Most people living in St. Albert have never heard of Brigadier-General Raymond Brutinel. The French immigrant travelled to Edmonton in 1905, made a fortune as a mineral speculator and built a stylish house on River Lot 51 where Fountain Tire is currently located.
The self-made millionaire later lost the fortune when his lawyer swindled him. But Brutinel rose to prominence once more as a pioneer in mechanized warfare. As the commanding officer of the Canadian Corps during the First World War from 1914 to 1917, his unit, the 1st Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade, played a significant role on the Western Front repelling the enemy at the Battle of Vimy and the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917.
Throughout his lifetime, Brutinel wore many hats – soldier, editor, inventor, geologist and entrepreneur. Although he lacked official qualifications, he was a quick study with a sharp mind and a charming personality that impressed businessman looking to expand their interests in the area.
To shine a light on Brutinel’s accomplishments, Musée Heritage Museum has developed History Happened Here, an experimental program that takes local history outside its St. Albert Place brick edifice.
The project is not only a powerful lens to rediscover the city’s history. It is, in large part, designed to introduce largely forgotten figures and create more public dialogue – a major function of any museum.
“This is the first time we’ve tried something like this and if more businesses are interested, we’d be happy to work with them,” said museum archivist Vino Vipulanantharajah.
In partnership with Fountain Tire, Vipulanantharajah hung three panels inside the auto shop’s coffee lounge that offer a glimpse in Bruntinel’s life. The panels are broken down into the adventurer’s life in St. Albert, a map of the Brutinel family house and his Canadian military service.
As a history buff who knew of Brutinel, Fountain Tire owner Michael Sands, was excited to be part of the project. Back in the early 20th century, when the house was built, he noted the parcel of land had immediate access to both Edmonton and St. Albert.
“I imagine it would have been a picturesque, green grassy setting with the ravine behind with soft rolling hills. I can imagine pulling up to the beautiful house and seeing the rustic landscape,” Sands said.
Although customers haven’t provided any direct comments, Sands said many customers stopped to read the panels.
Raymond Brutinel
Brutinel (1882-1964) was born in Alet-les-Bains, France. He was conscripted into the French army, but felt discriminated against due to religious-political upheavals within the country. Along with many other soldiers who shared the same feelings, Brutinel and his family left France and by way of New York settled in Edmonton in 1905.
Alberta had become an official province of Canada and settlers were arriving by train hoping for fresh opportunities. Initially, Brutinel opened a fencing school and a boarding house. He also became heavily involved with the Francophone community creating The Association Francaise and served as editor of a world affairs column at Le Courrier de l’Ouest, Alberta’s first Francophone newspaper.
By the time he was 30, Brutinel had made a fortune working for the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway where he prospected for coal seams and mineral rights. As befitting a man of his wealth, he built a house equipped with all the modern conveniences – central heating, running water and electricity.
At the time, there was discussion of turning St. Albert into a resort town for affluent Edmontonians. St. Albert had a beautiful river fed with fresh waters from numerous tributaries that could provide relaxing weekend activities such as swimming, boating and fishing.
But travelling to St. Albert could pose problems, especially on rainy days when the town’s roads turned muddy. Brutinel invested in producing the Interurban Railway which could accommodate travel between St. Albert and Edmonton. Service began Sept. 30, 1913 but ended abruptly on April 1, 1914 when fire at the Edmonton company’s barns destroyed the only car. The First World War started four months later, and all thoughts of rebuilding were set aside.
“We just want people to know he played a significant role both here and in the world," Vipulanantharajah said.
