Calgary Guide » More About Calgary: Overview

Overview

From quiet beginnings as an outpost for the North West Mounted Police, Calgary gained prestige after the railroad pushed through, linking the east and the west. Farming and ranching were prominent then, capitalizing on the wide expanses of prairie. In the early part of the century, oil was discovered, and the city's fortunes changed forever. An influx of money and people pushed Calgary's growth, and the city was largely built in a generation, thanks to oil and the money it produced. Much of that wealth was directed into the city, endowing it with recreational and cultural facilities to rival its shining office towers. Oil still drives the city, as does technology, and the money remains as well, giving the city a sophistication that rivals Canada's more established cities. It's also beautiful, a gateway between the prairies and the awesome grandeur of the Rockies. It's home to the University of Calgary and a proud cowboy culture that revels in the annual Stampede celebration. In a few incredible decades, the city has transformed itself into a world power and presence, evidenced in part by its hosting of the 1988 Winter Olympics. Friendly, magnanimous, young, and well-educated, it shows no signs of faltering in that climb.