McCauley's Livery Stable
If you were to look up "livery" in the dictionary, you would find several definitions including: a) a particular uniform; and b) the boarding or renting of horses and carriages for a fee. In this case, we are referring to the latter.
The
livery stable of the pre-automobile society was one of the most important
businesses - to travel on land meant to travel by horse or by train. Train
yards were for trains, and livery stables were for horses.
In addition to providing a place for a traveller to rest his horse, livery stables also boarded horses for lengths of time, rented horses, carriages, sleighs and even drivers. As such, it was the equivalent of our "modern" car rental, park-n-ride, or taxi services.
Matthew McCauley was born in 1850 in Ontario, and established his livery stable in 1881. Between two marriages, McCauley had 12 children. He was elected Edmonton's first Mayor - serving from 1892 to 1895. In addition to a number of endeavours, McCauley was instrumental in establishing the Edmonton School District.
McCauley's Livery Stable stood on the site of the present McCauley Plaza, on Jasper Avenue between 100 Street and 101 Street.
