Pincher Creek, Alberta
Encyclopedia
Pincher Creek is a town
in the southwest of Alberta
, Canada
. It is located immediately east of the Canadian Rockies
in the centre of ranching country, 50 km (31.1 mi) north of Waterton Lakes National Park
.
The town's mayor is Ernie Olsen.
, Peigan
and Kootenai
Nations lived in or frequented the region.
The town received its name in 1868 when a group of prospectors lost a pincer
in the small creek at this location. These pincers would have been used as a mechanism for trimming the feet of the horses and thus had some value to the group. In 1874, the North-West Mounted Police came to southern Alberta
. One of them discovered the rusting tools in the creek, and they named the area Pincher Creek.
In 1876, the NWMP established a horse farm in the area. It closed in 1881, but many of the troops stayed to help the town. James Schofield opened Pincher Creek's first store in 1884. By 1885 Pincher Creek had a store known as Schofield & Hyde General Store. Harry Hyde succeeded Schofield as Pincher Creek's first postmaster.
In 1898, Pincher Creek was incorporated a village. In 1906, the community was officially incorporated as a town and named Pincher Creek. Many residents are descendants of the pioneer families who settled there over 100 years ago.
The Kootenai Brown Heritage Museum is a popular tourists stop. It was named for John Kootenai Brown, a trapper who was the founder of Waterton Park. The sign at the creek tells the story of the 1995 flood in Pincher Creek.
In 2006, Pincher Creek had a population of 3,625 living in 1,504 dwellings
, a 1.1% decrease from 2001. The town has a land area of 8.84 km² (3.4 sq mi) and a population density
of 410.2 /km2.
s often blow off the mountains and Pincher Creek can be very windy. The strongest recorded wind was 177 kilometers per hour. The strong winds have given rise to a significant amount of wind farm
development in the area, with the towers and blades of wind turbine
s being a characteristic of the scenery.
The town was severely affected by a flood that hit the area in 1995 as the peak stream flow discharge
was 271 cubic meters per second
, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada
was born in Pincher Creek, as was Stuart McDowall, Canadian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates
, Warren Winkler
, Chief Justice of the Ontario Court of Appeal, and educator Dr. Philip McRae http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/education/news.cfm?story=65274 grew up in Pincher Creek.
Theoretical physicist Gordon Walter Semenoff
was born and grew up in Pincher Creek. Professional ice hockey goaltender Darcy Wakaluk
was born in Pincher Creek in 1966. The conservationist Andy Russell
lived in Pincher Creek.
and the Alberta Montana border, making the drive to the United States shorter than a lot of other routes. Also near Pincher Creek is Castle Mountain Ski Resort, 30 minutes west. An hour to the east is Lethbridge and Calgary is two hours to the north. Pincher Creek is a four-hour drive from the Saskatchewan border, and a 45-minute drive from the British Columbia border.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in the southwest of Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is located immediately east of the Canadian Rockies
Canadian Rockies
The Canadian Rockies comprise the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains range. They are the eastern part of the Canadian Cordillera, extending from the Interior Plains of Alberta to the Rocky Mountain Trench of British Columbia. The southern end borders Idaho and Montana of the USA...
in the centre of ranching country, 50 km (31.1 mi) north of Waterton Lakes National Park
Waterton Lakes National Park
Waterton Lakes National Park is a national park located in the southwest corner of Alberta, Canada, and borders Glacier National Park in Montana, USA. Waterton was Canada's fourth national park, formed in 1895 and named after Waterton Lake, in turn after the Victorian naturalist and conservationist...
.
The town's mayor is Ernie Olsen.
History
For centuries before this area was settled, the BlackfootKainai Nation
The Kainai Nation is a First Nation in southern Alberta, Canada with a population of 7,437 members in 2005, and had a population of 9,035 members as of 9 February 2008...
, Peigan
Peigan
Peigan refers to two Native tribes in the Blackfoot Confederacy:* Northern Peigan, in Alberta, Canada* Piegan Blackfeet in Montana, USA...
and Kootenai
Kootenai (tribe)
The Ktunaxa , also known as Kootenai, Kutenai or Kootenay , are an indigenous people of North America. They are one of three tribes of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Nation in Montana, and they form the Ktunaxa Nation in British Columbia...
Nations lived in or frequented the region.
The town received its name in 1868 when a group of prospectors lost a pincer
Pliers
Pliers are a hand tool used to hold objects firmly, for bending, or physical compression. Generally, pliers consist of a pair of metal first-class levers joined at a fulcrum positioned closer to one end of the levers, creating short jaws on one side of the fulcrum, and longer handles on the other...
in the small creek at this location. These pincers would have been used as a mechanism for trimming the feet of the horses and thus had some value to the group. In 1874, the North-West Mounted Police came to southern Alberta
Southern Alberta
Southern Alberta is a region located in the Canadian province of Alberta. As of the year 2004, the region's population was approximately 272,017. The primary cities are Lethbridge and Medicine Hat...
. One of them discovered the rusting tools in the creek, and they named the area Pincher Creek.
