Inglewood, Calgary Alberta

Originally constructed in 1875 as Fort Brisebois, Fort Calgary is one of Calgary’s oldest landmarks. Situated on the West Bank of the Elbow river where it meets the Bow river, Fort Calgary sits on land originally populated by the Blackfoot, Nakota, and Tsuut’ina indigenous peoples.

The fort was originally a headquarters for the North West Mounted Police in 1875 complete with guard quarters, stables, storage facilities and defended by a palisade of pointed logs. