Millet History
The Canadian Pacific Railway from Calgary to Edmonton was completed in 1891. At that time, Ben Slaughter, a fur trader and buyer, had a store where Millet is now located. Sir William Van Horne, President of the Pacific Railway Company, asked Father Lacombe to give names of all the stations between Lacombe and Edmonton. Father Lacombe submitted a list, which was approved by the Lieutenant Governor of the North West Territories. In honor of August Millet, a fur buyer who sold furs to Ben Slaughter and was a canoe man for Father Lacombe, on June 17, 1903, Millet was proclaimed a Village by an Order-in-Council. By 1908, Millet's first councilors were elected.
The first post office was established in 1896 on April 1, and Ben Slaughter was the first postmaster. In 1903 Van Meter and Jack West built stores in Millet the same year Millet became a Village. Jim Blades was the first overseer. P.J. Mullen settles in the Millet area in 1899. He was an entrepreneur who attracted many settlers to the area by extensive advertising of the possibilities for success here. New businesses were established and thrived. By 1915, the Board of Trade had fifty members from Millet and area. The one-room school built on the east side of the tracks in 1901, was destroyed by fire and in 1902 was replaced by a two-room school, then by a four-room school in 1930 to accommodate grades one to twelve.
In October 1927, a disastrous fire destroyed many of the buildings along the east side of Railway Street, but the businessmen rebuilt across the street.
In 1950, the Board of Trade built a Community Hall, which the Board gave to the Village and is still being used today. In 1953, Northwestern Utilities brought natural gas to the Village.
In the mid-seventies housing development started in Millet and was followed by an influx of new residents. Acreage developments surrounding Millet took place as well. In 1981, the Griffiths-Scott School was built; between it and the Millet School students from grades one to nine from Millet and the area were accommodated.
On September 1, 1983, Millet was declared a Town and October 17, 1983, a General Election was held with the change to Town status, 6 Councilors and a Mayor were elected. As the town continues to become a home to more people, its business community is steadily becoming revitalized. It can be proud of its excellent facilities, with the future looking very promising.