The Fort Calgary Interpretive Centre and its friendly guides offer a glimpse into the life of an early Mountie.
A look at the recreated 1888 barracks confirms it was a rugged existence. When the North West Mounted Police moved to southern Alberta, they built the fort on the patch of land where the Bow and Elbow rivers collide. The construction of the post, initially called Fort Brisebois, took six weeks and was hastily done with upright pine logs, sod roofs and mud. The men lived with leaky roofs, chunks of falling dirt and howling winds for roommates. They toughed it out for seven miserable years before tearing down the shoddy quarters and replacing them with substantial buildings.
An entire exhibit gives guests the opportunity to try on Mountie uniforms through the ages. British military uniforms inspired the jackets—they have always been a vibrant scarlet to keep Mounties visible on the open prairie and to distinguish them from American soldiers in blue. The pillbox hat was soon traded in for a pith helmet, which was in turn quickly replaced by a Stetson, a more practical hat for protection during the blistering summers and frigid winters.
After they have hung the uniform back on the rack, visitors are welcome to meander through buildings typical of Calgary in the early part of the 20th century. Costumed volunteers answer questions as you stroll through a recreated drug store, a newspaper office, a radio station, an automobile repair shop, and a jail cell.
History of Fort Calgary
In the years after its establishment, Fort Calgary was the social hub for Mounties, settlers and natives, playing a formative role in the growth of the new city. But the fort itself fell into disuse in the early 20th century when the rapid growth of Calgary and the arrival of the locomotive encouraged the Mounties to build a new home on a different site. The Fort Calgary land was purchased by the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway in 1914 and the company demolished all buildings except for the Deane House which was constructed in 1906 for the fort superintendent. After decades of industrial and railway use on the site, the land was reclaimed by the citizens of Calgary as part of the initiative to celebrate Cowtown’s Centennial in 1975. Since then, archaeologists have unearthed remains of the original buildings and enough artifacts to have it declared a National and Provincial Historic Site. The post has been rebuilt using period tools and techniques on the location where the original stood.
Fort Calgary Information
Fort Calgary is open 359 days of the year from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. They are closed January 1, Good Friday, December 24, 25, 26, and 31. The 16 hectare (40-acre) site is located on the eastern outskirts of downtown Calgary (750 - 9th Avenue SE.) Fort Calgary is owned by The City of Calgary and is operated by the Fort Calgary Preservation Society. Call 403-290-1875 or check out the Fort Calgary web site for more information.
Toby Welch - Toby is a full-time freelance writer who specializes in magazine articles, online writing, e-books, and manuscript editing.
Join the Conversation