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A deal between the railroad and a reverend landowner determined the
location of the city
The city and region's name came from a
misinterpretation of the Cree word for the area, Waskasoo, meaning elk
or wapiti, named for their abundance in the region. Early fur traders
assumed that the elk were red deer.
In 1882, a number of former freighters, land surveryors and other
pioneers took up claims near the ford where the old Calgary-Edmonton
Trail crossed the Red Deer River.
The
original settlement was at the Crossing of the Red Deer River (where
Fort Normandeau is located), a few miles upstream from the current city.
When the railroad was being built, the Rev. Leonard Gaetz made a land
deal with the railroad to have it run through his property and donated
land for the townsite. And where the railroad was, so came the settlers
and business.
The
new settlement developed, thrived and became the hub of an energic and
prosperous region expanding north, south, east and west. Then and now,
transportation and business opportunities expanded. Communities,
recreation, tourism and the economy continue to grow.
The history of the Red Deer Region will be expanded over the next few
weeks. The first two installments are:
Part 1 -
Communities in the wilderness
- First Nations,
hunters, traders,
explorers and missionaries lay the groundwork for the future
Part 2 -
The Calgary-Edmonton Trail
-
Settlements develop around the Crossing
of the
Red Deer River
Coming Soon:
- The Calgary Edmonton Railway
- Competition Along the Line
- The Development of
the Region
- The Railway Capital of Canada
- Effects of World War I
- Effects of World War II
Geology
Museums
Historical Sites
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Fort Normandeau
and the Crossing
The Red Deer River
Crossing
on the Calgary and Edmonton Trail
upstream from current location
of the City of Red Deer
First resident 1872
First settlement 1882
First stagecoach 1883
Fort established 1885
New townsite 6 km east 1891
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