by today’s standards the space was limited, moving furniture and rolling back rugs in the parlor and dining rooms created enough room to dance in one square. The fiddler would lean against the doorway between the two rooms and play whatever the dancers desired. If the group was larger and the weather was good, the dancers were moved to the loft of the barn. Michelsen barn dances were popular for more than 75 years. As time went on, the day liner to Lethbridge offered new opportunities to the residents of Stirling and the surrounding area. But the Michelsen Farmstead remained a favorite gathering place – though its focus had changed slightly. Farmers from the surrounding area would often drive their teams to Stirling. They would then catch the train to Lethbridge leaving their team and wagon at the Michelsen farm, sometimes for several days. The popularity of the farm was not restricted to the adults. Youngsters found the hayloft to be a perfect place to "sleepover" and the young Michelsen boys carried on endless "Cops and Robbers" shootouts with their friends. The Michelsen boys were the preferred "bad guys" in these games. This latter activity was a source of great concern to one neighbor who predicted a dark future for young boys who spent so much of their time in such "unlawful play". It is one of life’s little ironies that Glen Michelsen was the first Stirling native son to join the RCMP and two of his three brothers followed his example by making law enforcement their career. The continued importance of the Michelsen Farmstead can still be seen today even though no Michelsen's now reside in the home. In 2001 the Andreas Michelsen Homestead was declared a Provincial Historic Resource with the house and outbuildings restored to the period of the 1930s. The Michelsens' Family Andreas Michelsen was born in Sleth, Denmark September 20, 1857. His wife, Kirsten Marie, was born in Aarhus, Denmark April 3, 1854. They had a large family of four boys and four girls. The oldest daughter, Lena, was born on October 8, 1880, in Denmark. The Michelsens' joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Around 1882, as was common at the time, to be closer to the church, Andreas, Kirsten, and Lena immigrated to Monroe, Utah. They had seven more children in Monroe. In 1900 the church called on some