Mozart History Page

 

The following stories were reprinted with permission 
from the 1983 history book, "From Prairie Trails to the Yellowhead". 
We thank the History Book Committee for their work in preserving our past.

MOZART

by Thor Arnason, assisted by William Johnson and Dan Nupdal

Mozart came into being April 1, 1909 when the railway came through. C.P.R. engineers, who stayed at the Lund farm near Mozart, gave Julia Lund the honor of naming the town site.

She chose Mozart after the famous Austrian composer and named the five streets Schubert, Haydn, Wagner, Liszt, and Gounod, also all named for composers.

T.S. Laxdal, who had the Gardar Post Office and General Store, opened the first Post Office in Mozart in April of 1909, where he remained as Postmaster for several years.

Construction followed rapidly and several businesses began.

Some of the early businesses were Barker's Hardware, Laxdal and Johnson General Merchant, Kiest Confectionery, Beggley Pool Room and Barber Shop, Paul Paulson - Blacksmith, P.N. Johnson - Lumber Yard, Pete Backlund - Hardware, Billy Boyce - John Deere Agency, Oli Olafson - Massey Harris, Laurie Johnson - International, and C.W. Johnson - John Deere, then the Hardware store and Cockshut agency, Finnson and Budal - General Merchants, H.B. Grimson - Post Office and Confectionary, Olaf Lund - Livery Stable.

The Bank of Montreal of Wynyard came once a week for people to do their banking.

Later some of the businesses in town were: Bill Arnason, Rosansuag, Waldmans, A. Isfeld, Hogie, B. Paulson, Matt Pawchuk and Bashutski - all general merchants; Joe Sigurdson - Butcher Shop; S. Laxdal - Red and White Store; later H.B. Hanson, G. Grimson - Hardware; Turner's garage; E.W. Johnson, Ingi Grimson, Oscar Hallgrimson, and Mike Miller all operated a garage in Mozart.

Draymen in town, while all freight came in by train, included John Swinbernson, Steve Nupdal, Charlie Johnson, and Tom Storey.

Bill Toy had the first cafe in Mozart and was an ardent fan of the Mozart ball team. He owned two cars which he never drove himself, but got somebody else to drive so that he could go to different sports days where the team was playing.

Another cafe and rooming house was operated for many years by Joe Wong and later by B. Fredricks. Barber Shop and Pool room were operated by Joe Sturlagson, Oli Paulson, and Steve Stephanson.

Mozart once had four elevators; Co-Op, National, Federal, and Victoria. Some of the agents were Hans Jorgenson, Pete Johnson, Oscar Johnson, Laurie Johnson, V. Haldorson, G. Grimson, Fusi Hallgrimson, Rusty Lanigan, Sam Austman, Kristjanson, Ole Olafson, Barney Johnson, J. Grimson, H.M. Gudmundson, M. Osachuk, H. Essor, D. Hopko, and D. Weinhandl.

Section Foremen were Nick Hrynkiw and H. Stackiw.

Station agents were Dan King, Langlois, A. Burgess, A. Pierce, F. Woods, Knisley, Kruger, and Sam Roberts. There were also many more for short periods of time.

Mozart has had its share of fires. In 1914 on June 2 the National Elevator was struck by lightning and burnt to the ground.

1925 saw the garage, pool room, and Bill Toy's Cafe burnt down. Late in about 1929 another fire destroyed the hardware store, post office, and the bank building. In 1970 the garage operated by Mike Miller burnt down. This building originally was the John Deere agency.

In April of 1921 the passenger train was derailed a mile and a half east of Mozart with five or six cars leaving the track. There were several injuries reported.

Present businesses are Wayne's Radio and T.V., Credit Union, Post Office, Pool Elevator, and the Co-Op. The population is about seventy.

In 1961 the hamlet organized and put water into every home in town. Sewer was installed in 1978. A trailer court for four was constructed and has been fully occupied since.

After the fire destroyed the Post Office, Jens Eliasson added a room to his home to house the Post Office. Later Oscar Johnson took it over, selling it to Oli Thomasson who had it until he retired. It was then moved to the east end of town by Dick Cottam where it remained until his retirement.

Then the Credit Union expanded their building, including space for the Post Office. It was first run by Lorna Weldon and is presently operated by Jean Halldorson.

In 1909 the Good Templars built a hall for the district, then sold it to the Ladies Aid Viljinn who ran it until 1965. They gave it to the Mozart Pioneer Recreational Co-Op who sold it and built a new hall on the acreage that the school had been on.

In 1952 the community organized and built a curling rink which was a hive of activity for about twenty years. It then was converted to an indoor skating rink for the young people of the area.

Even if the hamlet has not grown to any extent over the years, it is still a pleasant, thriving community and a nice place to live.