| Town of Fort Macleod | |
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| — Town — | |
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Town of Fort
Macleod
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| Coordinates: 49°43′32″N 113°23′51″W / 49.72556°N 113.3975°W | |
| Country |  Canada |
| Province |  Alberta |
| Region | Southern Alberta |
| Census division | 3 |
| Municipal District | Willow Creek |
| Settled | 1884 |
| Government [1] | |
| - Mayor | Shawn Patience |
| - Manager | Barry Elliott |
| - Governing body | Fort Macleod Town Council |
| - MP | Ted Menzies (Macleod-Cons) |
| - MLA | David Coutts |
| Area [2] | |
| - Total | 23.34 km2 (9 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 945 m (3,100 ft) |
| Population (2006)[3] | |
| - Total | 3,072 |
| - Density | 131.6/km2 (340.8/sq mi) |
| Time zone | MST (UTC-7) |
| Postal code span | T0L |
| Area code(s) | +1-403 |
| Website | Town of Fort Macleod |
Fort Macleod is a town in the southwest corner of the province of Alberta, Canada. It is named in honour of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Colonel James Macleod. Fort Macleod was recently chosen from 30 communities as the site for the proposed Alberta Police and Peace Officer Training Center, which is expected to cause an economic boom in the region.
The town's current mayor is Shawn Patience.
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The fort was built as a 70 by 70 meters square (233 by 233 ft) on the 18th of October. The east side held the men's quarters and the west side held those of the Mounties. Buildings such as hospitals, stores, and guardrooms were in the south end. Stables and the blacksmith's shop were in the north end.
The town grew on the location of the Fort Macleod North West Mounted Police Barracks, the first outpost of the North West Mounted Police in Western Canada, established in 1874 on an island on the Oldman River, then moved in 1884 to the actual town location.[4] The Museum of the North West Mounted Police[5] is located in Fort Macleod.
Heritage Canada started a Main Street Restoration Project in 1982, aiming to preserve the sandstone and brick buildings, some dating back to 1878.[6]
On August 27, 1956, while an RCAF squadron leader and a flight Lieutenant were attempting to set a speed record in an F-86 and flying over Fort Macleod, a stationary object in the sky was observed. It was brighter than the sunlight and distinctly disk-shaped. A photograph was taken of the object. Possible explanations that the object was a cloud, a sun dog, or a reflection have been ruled out because it was found to be a definite light source as it was equally bright on the side facing the sun as of its other side. Some scientists have explained the sighting as ball lightning, but others say this is unlikely due to its shape and size.[7]
The town is located in the Municipal District of Willow Creek, at the intersection of Highway 2 and Highway 3, on the Oldman River. It lies west of the larger community of Lethbridge, near the reserves of the Peigan and Kainah First Nations. It is also located close to the Waterton Lakes National Park.
The town is located 8 kilometres (5 mi) north of the McBride Lake Wind Farm, one of the largest wind farms in Alberta. The wind farm has a capacity of 75 megawatts of electricity.
In 2001, Fort Macleod had a population of 2,990, a 1.5% decrease from 1996.[2]
In 2006, Fort Macleod had a population of 3,072 living in 1,278 dwellings, a 2.7% increase from 2001. The town has a land area of 23.34 km2 (9.0 sq mi) and a population density of 131.6 /km2 (340.8/sq mi).[3]
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The town is home to the Fort Macleod Mustangs, a provincial hockey team.
Ang Lee's Academy Award-winning movie Brokeback Mountain was filmed in part in Fort Macleod. The laundry apartment is located at 2422 Third Avenue, where a sign is posted marking the "passionate reunion" of Jake and Ennis. Passchendaele was also filmed in Fort Macleod's historic downtown, which acted as a stand-in for Calgary circa 1915.
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Claresholm | Granum | Nobleford | |
| Cowley |  |
Coalhurst | ||
 Fort
Macleod  |
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| Pincher Creek | Glenwood | Magrath |
Coordinates: 49°43′32.1″N 113°23′51.1″W / 49.725583°N 113.397528°W
Fort Macleod[1] is a city in Southern Alberta, Canada. It lies to the south of Old Man River.
There are few alternatives to arriving by car. Highway 3 approaches from the southwest and northeast. Highway 2 approaches from the northwest and southeast. They intersect just east and west of the city, and run together through the city.
| Routes through Fort Macleod |
| Calgary ← High River ← | N  S |
→ Cardston → Great Falls (Montana) |
| Cranbrook ← Crowsnest Pass ← | W  E |
→ Lethbridge → Medicine Hat |
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