In 1876, the NWMP established a horse farm in the area. It closed in 1881, but many of the troops stayed to help the town. James Schofield opened Pincher Creek's first store in 1884. By 1885 Pincher Creek had a store known as Schofield & Hyde General Store. Harry Hyde succeeded Schofield as Pincher Creek's first postmaster.
In 1898, Pincher Creek was incorporated a village. In 1906, the community was officially incorporated as a town and named Pincher Creek. Many residents are descendants of the pioneer families who settled there over 100 years ago.
The Kootenai Brown Heritage Museum is a popular tourists stop. It was named for John Kootenai Brown, a trapper who was the founder of Waterton Park. The sign at the creek tells the story of the 1995 flood in Pincher Creek.
Demographics
The population of the Town of Pincher Creek according to its 2008 municipal census is 3,712.In 2006, Pincher Creek had a population of 3,625 living in 1,504 dwellings
House
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
, a 1.1% decrease from 2001. The town has a land area of 8.84 km² (3.4 sq mi) and a population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 410.2 /km2.
Climate
Strong Chinook windChinook wind
Chinook winds , often called chinooks, commonly refers to foehn winds in the interior West of North America, where the Canadian Prairies and Great Plains meet various mountain ranges, although the original usage is in reference to wet, warm coastal winds in the Pacific Northwest.Chinook is claimed...
s often blow off the mountains and Pincher Creek can be very windy. The strongest recorded wind was 177 kilometers per hour. The strong winds have given rise to a significant amount of wind farm
Wind farm
A wind farm is a group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electric power. A large wind farm may consist of several hundred individual wind turbines, and cover an extended area of hundreds of square miles, but the land between the turbines may be used for agricultural or other...
development in the area, with the towers and blades of wind turbine
Wind turbine
A wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy from the wind into mechanical energy. If the mechanical energy is used to produce electricity, the device may be called a wind generator or wind charger. If the mechanical energy is used to drive machinery, such as for grinding grain or...
s being a characteristic of the scenery.
The town was severely affected by a flood that hit the area in 1995 as the peak stream flow discharge
Discharge (hydrology)
In hydrology, discharge is the volume rate of water flow, including any suspended solids , dissolved chemical species and/or biologic material , which is transported through a given cross-sectional area...
was 271 cubic meters per second
Notable residents
Beverley McLachlinBeverley McLachlin
Beverley McLachlin, PC is the Chief Justice of Canada, the first woman to hold this position. She also serves as a Deputy of the Governor General of Canada.-Early life:...
, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada
Chief Justice of Canada
The Chief Justice of Canada, like the eight puisne Justices of the Supreme Court of Canada, is appointed by the Governor-in-Council . All nine are chosen from either sitting judges or barristers who have at least ten years' standing at the bar of a province or territory...
was born in Pincher Creek, as was Stuart McDowall, Canadian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates
Canadian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates
The Canadian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates is an official diplomatic post held by a senior Canadian civil servant.* Chargé d'Affaires...
, Warren Winkler
Warren Winkler
Warren Keith Winkler is a Canadian jurist and the current Chief Justice of Ontario. Appointed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper on June 1, 2007, Winkler was previously Regional Senior Judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice for the Toronto Region.-Biography:Born in Virden, Manitoba, Winkler...
, Chief Justice of the Ontario Court of Appeal, and educator Dr. Philip McRae http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/education/news.cfm?story=65274 grew up in Pincher Creek.
Theoretical physicist Gordon Walter Semenoff
Gordon Walter Semenoff
Gordon Walter Semenoff is a theoretical physicist and Professor of Physics at University of British Columbia. He is known for his research on quantum mechanics, quantum field theory, statistical mechanics and string theory and is particularly famous for his co-invention, together with Antti Niemi,...
was born and grew up in Pincher Creek. Professional ice hockey goaltender Darcy Wakaluk
Darcy Wakaluk
Darcy W. Wakaluk is a former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League from 1988 to 1997....
was born in Pincher Creek in 1966. The conservationist Andy Russell
Andy Russell (Canadian author)
Andy Russell, was a famed conservationist and author who had a passion the wilderness. He was also a noted outfitter, mountain guide, photographer, television broadcaster and story teller. In 1976, he received the Julian T...
lived in Pincher Creek.
Area
Pincher Creek is in a tourist and recreational area. It is north of Waterton Lakes National ParkWaterton Lakes National Park
Waterton Lakes National Park is a national park located in the southwest corner of Alberta, Canada, and borders Glacier National Park in Montana, USA. Waterton was Canada's fourth national park, formed in 1895 and named after Waterton Lake, in turn after the Victorian naturalist and conservationist...
and the Alberta Montana border, making the drive to the United States shorter than a lot of other routes. Also near Pincher Creek is Castle Mountain Ski Resort, 30 minutes west. An hour to the east is Lethbridge and Calgary is two hours to the north. Pincher Creek is a four-hour drive from the Saskatchewan border, and a 45-minute drive from the British Columbia border.
External links
- Town of Pincher Creek (Official Website)
- Pincher Creek & District Chamber of Commerce