Gem of the West Museum

The Gem of the West Museum offers visitors a rich journey through Coaldale’s past with more than 15 unique exhibits celebrating the region’s cultural and historical heritage. Guests can explore an impressive Indigenous display featuring a 12,000-year-old Clovis point, then wander recreated Main Street scenes including a general store, café, and one-room schoolhouse. The CPR exhibit highlights the typewriter used by B.B. Janz, who helped over 21,000 Mennonites escape persecution in the 1920s and ’30s. Visitors can also discover tools from Coaldale’s 95-year-old butcher shop and watch traditional craftsmanship in the operational blacksmith shop. Housed in a beautifully preserved 1939 Mennonite Brethren Church, the museum combines engaging storytelling with striking architecture—making it a must-see stop for history lovers.