 |
| A School in Inglewood1 |
|
Calgary is a vibrant and growing city, known for its western heritage and friendly people. It has fast become a cosmopolitan area with an increasing population that shows no sign of slowing down. Calgary's ideal location in the foothills of Canada's Rocky Mountains attracts visitors worldwide, offering breathtaking views and an abundance of pristine wilderness close by.
Calgary started off as Fort Calgary with the railway industry playing a major role in the economy and at attracting settlers to the area. The city received its name from Colonel James Macleod. Calgary is a Scottish name originating from Calgary Bay on the Isle of Mull, Scotland. Officially proclaimed a city in 1884 with a population of 4,000, Calgary started out like most western towns. The city featured a series of wood frame houses, wooden church steeples and a city hall clock tower. The great fire of 1886 changed the look of Calgary from wood to the more fireproof sandstone. The Sandstone City became Calgary's new nickname and set it apart from other cities. Calgary has a rich history with landmarks and districts that tell of its continuous evolution. The city however, hasn't done much to preserve it's history. Many historical landmarks and buildings have been torn down to make room for new ones. Calgary's image is more new and modern rather than nostalgic. All is not lost though, there are certain districts that have worked hard at preserving history with hopes of passing it on to future generations.
FORT CALGARY
Fort Calgary was established in 1875 by the F Troop of the North West Mounted Police. The fort was built at the forks of the Bow and Elbow Rivers and under the instruction of Inspector Ephrem Brisebois, the Mounted Police were to suppress whiskey traffic along the Bow River. The fort was constructed out of pine logs and the pole roofs were covered with earth, while the walls were mudded with clay. It took approximately six weeks to build and the living conditions in the fort were far from comfortable.
| |
 |
| |
Fort Calgary2 |
In 1882, the fort was torn down and new buildings were built and the site became known as Calgary Barracks. A few years later these buildings were destroyed by fire and were replaced by a remarkable two-storey building that could house 100 men. In 1914, the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway purchased the land and demolished all fort buildings except for Superintendent Deane's house. In 1975, the city of Calgary celebrated its Centennial and reclaimed the land. Archaeologists working in the area over the years have uncovered remains of the original fort and several other buildings. Due to these findings, the location is now designated as a National and Provincial Historic Site. Today visitors to the area can view a replica of the 1875 fort site and can walk through an interpretive centre with exhibits that illustrate Calgary from 1875 to the 1940s.
INGLEWOOD
The first community formed in Calgary was Inglewood. The area features over 200 pre-1914 buildings, including homes, office buildings and retail shops. Inglewood is located on 9th Avenue South East, across the Elbow River from Fort Calgary. The district was occupied as early as 1871 by American traders and became a permanent settlement with the 1875 construction of Fort Calgary. It was originally thought that the Canadian Pacific Railway would build its main station in Inglewood but instead chose to construct it on the other side of the river.
Inglewood was home to some of the city's major industries such as the Burns meat packing plant and the Calgary Brewery. During the community's economic boom in 1910, many multi-storey brick buildings and houses emerged. With the start of the Great War in 1914, the housing boom came to an end and by 1960 Inglewood was rezoned as an industrial area. As years went on the community became plagued by social problems but has managed to overcome these difficulties and is now an attractive and fashionable business district with restaurants, pubs, various retail shops and office spaces.
| |
 |
| |
Historic Train3 |
VICTORIA PARK
The Victoria Park area is home to the world famous Calgary Exhibition and Stampede. It is located southeast of downtown and lies between 10th and 18th Avenues and is bounded by the Elbow River and Second Street Southwest. The land was purchased in 1889 by Colonel James Walker and members of the Calgary Agriculture Society who later became founders of the Stampede. For many years this outdoor show attracted huge crowds to the Victoria Park community but as the Stampede expanded it eventually led to the downfall of the area. Many residents have had their homes put in jeopardy in order to accommodate the Stampede's expansion. However, the area was not always plagued by such problems. Victoria Park was once populated with working class families, business people and small factories. Due to social issues, caution should be used when visiting this area. The area has gone through a revitalization process which has resulted in several new condo developments as well as the renovation of a number of older buildings. Several older buildings have been transformed into high-end condo lofts.
