Cardston is a town in

Alberta Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...

, Canada. It was first settled in 1887 by members of

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...

(LDS Church) who travelled from

Utah Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...

, via the Macleod-Benton Trail, to present-day Alberta in one of the century's last wagon migrations. The founder of the town was Charles Ora Card. The combined church and school was completed by January 29 the year following their arrival.

History

Cardston was "dry" ( alcohol free) for more than a century after the 1915 Alberta liquor plebiscite. In 2023, following a municipal plebiscite in which residents voted narrowly in favour of the measure, the town council voted 5-2 to allow alcohol to be served in restaurants and recreation facilities such as the local golf course. Liquor stores, lounges, nightclubs and other alcohol-primary businesses remain prohibited, and there are no licensed premises in which to use video lottery terminals. In 1951, 75% of Cardston's 3500 residents were members of the LDS Church. It remains at about 80%, as of 2014. On August 15, 2019, the town was granted a

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...

by the

Canadian Heraldic Authority The Canadian Heraldic Authority (CHA; ) is part of the Canadian honours system under the Monarchy of Canada, Canadian monarch, whose authority is exercised by the Governor General of Canada. The authority is responsible for the creation and gran ...

Geography

Cardston is situated in the foothills of southwest Alberta, approximately north from the American state of

Montana Montana ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota to the east, South Dakota to the southeast, Wyoming to the south, an ...

. On its north side, it borders the

Kainai Nation The Kainai Nation () (, or , romanized: ''Káínawa'', Blood Tribe) is a First Nations in Canada, First Nations band government in southern Alberta, Canada, with a population of 12,965 members in 2024, up from 11,791 in December 2013. tra ...

(Blood Tribe) Reserve, one of the largest reserves in North America. to the west of Cardston are the

Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in great-circle distance, straight-line distance from the northernmost part of Western Can ...

of Waterton Lakes National Park. Cardston is southwest of

Lethbridge Lethbridge ( ) is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada. With a population of 106,550 in the 2023 Alberta municipal censuses, 2023 municipal census, Lethbridge became the fourth Alberta city to surpass 100,000 people. The nearby Canadian ...

and south of

Calgary Calgary () is a major city in the Canadian province of Alberta. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806 making it the third-largest city and fifth-largest metropolitan area in C ...

Climate

Cardston experiences a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers, and cold ...

(

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

''Dfb''). Along with the rest of

southern Alberta Southern Alberta is a region located in the Canadian province of Alberta. In 2016, the region's population was approximately 291,112. The primary cities are Lethbridge and Medicine Hat. The region is known mostly for agricultural production, but o ...

, Cardston is subject to chinooks, which often bring temperatures in mid-winter well above . This same pattern results in more than 200 days of wind a year. Weather records: * Hottest Temperature: on 23 July 2007 * Coldest Temperature: on 28 January 1929 * Most Rain In One Day: on 6 June 1995 * Most Snow In One Day: on 4 May 1919 * Deepest Snow Cover: on 29 April 1967

Demographics

In the

2021 Census of Population The 2021 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population with a reference date of May 11, 2021. It follows the 2016 Canadian census, which recorded a population of 35,151,728. The overall response rate was 98%, which is sli ...

conducted by

Statistics Canada Statistics Canada (StatCan; ), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. It is headquartered in ...

, the Town of Cardston had a population of 3,724 living in 1,261 of its 1,335 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 3,585. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021. In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Cardston recorded a population of 3,585 living in 1,175 of its 1,270 total private dwellings, a change from its 2011 population of 3,580. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2016. ''Source: Statistics Canada 2001 Census (numbers may not add up due to rounding)'' ''Source: Statistics Canada 1996 & 2001 Census''

Economy

Cardston's primary industries are education, health care, entrepreneurship, agriculture, and tourism. Alcohol became legally available in Cardston for purchase in 2023, after over 100 years of ban. The Cardston Airport is located to the south-east of the town.

