Jim Ingram: The First Mayor of Brooks

• James Ingram was born in 1895, the ninth out of twelve children. He was raised in Quebec, but he, his parents, and several siblings moved to Calgary in 1888.  

• Jim was involved in the ranching business, as many people were in those days. He slowly moved farther and farther east before settling in Brooks with his wife and young family. 

• He started many businesses in Brooks, working in insurance, real estate, and as an undertaker before purchasing the entirety of the Brooks Hotel in 1915.  

• The hotel struggled through World War I, but they turned the bar into a store and soon enough, the business took off. Jim purchased several more buildings to add to his complex.  

• Over the years, Jim served as the mayor and was on the town council and the school board. He was part of the Anglican Church and was always trying to better the community. His store was sold to his children in 1936, and Jim passed several years later, at the age of 85. 

• Jim Ingram was one of the citizens of Brooks who poured into the community with everything in him.  

Bibliography 

Mile 723: Brooks - A Prairie Railstop Turns 100. Nesbitt, James. Brooks, Alberta, 2010. Print.