Stirling, Alberta

History

As railway developed in Southern Alberta throughout the 1880s, the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) built a line from Calgary to Fort Macleod, and the Alberta Railway and Coal Company (ARCC) constructed a narrow gauge line from Lethbridge to Medicine Hat to supply coal to the CPR. In 1899, the ARCC built another narrow gauge line from Lethbridge to Great Falls, Montana through the Coutts-Sweetgrass border crossing, closely following the route of the old Whoop-up Trail.

The line was not built to promote colonization, but to open additional markets for Lethbridge coal in Montana. There was a limited amount of ranching along the route and no agricultural settlement. The ARCC opened the line to advertise land in parcels of 80-6401 acres for stock. The first station along the line south of Lethbridge was located near what was than known as "18 Mile Lake" (18 miles from Lethbridge), so the trains would have water for the engines. This station was named after J. A. Stirling, an executive in a company in England that helped finance the ARCC. At that time, there were no people or buildings in the region, with the exception of station employees who lived in the section house.

With the arrival of irrigation on November 14, 1899, the Village of Stirling developed adjacent to the ARCC and station house.

On May 5, 1899, a small band of 30 Mormon settlers led by Theodore Brandley of Richfield, Utah, arrived at Stirling station. Theodore Brandley, with the help of Charles Ora Card, began planning the layout of the new town. The town site was to be made up of one square mile (640 acres), then divided into lots of 10 acres (40,000 m²); each with a surveyed road around the entire area with a lane running north and south, dividing it into two parcels. The parcels were again divided, east and west, making four lots, each 2.5 acres (10,000 m²), giving the residents room to build homes, barns and shelters for animals, with large gardens. Theodore planned the town site after the Plat of Zion, which Stirling still follows today, and is recognized as the most well-preserved, Canadian example of the Plat of Zion. For this reason, Stirling is known as Stirling Agricultural Village.

Stirling is one of only two communities that owed its existence to a partnership between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Charles A. Magrath of the North Western Coal and Navigation Company, and it is one of only three communities designated as a National Historic Site of Canada.

New Stirling

Construction of the St. Mary Railway, beginning in Stirling and ending in Cardston began in 1900 and was finished in 1902. The Canadian Pacific Railway took over all assets of Alberta Railway and Irrigation company (successor of Alberta Railway Coal Company) in 1912 and started construction of a new line east of Stirling to Saskatchewan. Stirling had now become an important railway junction in Southern Alberta with rail lines from north, south, east and west.

To accommodate the expansion of the railway the CPR needed more space for yards and shunting. Kipp Coulee near the original station did not have enough room to expand, so the CPR moved the station one mile north. This created an ideal location for a new town. A townsite was planned and lots were advertised for sale in what was called New Stirling also known as New Town. Due to confusion between the two post offices in Stirling and New Stirling, the name was changed to Maybutt. Mr. Fisher, who was the original owner and planner of the townsite, decided to rename the town after his wife, Mrs. "May Butt".

A large hotel; the Prairie Queen Hotel, a Presbyterian Church, and more a variety of other businesses and houses quickly sprung up shortly after land was opened up. The community even had its own newspaper; the "New Stirling Star". The town did not flourish, and eventually buildings were moved away, the school was closed and in the 1950s the post office closed its doors.

Maybutt has slowly died off making it a ghost town with few original buildings remaining. In recent years homes have been moved into Maybutt as small hobby farms and acreages.

Geography and climate

Stirling is in the County of Warner No. 5, and lies 31 km (19 mi) south-east of Lethbridge, at the junction of Highway 4 and Highway 846. The Milk River Ridge is south of the village, and Etzikom Coulee and Kipp Coulee are north of it.

Climate

Stirling experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk). Stirling is subject to chinooks, which bring temperatures in mid-winter above 10 °C (50 °F). Chinooks bring more than 200 days of wind a year.

Agriculture

Historically, Stirling's economy has relied mainly on agriculture as a main industry. The community still has strong roots to agriculture and has become one of the 21 communities that have joined the South Grow Regional Initiative, a proposal to accelerate and enhance economic development and sustainability for communities within the SouthGrow Regional Initiative region. Three quarters of a mile north east of town stands a 200 foot tall concrete terminal grain elevator. The large elevator was built between 1998-1999 at a cost of $11 million and was one of the first elevators of its kind in the area. The elevator was built with a capacity of 17,500 metric tonnes.

Other industries

Stirling's location and rich history makes tourism another main industry. Stirling has a variety of businesses and recreation, such as a convenience store, a wooden crib grain elevator now used as a hemp plant, a truck and tractor dealer, a pool, a community-owned campground, and a library, two museums and a community park known as Centennial Park.

Demographics

In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Village of Stirling recorded a population of 978 living in 308 of its 375 total private dwellings, a 2998897000000000000♠−10.3% change from its 2011 population of 1,090. With a land area of 2.71 km² (1.05 sq mi), it had a population density of 360.9/km² (934.7/sq mi) in 2016.

