Lined with charming, independent businesses and loads of historic treasures, small towns are trying to revitalize their main streets

Kelly Warrack describes the movement of businesses out of Strathmore's downtown core to the edge of town as "a fairly typical story for towns like us."

Warrack, who grew up on a farm near Strathmore, says Strathmore's Second Avenue (Main Street) was always the focal point of the town in decades past. "Main Street was the place to go," recalled Warrack, citing the presence of the feed mill, banks, the hardware store, the local Co-op and the King Edward Hotel as among the street's popular destinations. In recent times, however, Warrack says businesses have moved from downtown and have opened along the highway.

Historic Albertan town a stone's throw from Calgary, chock full of community spirit

Strathmore's roots dig deep into Alberta's history.

In 1883, during the eastward construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway, the tracks ended at a small hamlet. That hamlet would come to be known as Strathmore, reportedly named by Scotsman James Ross, who was in charge of the rail project.