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History of Andrew, Alberta written by Roberta Ropchan, used with permission. The history of Andrew dates back to such events as the Palliser Expedition of 1858, the establishment of the Victoria Mission at Pakan in the 1860s, and the Riel Rebellion of 1885. This spot, then called Egg Lake Manawan (Cree) was the center of the Blue Quill reserve. In the 1870s the reserve was transferred to Saddle Lake and Andrew then became more of a typical western settlement. The area was settled largely by Indians and Metis. Frederick Desjarlais (Ford Hawk) of NW28-56-16-4 was the first known settler in the area west of Whitford Lake (formerly Egg Lake). Phillip and Andrew Whitford were next in the area after being guides in the Riel Rebellion. English and Scottish settlers followed. The prairie fires of 1885-86 caused extensive damage and many of the settlers moved away from the area. At about this time the first wave of Ukrainian and Romanian settlers began homesteading in the Andrew area under the Laurier immigration plan of 1896. A school was built in 1895 followed by a hotel and store in 1900. Later came a Methodist church and in 1902 a post office. The Village of Andrew is situated on land (SE32-56-16-4) first owned by Andrew Whitford, the man for whom the Village is named. The coming of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1928 brought with it many changes, the most important of which was the moving of the townsite from the south to the present location north of the railway. On June 24, 1930 a Ministerial Order was issued giving Andrew village status. 1948 was the year in which many of Andrew's roads were flooded. Return
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