Attractions

Cardston has a soccer park, ball parks, a golf course, an ice skating rink, a swimming pool, tennis courts, hiking trails, a skateboard park, a hockey stadium, several recreation parks, picnic areas and playgrounds. St. Mary's Dam reservoir northeast of Cardston supports water sports in the summer months. The Cardston Alberta Temple was constructed by

Latter-day Saint The Latter Day Saint movement (also called the LDS movement, LDS restorationist movement, or Smith–Rigdon movement) is the collection of independent church groups that trace their origins to a Christian Restorationist movement founded b ...

pioneers from 1913-1923, and was the first temple constructed by the Church outside of the United States. It remained the only temple in Canada until the

Toronto Ontario Temple The Toronto Ontario Temple is the 44th operating Temple (LDS Church), temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The intent to build the temple was announced to local leaders on the morning of April 7, 1984, and then ...

was built in 1990. The

Remington Carriage Museum The Remington Carriage Museum is located in Cardston, Alberta, Canada. Opened in 1993, and the largest of its kind in the world, the Remington Carriage Museum displays more than 240 carriages. The . museum has a working stable, carriage rides, ...

is the largest collection of

horse-drawn vehicle A horse-drawn vehicle is a piece of equipment pulled by one or more horses. These vehicles typically have two or four wheels and were used to carry passengers or a load. They were once common worldwide, but they have mostly been replaced by auto ...

s in North America, with more than 250 carriages, wagons and sleighs. The facility features video displays, a fire hall, carriage factory, restoration shop, working stable, carriage rides, carriage rentals, a restaurant, guided tours, and a gift shop. The Carriage House Theatre was constructed in 1912, and underwent renovations in 1937 and 1992. It seats 350 and hosts films, community theatre and professional summer theatre. The Card Pioneer Home was built by Cardston's founder Charles Ora Card in 1887, and served as a community centre and stopping place for travellers until the first hotel was built in 1894. The log structure stands in its original location and is open for public visits. It is a registered provincial historic site. The Courthouse Museum is a sandstone structure built in 1907 from stone quarried near Cardston. It was used longer than any other courthouse in Alberta. The building displays the judge's bench, witness box, and jail cells. It is a registered provincial historic site.

Education

Schools include the Cardston High School, the Cardston Jr. High School (formerly Eastridge Elementary School), and Cardston Elementary School which are all under the Westwind School Division. Former schools include Leeside (grades 1 and 2 - torn down in the late 1980s to make way for the Remington-Alberta Carriage Centre) and Westside. The building that housed many of the junior high facilities, E.J. Wood School (including the gymnasium near the current high school), Parkland School, and John S. Smith Schools were torn down in 1993 as the junior high moved to the former Eastridge building. The Cardston High School underwent extensive renovations in the early 2000s, including an expansion to its gymnasium, much-improved fitness and weight room facilities, wider hallways, and a new cafeteria.

Media

The ''Cardston News'' was first published in 1924, and was a weekly until 1925. During 1924–1925, the newspaper was edited and published by Fred Burton. It was later taken over by D.O. Wight, editor and managing director from September 17, 1925 until June 9, 1936. Fred Burton took over as publisher on June 16, 1936. The ''Cardston News'' was taken over by Gordon F. West On May 7, 1964. The ''Cardston Record'' began publication on August 6, 1898, and was published weekly until September 1901.

Notable people

* Victor L. Brown, world leader in the LDS Church * Ben Cahoon, CFL slotback who won three

Grey Cup The Grey Cup () is both the championship game of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the trophy awarded to the victorious team playing in the namesake championship of professional Canadian football. The game is contested between the winners ...

championships with the

Montreal Alouettes The Montreal Alouettes (Canadian French, French: ''Les Alouettes de Montréal'') are a professional Canadian football team based in Montreal, Quebec. Founded in 1946, the team has disbanded twice and been re-established thrice. The Alouettes compe ...

. * Grant Hunter, UCP MLA for Taber-Warner * Elaine L. Jack, world leader in the LDS Church * Merlin R. Lybbert, world leader in the LDS Church * Shawna Molcak, basketball player who played for Canada in the

1996 Summer Olympics The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...

* Grant Strate, dancer and choreographer * Elle-MáijáTailfeathers - Blackfoot and Sámi filmmaker, actor, and producer born in Cardston * Frank Weiss, racing driver * Edward J. Wood, leader in the LDS Church *

George Woolf George Monroe Woolf (May 31, 1910 – January 4, 1946), nicknamed "The Iceman", was a Canadian thoroughbred race horse jockey. An annual jockey's award given by the United States Jockeys' Guild is named in his honor. He became known for riding t ...

, jockey *

Fay Wray Vina Fay Wray (September 15, 1907 – August 8, 2004) was a Canadian-American actress best known for starring as Ann Darrow in the 1933 film ''King Kong''. Through an acting career that spanned nearly six decades, Wray attained international r ...

, ''King Kong'' actressWilliam Addams Reitwiesner
Ancestry of Fay Wray
accessed 2007-12-17.

References

External links

* {{Authority control 1887 establishments in the Northwest Territories Cardston County Latter-day Saint settlements in Canada Towns in Alberta