CONNAUGHT-BELTLINE
The Connaught-Beltine area of Calgary is located in the city's southeast between 8th and 14th Street and was home to some well-known people. The location was once bare prairie land and James Loughheed, Alberta's first Senator, built his large home in the area in 1891. In 1901, the community was home to a beautiful sandstone mansion that belonged to Calgary's first millionaire, Patrick Burns. Unfortunately, it was demolished in 1956 for the expanding Colonel Belcher Hospital. During the housing boom between 1905 and 1914, the area was home to some sophisticated homes that featured adaptations of the Queen Anne style and tall decorative chimneys. Apartment buildings such as the Devenish, are still around today and is now home to businesses such as fashion boutiques, salons, an art gallery and jewellery shop. In 1911, Philanthropist Andrew Carnegie financed the first public library in Alberta, located in the Connaught-Beltline. Famous author, activist, and teacher Nellie McClung lived in the Connaught-Beltline community from 1923 to 1932.
BOWNESS
| |
 |
| |
St. Mary's Cathedral4 |
Bowness is located in northwest Calgary and is well known for its park that is often used for skating in the winter and swimming in the summer. Originally, the area was not a part of the City of Calgary but was a separate piece of land located in the Bow River valley. An Englishman by the name of John Hextall came to Alberta in 1908 and was enchanted by the natural beauty of Bowness and decided to develop the land into an exclusive residential community. At his own expense, Hextall subdivided the land into large treed lots and built a bridge connecting Bowness to Calgary. As a means to attracting wealthy investors, he also had a park and golf club constructed. In 1911, Hextal signed an agreement with the City of Calgary in which he agreed to give up the islands of Bowness Park in exchange for a municipal streetcar. This was done to ease future expansion plans but by 1914, the year Hextall died, only five of the impressive homes he foresaw had been built. With the arrival of the First World War, financial investment for the area dried up and the growth of Bowness slowed down. By 1951, the community officially became a town and in 1964, it was officially annexed by the City of Calgary.
MOUNT ROYAL
Situated in Calgary's southwest and bounded by 17th Avenue and 14th Street, Mount Royal has become known as one of the city's most distinguished residential districts. It features large lots with plenty of trees, an abundant amount of open spaces for parks and gracefully curved streets. The elegance of the area is due to a plan that was put in place in 1905 by the City of Calgary and the Canadian Pacific Railway that owned the land, both of whom wanted to attract wealthy prospective settlers to the area. The plan was successful and the district experienced a building boom with many grand estate homes being built. Soon after, the area was officially named Mount Royal after the community in Montreal which was home to Canadian Pacific Railway President William Van Horne.
STEPHEN AVENUE MALL
Located along Eighth Avenue Southwest in downtown Calgary, this outdoor pedestrian mall was named after the Canadian Pacific Railway's first president, Lord George Mount Stephen. In 1886, a fire nearly destroyed the buildings lining Stephen Avenue. As a way to prevent another such tragedy, the city put a fireproof plan into action. Locally quarried sandstone was used in the construction for the commercial buildings that lined the avenue and Calgary quickly became known as the Sandstone City. During this time a person could come down to the avenue and purchase all their necessities, from food to postage stamps. By 1914, the use of sandstone slowed down and the cheaper alternative of bricks became the new supply of choice in construction. Across the street from Calgary's Old City Hall, located at the east end of the avenue, is the Olympic Plaza. Built in 1987, the plaza was used for medal ceremonies during the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics. Over the years many buildings along Stephen Avenue have been torn down to accommodate newer buildings such as the Glenbow Museum and shopping malls.
