Vulcan Ice Cream Parlour

Until the 1930s, confectioneries and drugstores with soda jerks serving sundaes and ice cream were popular gathering places for teenagers. During the summer months these establishments could be busy until well past midnight.

Fred and Reuben “Rube” Elves built their place of business, originally known as the Elves Bros. General Store, in 1910 in the new townsite of Vulcan next to a Canadian Pacific Railway grade. The Elves brothers operated a telephone exchange and post office out of their general store, and later sold the establishment. The building was donated to Heritage Park by Vera Mitchell, and the funds for its restoration were provided by the Jennings family. Its interior was renovated so that it resembled “The Geisha” Olivier’s Bakery and Confectionery Shop in Calgary, circa 1910.