Discover Bad Heart Straw Church

Discover the inspiring story of the Bad Heart Straw Church near Teepee Creek, Alberta!

On our first trip for the 2026 Summer Bus Tours, we’ll be heading to the Bad Heart Straw Church, Kleskun Hills & Museum on Friday, June 26. Here is a little bit of history on how the church came to be…

In the heart of the Peace River Country, the small community of Bad Heart grew from a 1919 Soldiers’ Settlement after World War I. Settlers faced challenging farmland and limited amenities, with no local church until the mid-1950s. Residents had to travel to Teepee Creek for services.

Enter Father Francis Dales, a dynamic Redemptorist priest, trained architect, and beloved pastor based in Sexsmith (over 50 km away). Known for his creativity and resourcefulness, Fr. Dales designed and built churches, schools, and other structures using volunteer labour and salvaged materials.

Determined to bring a Catholic church to Bad Heart’s modest community, he turned to an innovative idea: straw bale construction. Inspired by eastern Canadian farm buildings, he used abundant rye or flax straw bales (preserved by natural oils) for an economical solution. Bishop Henri Routhier approved the plan and contributed $500.

Construction began in the summer of 1954. Volunteers completed the unique L-shaped church in about six weeks:

• Built on a cement slab with straw bales stacked on salvaged pipes.
• Thick (about 20-inch) walls, windowless sides for stability, a steep gable roof, and a bank of windows in the gable end.
• Exterior finished with rough stucco mixed with crushed 7-Up bottle shards for texture and sparkle.
• Interior features and furnishings, including pews, were salvaged from other local churches.

The result was a pioneering example of straw bale architecture in Alberta — possibly the only straw church in Canada! It quickly gained attention, even featured in the Toronto Star Weekly.

Today, the Bad Heart Straw Church stands as a Provincial Historic Resource (designated 2009), symbolizing rural ingenuity, community spirit, and Fr. Dales’ remarkable vision. A hidden gem on a hilltop overlooking the Bad Heart River that reminds us what’s possible with faith, creativity, and hard work.