Preserving REA History

Country Power I: The Electrical Revolution in Rural Alberta came off the press in 1993 as a highly polished, glossy-covered edition chronicling the history of REAs in Alberta from their inception in the mid-forties to press time. It offered over 170 pages of written material, images - black & white and color - as well as lists of REAs, directors and other related information.

Providing a follow up book to that first edition has proved to be a challenge because the costs of researching, publishing and printing this type of media is high and would represent a sacrificial investment. Preserving REA history, however, is something that must be continued in order to keep the stories and details alive. It means collecting and keeping this data in a central location so we do not lose track of the precious history built with each line and pole strung throughout rural Alberta.

Alberta history, in any format, is of great interest to a large market, and most importantly, it is important to Albertans.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

If you or someone you know has a story about an REA, about rural electrification, or has recorded REA details that could be submitted to the AFREA office, we would appreciate your input. The AFREA would like to collect a file of these stories and information so it does not get lost along our journey into the future. Perhaps at some future date, they will be compiled into a publishable format. Send your ideas, information or work via mail or email to the AFREA head office – Attention: Preserving REA History  

(c) AFREA March 2010