Fonds 0062 - Municipal District of Grande Prairie No. 127 fonds

By September 1929, special meetings were being held to discuss combining the M.D. of Bear Lake No. 740 and the M.D. of Grande Prairie No. 739, with media and citizens present to hear the discussions. The reasoning behind the amalgamation was that a larger district would have more influence in decisions made by the province and better access to government grants, that there would be economies of scale in roadwork and administration expenses, and that unity would benefit the entire area. It was not until January 1, 1944, however, that the Municipal District of Grande Prairie No. 127 was formed. The boundary lines of the new Municipal District encompassed more area than the combined preceding M.D.s. They extended from the Big Smoky on the east to the B.C. border on the west, and from the Wapiti River to the north line of township 74. Organization of the new district was completed with the election of councilors E.J. Holtom, W.G. Hodges, Ralph Woods, Uri Powell, E.J. Grant, William Garrett, James Smith, Albert A. Kennedy, and Jean Lozeron. James Smith was elected Reeve. The creation of the M.D. No. 127 paved the way for the district to become the County of Grande Prairie No. 1, the first and largest county in the Province of Alberta, when the county system replaced the old municipal districts system.