A moment in history: Aug. 21, 1926

On this day in 1926, one of Edmonton's newest funeral homes was advertising its services.

Funeral services are now a big business. But in the early days of Edmonton, death was a smaller, more private affair. Before the 20th century, the deceased's body would be prepared at home, where the visitation and funeral would be held. A coffin would be purchased from a cabinetmaker or carpenter, and the body would be taken to the cemetery by wagon.

In 1908, Connelly-McKinley Funeral Home became the first such establishment in the city — and the province. The Andrews Brothers opened their own funeral business in the same year. These early funeral companies were run out of commercial storefronts downtown, mixed in with general stores and other retail shops. In addition to providing embalming services, these businesses would also handle transporting the body to the burial site using dedicated horse-drawn hearse wagons (or, during the winter months, hearse sleighs).

As the city's population grew, more funeral homes opened to address the demand. And that demand was higher in some years than others. Funeral services and cemeteries were overwhelmed in 1918, when a flu epidemic led to many deaths, leading to accusations of price gouging among some Alberta coffin builders.

The 1920s and '30s saw some big shifts in Edmonton's death industry. More funeral homes opened, including Howard and McBride in 1921. The industry was moving away from horse-powered hearses and into automobiles. (Many of which were also used as ambulances, meaning some people would get two rides in short order.)

Edmonton's funeral homes also began moving away from their storefronts on Jasper Avenue, creating stand-alone chapels and parlours meant to provide a quiet, more sombre atmosphere for viewings. Connelly-McKinley and Howard and McBride both moved to new buildings on 109 Street just south of Jasper, with the latter building a 135-seat, air-conditioned chapel.

Some of the city's original funeral homes are still operating, while others have closed or been bought up. The Howard and McBride chapel at 10045 109 Street NW closed down in 1988; the building housed several restaurants and bars until it was torn down in 2009.

The way Edmontonians choose to be remembered has changed. Cremations have become much more popular, with the vast majority of people in the city choosing that option instead of a casket burial in 2025. Interest in green burials has also risen, which allows bodies to decompose without embalming or grave liners. The city currently offers green burials at the Northern Lights Cemetery. The Royal Alberta Museum has much more to say about funeral practices in its Death: Life's Greatest Mystery exhibit, which runs until Sept. 7.

This clipping was found on Vintage Edmonton, a daily look at Edmonton's history from armchair archivist Rev Recluse of Vintage Edmonton.