Corporate body

Northern Alberta Pioneers and Old Timers' Association

• NAPOTA
• Northern Alberta Pioneers and Descendants Association
• NAPODA

1894-current

The Northern Alberta Pioneers and Old Timers’ Association (NAPOTA), now called the Northern Alberta Pioneers and Descendants Association (NAPODA), is one of Edmonton's oldest chartered clubs.
It was founded on 22 Jun 1894 as the Edmonton Old Timers Association by a group of 36 pioneers who either trekked across the prairies from the east or worked their way up the Saskatchewan River by boat. There may have been an attempt to establish an old timers’ association as early as 1885. The association was originally open to male residents of Edmonton and district who arrived in Alberta District, NWT prior to the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1883 and then almost immediately extended to 31 Dec 1883. The date was successively advanced to include more recent pioneers.
Its original objectives were “the preservation of the early history of the settlement, and the social and friendly relations of the pioneers of the district.” Its early history is poorly documented – it appears to have become moribund prior to World War I and was re-organized in 1924 as the Edmonton Pioneers and Northern Alberta Old Timers Association, with women included in membership.
It has been continuously active since then as a social organization with some benevolent objectives, including provision of cemetery plots for members. Its name changed to Northern Alberta Pioneers and Old Timers Association in 1925 and Northern Alberta Pioneers and Descendants Association in 1983.

City of Edmonton Archives

Final