History of the hall

The people of the area saw a need for a Community Centre and as a result three men, namely Ed Mumford, Ross Phillips and Tom Kirton, formed a committee and devoted hours of their time to fulfill this need.

The acreage where the hall now stands was purchased for the sum of 26 dollars from John K. Ross of Montreal (as revealed on the title dated September 15, 1924). The hall was completed in 1926.

Formerly called the Red Lodge Community Hall, the Hall was later aptly named Hillcrest having been built on the crest on the hill. It overlooked the broad valley of Sleepy Creek, which ambled across the two districts of Red Lodge and Berrydale, and thus was centrally located, particularly to serve these two districts plus surrounding areas.

An exterior shot of Hillcrest Community Hall in the winter. The hall has two cars parked outside the front door and is surrounded by snow. — Hillcrest Community Hall in January, 1999

The father of area resident Vidah Lindner (Mr. Vauthrin) did the major construction on the hall and, being an excellent craftsman, built the benches, which were still in use at the time of the fire.

Public subscription and labour-donated funds for construction were freely given. At completion more funds were required for unpaid materials, a piano, and other furnishings. These funds were met by a bank loan of $1000 personally backed by the committee of Mumford, Phillips and Kirton.

The hall was the centre and heart of the community. It was the first one built in this corner of the province.

There are many precious memories: wedding dances, card parties, fall suppers, amateur entertainments, public dances, and reunions.

A community hall under construction, showing part of the framed roof and a man on top of the building doing construction work. — The new hall under construction

The above information was taken from letters received at the time of the 75-year celebration held June 9, 2001.

In the mid-eighties, the heating system was overhauled and a furnace was installed. In the mid-nineties, it was decided to modernize even more. A kitchen was added with indoor bathrooms. The community provided much of the labour and materials were purchased as needed.

A picnic shelter was built in time for the 75th celebrations.

It might be noted that the use of the hall increased because of the new kitchen facilities and indoor bathrooms. Then disaster struck! The hall burned to the ground on October 22, 2003.

The hall was rebuilt and the Grand Re-Opening was held on July 3, 2012.

A group of people in front of the hall cutting a red ribbon to commemorate the grand opening. — Grand opening of the new hall – July 3, 2012

A black and white photo of a man wearing a fedora and overalls over a long-sleeved white shirt, standing outside and to the right of a woman in a dress whose body is partially cut off at the edge of the photo.

A black and white photo of a young man seated with his left leg crossed over his right, wearing a formal suit with a flower in his left lapel.

An elderly man in dark pants and a striped long-sleeved shirt sitting on a sofa next to an old television.

Read “Rising From the Ashes,” a tribute to Hillcrest Hall written by Sherry Jones

It’s late as I start up the hill. I miss the glow of light from Hillcrest Hall against the twilight purple of the sky. After nearly fifteen years of silence, it had sprung back to new life after being lovingly restored by the local community and neighbors. The lure of low rental, and a spectacular view of the valley below had brought yet another generation to its doors, until it was cruelly felled by fire five years ago. The significance of this is not lost on me. My own response when they said they were restoring it was, “Maybe it’s time just to let it go.” I was so wrong. Hillcrest was more than just a building. It is the faintly beating heart of a community that has drifted further and further apart due to modern conveniences.

The land for Hillcrest was purchased in 1924 for twenty six dollars by Edward Mumford, Thomas Kirton, and Ross Phillips from John Ross of Montreal. Excitement over the hall grew as people from the surrounding areas envisioned a community center, not merely a dance hall. In fact, so great was their enthusiasm that they didn’t even wait for the hall to be finished before they began using it. For nearly a year before it was completed, Hillcrest existed as only a dance floor in the wide open spaces. And many a sweetheart was courted by taking a turn to the music under the starlight.

When Hillcrest was built things were very different. The people of the area had to band together out of necessity to survive. It is hard to imagine in this day and age, but people would travel from near and far through the worst of weather in horse drawn buggies just for the opportunity to visit and forget their troubles for a few hours. But for them, this place represented the lifeblood of their community. Events were always taking place. Community dances were sponsored by neighborhood families when the hall was low on funds because of its importance to those who lived in the surrounding areas. It was a touchstone for many significant moments in their lives. Many of the names on the guest list of the first wedding dance held there, such as Anderson, Radau, Dunlap, Schrader, Lee, Zimmerman, Adair, Whitelock, and Ryrie, are still familiar to the area today. In a time when people took time to pay tribute to those important moments in their lives, Hillcrest Hall was the place to do it.

The floors had been worn smooth from seventy years of dancing feet. And it was almost sacrilege to suggest sanding it down and re-staining it, erasing the footprints of those who had gone. There, my Mother learned to dance by riding on top of my Grandfather’s shoes. And my Grandmother taught me to dance by dragging me out for a waltz over its satin surface, where she and my Grandfather won the old time waltz contest back in the forties. The ornament they took home that night still has a place of honor in their old house where I now live. Like Hillcrest it is chipped here and there, but it makes me smile. Not just for the memories that I have from there, but because of all the stories and feelings of others from days gone by that I carry with me. They live on in my mind. That is Hillcrest Hall’s legacy. Hillcrest wasn’t just built by our ancestors from the materials that were donated or with their strong arms and caring hands. It was fashioned from their desires and rested on a foundation of their dreams.

As I drive away into the darkness, I am comforted by the thought of that soft warm light once again in my rearview mirror. For it is the light of the past reaching out to touch the present.