Above: A local advertisement from 1911. Morinville will celebrate 109 years as a town on Apr. 18. See below for a photo gallery.
by Lucie Roy
Morinville was founded in 1892, incorporated as a village in 1901, and as a town on April 18, 1911. This month we celebrate the 109th anniversary of Morinville as a town.
Population Growth
The population of Morinville grew from 500 in 1913 to 9,893 in the 2016 census. A new municipal census started Apr. 1, 2020.
From 1917 to 1938, the population was consistent in the estimated 600 range and reached 700 in 1944.
The growth was a slow climb and gradually reached 892 in 1951.
From 1955 to 1969, the growth stayed at approximately 90 residents.
In 1970 the growth hit the 1000 mark. By 1976 it was 2000, and three years later in 1979 it was 3000, and by 1980 it was 4000. In 1983 the growth was at 5000 and stayed there till 1991.
The population grew gradually from 6000 in 1991 to more than 7000 in 2008.
In 2011, Morinville had a population of 8,569 and grew by 1324 residents to 9,893 in five years. That is a 15% growth rate over the five years
Surnames in 1911
Some of the people and families living in Morinville in 1911 included Alexa and Olive Beauchamp and their 11-year-old daughter Marie Blanche, the family of Louise and Noah Beaupre, Eva Brule, John and Margaret Brown, Bossonnault, Alphonse and Louise Brissette, Chaput, Diane and Joe Dejarlais, Arsene and Cordelia Comtois, Barthelemie and Alma Croisitiere and family, Joseph and Helene Caron, Adele, Ida and Joseph Cote, Philomene and Xavier Gauthier, Francoise, Euladie and Greziella Gibualt, Fred Herbert, Hittinger family, Joseph Kennekoff, Zephir Lebeau, Resina and Arthur Levasseur and family, Zephir and Delornia Martin, Rammold Morin, Elmegine and Theodore Norbert and family, Albina and Constant Paul, Joseph, Arthur and Albert Roy, Clara nd John Rockwell, Aristilde and Maria Riopel and family Perras family, Napoleon and Marie Meunier, Tellier, St. Germain, Staffes, Trudel and a list of all the religious sisters.
The above names were transcribed for digitizing for the 1911 Census of Canada records, and some names may have a different or incorrect spelling.
100th Anniversary
In April 2011, Morinville Mayor Lloyd Bertschi and MLA Ken Kowalski were joined by hundreds of Morinville residents to celebrate 100 years of being a town.
The three-hour event took place at the Parish Hall and combined a meal of stew and biscuits, vignettes, displays and musical numbers.
