Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Calgary
Calgary
is a thriving metropolis
of concrete and steel, and a western city
through and through. Set against the Rocky
Mountains to the west and prairie ranch-
lands to the east, this young, prosperous
city fl ourished during the region's various
oil booms, but its nickname, Cowtown,
tells a different story. Before the oil, there
were cowboys and gentlemen, and Calgary
originally grew thanks to a handful of wealthy
ranching families.
Over-grazed lands in the United States
and an open grazing policy north of the
border drew many ranchers to the fer-
tile plains around Calgary. Wealthy English
and American investors soon bought up
land near Calgary, and once again Calgary
boomed. The beginning of the 20th cen-
tury was a time of population growth and
expansion, only slightly jarred by World
War I.
Oil was the next big ticket. Crude oil was
discovered in Turner Valley in 1914 and
Calgary was on its way to becoming a
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