Renewal and Reinvention
What drives people to make and build, even after disaster?In 2013 High River was one of the small towns in Alberta devastated by flash flooding. The nearby Rocky Mountains had a larger-than-usual snowpack. Spring arrived early with the first rains. Everything melted faster than usual.
Overnight, rivers and creeks turned into raging torrents. Like many other communities in the Foothills of Alberta, High River was in the way. Its downtown core and many small businesses, already facing a faltering oil industry and globalisation, were caught in the deluge. We thought the town would never recover, and that High River, the pinnacle stop on the Canadian Cowboy Trail, would be changed forever.
It is now almost four years after the floods. The good news is that High River recovered and reinvented itself in the process. It now stands as a symbol of the enterprising nature of the people of Alberta. It is open for business once again.
Albertans find new ways to move forward when they face adversity. They are builders that work with their fellow community members to reinvent and take charge of their destiny. They make lemonade when life gives them lemons. They brew beer and distill whisky when the oil price is down. They build better towns when those are destroyed by flooding.
Olson Silver Company, in High River, was one of the businesses hit hardest by the flood. The company grew from Jim Olson’s hobby in the early 1960s into the largest belt buckle manufacturing shop in Canada. The third generation is still making everything in the same shop, with very little reliance on outside suppliers.
Olson belt buckles are some of the most sought after trophies at many rodeos, from small town amateur events to the Canadian Finals Rodeo and all levels in between. It is an authentic and inspirational business that reinvented itself after the floods and as a consequence of it.
It now combines the traditional, tried and tested approach of high-quality craftsmanship with new talent and designs. Two young brothers joined Greg Hitchner's team after the flood. Greg is the owner, custodian and chief maker currently presiding over the company's legacy of beautiful and famous Cowboy style buckles and silverware. With new talent comes a new energy for tradition. They also bring an enthusiasm for inventing, new designs and for the art of making something beautiful, valuable and authentic that is from Alberta, our home.
It is now almost four years after the floods. The good news is that High River recovered and reinvented itself in the process. It now stands as a symbol of the enterprising nature of the people of Alberta. It is open for business once again.
Albertans find new ways to move forward when they face adversity. They are builders that work with their fellow community members to reinvent and take charge of their destiny. They make lemonade when life gives them lemons. They brew beer and distill whisky when the oil price is down. They build better towns when those are destroyed by flooding.
Olson Silver Company, in High River, was one of the businesses hit hardest by the flood. The company grew from Jim Olson’s hobby in the early 1960s into the largest belt buckle manufacturing shop in Canada. The third generation is still making everything in the same shop, with very little reliance on outside suppliers.
Olson belt buckles are some of the most sought after trophies at many rodeos, from small town amateur events to the Canadian Finals Rodeo and all levels in between. It is an authentic and inspirational business that reinvented itself after the floods and as a consequence of it.
It now combines the traditional, tried and tested approach of high-quality craftsmanship with new talent and designs. Two young brothers joined Greg Hitchner's team after the flood. Greg is the owner, custodian and chief maker currently presiding over the company's legacy of beautiful and famous Cowboy style buckles and silverware. With new talent comes a new energy for tradition. They also bring an enthusiasm for inventing, new designs and for the art of making something beautiful, valuable and authentic that is from Alberta, our home.
Observations
Greg and his team made beautiful decorative buckles for us that we wear proudly.
It is a symbol of the tradition and values that we stand for as the Two Cowboys & A Camera. The buckles are tokens of our commitment to the makers in our communities. They showcase the integrity, tradition and authenticity that come from buying local. These are people we support and who support us.
Manufacturers in foreign markets can churn out thousands of buckles an hour. Making buckles is no longer an art only reserved for a select few talented artisans. Some of these factories may even come close to the quality and design of what Olson Silver produces. If it were only about the buckle, a cheaper version made elsewhere would probably do. However, it is not only about the buckle. Buying something made by a local artisan comes with a much bigger story.
Wearing an Olson Silver buckle tells the story of the company, its people, the town of High River and the resilience of the many makers in our communities. We hope to encourage more people to shop locally with these and other makers. If we support local producers we are creating employment, character and capacity for growth. We are building our community. We are ultimately investing in ourselves.
Order your buckle from Olson Silver Company. It is something personal, and they will make it exceptional.
Silver Cowboy
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