The Enterprise Livery Barn has had a variety of owners and operators. Henry Winsor built his livery stable in the town of Nanton, Alberta, in about 1905, and the Enterprise Livery Barn saw a variety of owners and operators over the years. Since then the barn has served as a taxi stand, a truck depot, and as a shelter for an ill-fated pumice business. With the help of a generous donation made by the Rotary Club in celebration of Canada’s centennial, Heritage Park was able to acquire the barn in 1966. After the barn was relocated to Heritage Park, it underwent extensive restorations, including a new roof and a new floor for the hayloft. Since its opening in 1967, the Enterprise Livery Barn exhibit has been used to stable Heritage Park’s horses and display carriage exhibits. In 1997 and 1998, the barn’s foundation was stabilized, and the roof, cladding, and floor were replaced.
Located at the Nanton Livery Stable the Veterinary Practice tells the story of the important role veterinarians have played in western Canadian agricultural businesses. Set in the 1900s the exhibit showcases the development of the veterinary industry and role played by veterinarians in the North West Mounted Police, livestock inspection services, pharmaceutical products and general practice of treating animals and livestock.
The exhibit features a working office of a turn-of-the-century veterinarian in western Canada as well as a collection of artifacts that depict the tools and trappings of an actual veterinarians’ practice.
