Town south of Calgary named one of the most overlooked in Alberta
A town south of Calgary has been named one of the most overlooked towns in Alberta that’s worth visiting, being noted for its impressive history.
World Atlas, one of the largest publishing resources in geography, released a list of seven overlooked towns in Alberta worth visiting, and Fort Macleod made the cut.
World Atlas touted the town as “one of southern Alberta’s top historic destinations” for its appearance in productions like Ghostbusters: Afterlife and the TV show Fargo, its historic architecture, and some activities you can do in the area.
Jeff Whyte/Shutterstock
According to Fort Macleod’s website, the town dates back to the late 19th century, when it was used as a barracks for the North West Mounted Police (NWMP), now Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), to deter American whisky traders.
A small settlement was formed outside the barracks in 1884, and it was incorporated as the Town of Macleod in 1892.
In 1906, a fire devastated the town, burning down most of the shops on Main Street, which led to a bylaw being passed requiring future buildings to be constructed out of stone or brick, changing the look of Main Street forever.
Around 1911, Fort Macleod started to boom, and despite a slowdown during the First World War and the Great Depression, it was a relatively thriving and diverse community.
fortmacleod.com
During WWII, Fort Macleod was a bustling community, thanks to the help of the British Commonwealth Air Training Station being set up. After the war, the station remained open and stored Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft. You can still find the station at the Fort Macleod Airport.
According to its website, Fort Macleod’s Main Street is one of two provincial historic areas designated by the Province of Alberta.
Now, Fort Macleod is well-known for its historic architecture and has even made numerous appearances in movies and TV shows.
World Atlas also noted its proximity to Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, calling it “one of the most significant interpretive centres of Plains Indigenous history.”
You can view the full list of overlooked Alberta towns online.