Today the area has been declared a National Historic District by the federal government and many structures have been restored to their original conditions. Visitors to Stephen Avenue Mall can now walk through a beautiful historic setting and enjoy a variety of fine dining, do a little shopping, stop in at a coffee bar or spend some time in a selection of art galleries.
 |
| Stephen Avenue Mall5 |
LANDMARKS
The City of Calgary has several noteworthy landmarks that have stood the test of time. Through restoration processes and constant maintenance, there are a few landmarks worth visiting such as the Centre Street Bridge, St. Mary's Cathedral and the Calgary Tower.
Centre Street Bridge
 |
| Centre Street Bridge Lion6 |
|
In 1906, the original Centre Street Bridge was built by A.J. McArther. He owned some land that he wanted to sell on the other side of the bridge, the area that is now known as Crescent Heights. The City of Calgary purchased the bridge in 1912 but in 1915 the Bow River flooded and wiped out the bridge. A new Centre Street Bridge was built and opened in 1916. It is this bridge that has survived the test of time and is now used daily by thousands of Calgarians. The majestic lions seen today, however, are replicas of the originals.
The most prominent features of the Centre Street Bridge are the four stone lions that guard the entrances. City worker James Thompson, who was once a Scottish mason, created the majestic lions. These impressive creatures were modeled after the lions found at the base of Admiral Nelson's monument at Trafalgar Square in London. The main difference between the two is that the English lions are made of brass whereas the ones in Calgary are made of concrete. Each lion features an image of the English rose, an Irish shamrock, the Scottish thistle and the Canadian Maple leaf. In 1993, the bridge was named a Historic Resource, partly due to the regal presence of the lions.
St. Mary's Cathedral
The original St. Mary's Cathedral came to be after a meeting in 1887 with Father Lacombe and Calgary parishioners. It was decided that due to the growing congregation, a new stone church should be built. Located on 18 Avenue Southwest, the church opened its doors in 1889 and in 1912, the Calgary Diocese was formed and Pope Pius X declared St. Mary's a Cathedral. No changes had been made to the structure until 1913 when Bishop McNally rearranged the sanctuary and sacristy. In 1955, the Cathedral was demolished and construction of the present day St. Mary's began. The new Cathedral opened its doors in 1957 and was consecrated by Reverend Francis P. Carroll, Bishop of Calgary. St. Mary's contains an amazing 5 m (16 ft) statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, cast in stone and mounted over the main doors. Over the years, St. Mary's has gone through extensive renovations and the original interior that was designed by Calgary architect, Maxwell Bates, has been greatly altered.
Calgary Tower
 |
| Calgary Tower7 |
|
The Calgary Tower is located in the city's downtown on 9th Avenue Southwest. Once known as the Husky Tower, it was built in 1966 on the site of the demolished Canadian Pacific Railway station. The Tower was opened in 1968 by Premier Ernest Manning, and in 1971 it became officially known as the Calgary Tower. At the time, the tower was the tallest free-standing structure in the city. However, the year 1983 saw the Tower lose this status with the completion of the Petro-Canada building. A special feature of the Tower is the torch at the very top that is lit on special occasions such as the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympic Games. The tower stands 190 m (626 ft) tall and it takes 62 seconds to get from ground level to the observation deck. The City of Calgary is a founding member of the World Federation of Great Towers. Other world famous structures that are part of the federation include the CN Tower and the Eiffel Tower.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF:
- c/o Worldweb.com; Historic Inglewood School; Calgary, Alberta,
Canada
- c/o WorldWeb.com; Fort Calgary Gate; Calgary, Alberta,
Canada
- Historic Train; Calgary, Alberta,
Canada
- c/o WorldWeb.com; Front Entrance of St. Mary's Cathedral; Calgary, Alberta,
Canada
- c/o WorldWeb.com; Stephen Avenue Mall; Calgary, Alberta,
Canada
- Centre Street Bridge; Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- c/o WorldWeb.com; Calgary Tower; Calgary, Alberta, Canada
