History
The area around Talbot was first settled in 1905. That year, a man from Kansas, United States, named Samuel Davis, was in the area when he noticed several wooden poles in the ground, which had been placed years prior by surveyors with the belief that a railway would arrive. Davis, his wife, two sons, and seven daughters felt it was a suitable location to stay. Over the next four months they began constructing a house to live in, and slept in tents during the process. On July 22, 1905, they finished the construction, and July 22 was celebrated locally for years with an annual picnic.
The family founded a business and Davis assigned himself as the postmaster, giving the option to name the area, and chose Talbot as the name. He chose Talbot in honour of Peter Talbot, a prominent politician who did extensive work for the farming community in Alberta, and helped guide Alberta into provincial status. Davis opened a general store in which he bought a variety of items, including clothing, hardware, and groceries. A barn was constructed to house the teams of horses that carried wagonloads of people.
The settlement continued to expand rapidly, and meals and beds were offered to new living quarters, and the North-West Mounted Police made Talbot a stopping point when they travelled through Battleford and Stettler. A lumberyard was established at the settlement, owned by a local known as "Mr. Bentley". A blacksmith also appeared, named Andrew Young. As the settlement expanded, a carrier named William Balley arrived, and worked with someone known as "Mr. Maxon". Church services were also attended, held in the home of the Davis family, and wedding services were also ocassionally attended.
On October 4, 1908, the Davis home was destroyed by fire. The next day, residents of the community transported lumber from Hardisty, cleaned debris, and built a two-story, eight bedroom house for the Davis family to retain the post office and discard with the business. A new store was established, owned by a local named Albert Caseley.
Present day
The original settlement has entirely disappeared, with the Talbot Community Hall being the last remnant of Talbot. Located along Highway 599, the hall is still active as a community gathering space and stands as the sole surviving monument to Talbot. The Talbot Community hall includes kitchen facilities, baseball diamonds, disking, sound systems, and seatings.
