officials, and to host meetings. The firm disposed of the Greenhill shortly after the Second World Was and it has had many owners ever since.

Rooms were available at least until the late 1990s but mostly that space has remained unused ever since. The uppermost floor was often home for the resident manager or owner.

Current owners Mike and Tina (it changed hands between our two visits) are fixing up the place, including turning the otherwise disused space on the two upper floors into apartments. Handyman Mike (not owner Mike) has been given that job.

Mike and Tina did this to the closed Bellevue Hotel, further east in Pass, which they also own.

“Well, we would come through coming from Montana…just had this feeling…and then we saw a for sale sign.” – Mike & Tina (on purchasing the Greenhill).

During ongoing renos to the Greenhill, upwards of ten layers of old shingles were found on the roof. That is a weight lifted.

The Greenhill Beer Parlour was a favourite of team member Chris’ old man when passing through town and a stop here was always mandatory. The kids would keep busy while the folks went inside for “just one beer” and now you know how that section of the website came to be named.

Margaret pictured below once worked at the Grand Union, visited by the Beer Parlour Project the night before. “I cooked in the Grand Union Café for a long time.”

Blairmore, Alberta: Population about 1500, located in the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass (total population approx 6000) and it is about 140 km west of Lethbridge. Blairmore is one several former mining towns amalgamated into one but everyone still calls each by its old name. They are all close to each other and Blairmore is the largest of all.

“I recently just started working here. At the beginning of June, quite enjoy it. There’s some doors that, you know, open and shut or you hear footsteps or things like that…enough to just kind of make the hair on the back of your neck stand up a little. I used to work at the Grand Union and the Cosmopolitan, so I’m kind of familiar with these. Okay, if you think the basement here is scary, have you been in the Grand Union? (We have!)” – Rachel.