In 1883, the Northwest Territorial Council passed the Municipal Ordinance, allowing for the establishment of local government areas. In response to this ordinance, many townships -- typically comprised of 36 sections of land --, organized to form herd districts (1883), fire districts (1886), and statute labor districts (1887). In 1897, all three ordinances amalgamated with the passing of the Local Improvement Ordinance. Local improvement districts maintained public works such as road building, management of fires, noxious fumes, and animals. A 1903 amendment of the Local Improvement Ordinance allowed local improvement districts to include between 3 and 6 townships.

In 1912, with the passing of the Rural Municipality Act, the Province of Alberta created the Department of Municipal Affairs. The Act allowed 9 townships to apply for incorporation as a rural municipality as long as the land contained 1 person/square mile. Under this provision some local improvement districts organized as municipalities while others chose to continue as local improvement districts. In 1918, the Government of Alberta required the organization of all local improvement districts into municipalities with the Municipal Districts Act.

The Municipal History of the County of Athabasca No. 12 began in 1913, when Local Improvement District 637 organized from a territorial unit. In 1914, Local Improvement District 637 organized as Rural Municipality of Cartier 637. In 1917, the Rural Municipality of Cartier 637 organized to form the Municipal District of Cartier 637. In 1945, the Municipal District of Cartier 637 renumbered as the Municipal District of Cartier 103. In 1947, the Municipal District of Cartier 103, the Municipal District of Nelson 105, the Municipal District of Grosmont 106, Improvement District 102, and Improvement District 122 merged to from the Municipal District of Athabasca 103. In 1958, the Municipal District of Athabasca 103, and Athabasca School Division 42 amalgamated to form the County of Athabasca No. 12. In 2002, the Summer Village of White Gull dissolved to become part of the County of Athabasca No. 12.

Thomas Gushul was born in Rozniw, western Ukraine in 1889 and immigrated to Canada in 1906. Between 1907 and 1909, he worked for both the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) and the Canadian Northern Railway (CNR) in British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. Between 1909 and 1914, he worked in various coalmines in Blairmore. During the winters of 1909-1910 he taught Ukrainian to children in Schevchenko (Vita), Manitoba. In 1914, he married Lena Sawiek (1898-1981), and they had four children: Nadia (Rose) (1915-1959), Evan (1916-2014), Poraska (Nelson) (1921-1998) and Polly (Snowdon) (1923-2012).

In 1914, Thomas developed an interest in photography, and in 1917, he traveled to Winnipeg to study photography. In 1918, Lena, also a portrait and commercial photographer, joined Thomas in opening a photography studio in Bush Town, Alberta. In 1921, they opened a second studio in Blairmore, Alberta. In 1928, Lena and Thomas closed their store in Bush Town. Thomas received many awards for his photography work. In particular, he is remembered for his work in developing the practice of mine photography. Thomas later set up a photo-engraving plant that his son, Evan, operated for many years.

After Thomas' death, Lena continued to run the studio. The contents of the studio were purchased by the Glenbow-Alberta Institute in 1981, with some images distributed to heritage facilities around the province. The Gushul Studio buildings were restored by the Alberta Historical Resources Foundation in 1985 and used as the location for an artist's residency by the University of Lethbridge starting in1988.

The Alberta Council for the Ukrainian Arts (ACUA) was founded as a volunteer council in 1986. The purpose of the ACUA was to interest ethnic Ukrainian visual and performing artists in their heritage in order that their work stimulate growth of Ukrainian culture in Alberta. ACUA emerged from the planning for Festival '88, the largest celebration of Ukrainian arts in North America to that time. Festival '88 was held in Edmonton and Vegreville in June and July of 1988 to mark the millennium of Christianity in Ukraine and featured 2,800 dancers, music, and other cultural displays.

ACUA is a non-profit organization incorporated under the Societies Act of Alberta with the specific mandate to facilitate and encourage greater appreciation and awareness of the Ukrainian arts and their cultural significance to the greater Alberta community. This mandate is accomplished through the publication of the biannual Ukrainian arts and culture magazine, ACUA Vitae; the provision of annual scholarships through the Ukrainian Resource and Development Centre and Grant MacEwan University and through the Friends of the Ukrainian Folklore Centre at the University of Alberta; publication of an artists' directory; annual artist shows in Edmonton, Calgary, and Jasper; and ongoing arts workshops.

ACUA is governed by a Board of Directors that consists of a president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, past president, and several directors-at-large. The office is located in Edmonton.