The Village of Stirling's 2013 municipal census counted a population of 1,147, a 3000099999999999999♠−0.9% change from its 2010 municipal census population of 1,157.

In the 2011 Census, the Village of Stirling had a population of 1,090 living in 327 of its 352 total dwellings, an 18.3% change from its 2006 population of 921. With a land area of 2.64 km² (1.02 sq mi), it had a population density of 412.9/km² (1,069.4/sq mi) in 2011. At its current population, Stirling is the largest village in the province and is eligible for town status. According to Alberta's Municipal Government Act, a village is eligible for town status when it reaches 1,000 residents.

In the 2006 Census, Stirling had a population of 921 living in 299 dwellings, a 5.0% increase from 2001. The village has a land area of 2.64 km² (1.02 sq mi) and a population density of 349.5/km² (905/sq mi).

According to the 2001 Canadian census, of those respondents who indicated religious affiliation, all but 13% considered themselves Christian.

Government

The village is governed by a village council composed of a mayor and four councillors, and administered by a village chief administrative officer. Municipal elections are held every four years.

Infrastructure

The village is connected to two highways: Highway 4, which heads south to Interstate 15 and north to Lethbridge, and the historic Red Coat Trail also known as Highway 61, which heads east to Foremost and then ends in Manyberries.

Emergency services are provided by the Raymond and District Hospital and police station located in Raymond, while the village has its own volunteer fire department, which has served Stirling and area since 1957.

Tourism

Stirling's recreational facilities include ball parks, a swimming pool, a tennis court, a community centre, a picnic area, playgrounds, rodeo grounds, fish pond, and library. The Milk River Ridge Reservoir south of Stirling supports water recreation in the summer months, and Stirling Lake also known as Michelsen Marsh, north of Stirling supports bird watchers year-round.

On east entrance of Main Street is a newly built information kiosk made to replicate that of an older pioneer home found throughout Stirling and area. In the kiosk are historical markers and a map that shows many sites of interest throughout the National Historic Site of Stirling.

Museums

Local attractions

Events

Regional attractions

The Devil's Coulee Dinosaur Heritage Museum features a Hadrosaur (duck-billed dinosaur) nest and embryo, ancient fossils, dinosaur models, located in the Village of Warner.

The Galt Historic Railway Park located 1 km north of Stirling is another popular museum which displays the life and travel of the late 1880s to early 1920s in the restored 1890 North-West Territories International Train Station from Coutts, Alberta, Canada, and Sweetgrass, Montana, USA. The station was moved to the current location near Stirling in 2000 and is added onto every year. Future plans to move the 1925 Oglvie grain elevator from Wrentham for display along the station in the 36-acre (150,000 m²) park is still in the planning stages.

Waterton Lakes National Park is a national park located in the extreme southwest corner of Alberta, Canada, 40 km west of Cardston, and borders Glacier National Park in Montana, USA. Waterton Lakes was Canada's fourth national park formed in 1895. The Rocky Mountains rise suddenly out of the rolling prairies in the park. Amid the peaks are the three Waterton Lakes, carved out of the rock by ancient glaciers.

Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, 44 km east of Milk River, is one of the largest areas of protected prairie in the Alberta park system, and serves as both a nature preserve and protection for the largest concentration of rock art, created by Plains People. There are over 50 rock art sites, with thousands of figures, as well as numerous archeological sites.

Education

Stirling has one school that covers Kindergarten through grade 12 in the Westwind School Division. Enrollment for Stirling School was 322 in 2006.

Stirling School is home to a few athletic teams, from volleyball to badminton, even golf.

Sports

The high school girls basketball team, the Lakettes, won the 1A girls basketball provincial championships in 1997–1999. They placed in three other provincial championships between 1996 and 2006, and won or placed second for 6 straight years between 1996–2003.

The high school boys basketball team, the Lakers, won the 1A boys basketball provincial championships in 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007 and 2008. They placed second in three other provincial championships between 1996 and 2006, and have played in 6 of the last 10 championships.

In 2006 the final game was a decisive 98-68 victory over the third-ranked Youngstown Falcons. Besides the provincial title, the Stirling Lakers recorded a season of 30 wins, 9 losses, and 3 other tournament champion titles, including the 1A South Zone Title, the Picture Butte Sugar King Invitational, and the Mccoy Invitational.

The Stirling Lakers followed up their 2006 season with another provincial title in 2007. The Lakers were victorious in the championship game over their rivals from Foremost. On their way to provincials, the Lakers were also crowned South Zone champions.

In 2008 Stirling hosted provincials and ended up winning their third provincial title in a row.

Media

Stirling is served by a number of regional newspapers including the Westwind Weekly, Lethbridge Herald, and Prairie Post. At one time, Stirling had a newspaper of its own called the Stirling Star.

Newspapers

Movies

Notable people