Fort Calgary National Historic Site: Part 1

In 1875 the North West Mounted Police built a fort at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers that laid the foundations for the modern city of Calgary, Alberta. Established as Fort Brisebois, it was renamed Fort Calgary by James Macleod (a name associated with another popular fort) in 1876 after Calgary House in Scotland.   

Fort Calgary held its location from 1875 to 1914 when the land was then sold to the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. The site was cleared and became a rail yard and storage facility. Recognizing the historical value of the site, the City of Calgary reclaimed the land in 1974 and designated it a provincial and National Historic Site of Canada. 

Reopened in 1978, today Fort Calgary is a museum and event space featuring a replica of the 1888 barracks that were constructed in 2000. I explored and photographed this unique historic site for my Around Alberta series while taking advantage of the opportunity to learn more about the North West Mounted Police (later the Royal Canadian Mounted Police) and to tour a wide range of exhibits about the history of Calgary, Alberta.

Fort Calgary ca. 1878

New barracks at Fort Calgary ca. 1888