The Hamlet of Aetna, Alberta, is located about five
miles southeast of the Town of Cardston just east of
Highway 501 on the south half of Section 23; T. 2; R. 25;
west of 4. Snake Creek winds through the hamlet site.
The rugged Rockies loom above the hill to the west; and
the beautiful St. Mary (or St. Mary's) River valley lies
two miles to the east. The original site of the community
center was some two miles east on a rise of ground
overlooking the river valley. An L.D.S. church house
(also serving as a private school house, with Johnny Myer
as the first teacher) was built on the original site in 1894,
and was the community center even after it was moved to
the new site in 1897.

Early settlers who preceded the Mormons in this area
included a detachment of the North West Mounted
Police across the river, the Colleses, the Shaws, the
Harpers, the Perry brothers, and Percy Ashe.

By 1890 enough Mormon families had arrived in the
area that they organized the "Snake Creek" Sunday
School in the home of Joseph H. Ellison whose
homestead straddled Snake Creek to the northeast of
Aetna's present site. George M. Hudson, who lived a
mile west of the present hamlet site, was the first
superintendent of the Sunday School.

For the next four years church meetings were held in
the homes of members, particularly in the elegant,
three-story home of Richard Pilling Sr. on the St. Mary
River bottom to the northeast.

In the spring of 1893 the Snake Creek Branch of the
Cardston Ward was organized with Richard Pilling as
the Branch Presiding Elder. On December 17 of that
same year the organization was changed to a "ward",
with Richard Pilling as the first Bishop, and Niels (or
Neils) Hansen and John Pilling as his counselors.
Thomas Owen King was the ward clerk; Joseph H.
Ellison the superintendent of the Sunday School, with
assistants Richard A. Pilling and George M. Hudson;
and William Sheffield the ward chorister and choir
leader.

At first the ward comprised 16 families-soon to be
increased to 23, with a total head count of 119. Promi-
nent family names besides those already mentioned in-
clude Christian F. Jensen, John Gregson, George
Bennett, Peter Skriver, John W. Woolf, Elias Pilling,
Joseph Pilling, Hyrum Hansen, Ezra Hansen, James
Kearl, Frank Bevans, and others.

It was in 1893 that the community was given its new
name by John W. Taylor, an L.D.S general authority
from Salt Lake City visiting in the area at the time. He
was impressed by the shape of a hill-now locally
known as "Buffalo Hill" just behind the present ranch
home of Kelvin Jensen-as resembling that of Mt. Etna
in Sicily. The present spelling is a modification of"Etna".

Early settlers in the Colles district east of the St.
Mary River were counted on the Aetna Ward rolls until
that district became the "East Aetna Branch" in 1897.
There was also a "West Aetna Branch" in 1899 presided
over by Homer Woolf whose homestead was about where
the Don Forsyth ranch lies.

After the church house was moved to the present
hamlet site in 1897, school was held in the home of
George M. Hudson, where the first teacher was a Mr.
Maxwell, followed by a Mr. A. McDonald. It was not
long until a school house was built a block west of the
church house on the east bank of Snake Creek. The
Snake Creek Public School District No. 445 of the North
West Territories was officially formed June 30, 1897.

An addition was made to the church at this time also
making it the envy of other similar settlements. Naturally
being well provided with church and school facilities
the hamlet grew rapidly. Settlers bought lots in the
village, built homes on them, and commuted to their
farms for seasonal work. The religious, social
recreational, and educational needs of their families were
thus served for many years after 1897.

A modern, two-story church house was built in 1937
It contained chapel, classrooms, recreational hall, stage
and kitchen. It served the ward for 35 years until they
built again, this time with the Cardston Fourth Ward, on
the southern outskirts of Cardston.

Richard Pilling Sr. presided over the Aetna Ward un-
1899. Succeeding Bishops were Niels Hansen, 1899-
1902; Nathan W. Tanner, 1902-1918; James Henry
Tanner, 1918-1920; Andrew C. Jensen, 1920-1933; Ben
H. May, 1933-1934; Christian Jensen, 1934-1946; Willis
A. Pitcher, 1946-1950; Ora L. Jensen, 1950-1960; Harold
L. Jensen, 1960- 1964; Dick Richards, 1964- 1972; L.
George Cahoon, 1972-1073; and William J. Richards,
1973-present time (1978).

The old school, built on the east bank of Snake
Creek, became a two-room school and served the aims of
education as best it could until it was replaced by a newer
structure built on the corner of the village square in the
late 1930's/ The old, two-room shell still stands - a
decaying monument to the laughter and tears of the
youth of yesteryear. Its successor, with the coming of
centralized schools, was ignobly dragged to Cardston and
forced to pay homage to grander structures for
generations yet to come.

Early houses and other buildings were built of log
and rough-hewn planks brought from the mountains to
the west. Some were later covered with siding or stucco,
and still stand and are habitable. Others have been
demolished to make room for modern structures. Only a
few remain to weather and crumble to dust, but they have
to be seen to be only partially appreciated.

The community of Aetna has always been a mixed
farming district. Hence it welcomed the coming of irriga-
tion in the 1940's. Livestock production has been a major
part of its agricultural pursuits. The hamlet itself sup-
ported a general store for over 30 years-the first being
operated by Hyrum Hansen even before 1900. There was
also a creamery in the early days operated by Mr. J. A
Dangerfield. A post office, usually located in the general
store, took care of the mail's services. Coal mines were
opened up in the St. Mary River and Lee Creek valley
by Lorenzo Hansen. The farmers more or less took care
of their own blacksmithing needs or went to Cardston for
them. Cardston has always been Aetna's chief source of
supplies, and the main marketing center for its products.
By 1900 Aetna's population was estimated to be 40
souls, and probably reached its peak by World War I.

In the past the community has sponsored many
worthy endeavours, besides those associated with making
a living. The menfolk have always supported athletics
and achieved much success in wrestling, boxing, baseball
and basketball. Choirs, bands, and orchestras were
organized and furnished music for churches, dances,
celebrations, and special occasions. Dramatics troupes
staged many high calibre productions. Aetna's sons
responded to their adopted country's call in both World
Wars,-some of whom paid the supreme sacrifice. A
number of prominent civil servants, churchmen, and
educators have come out of Aetna.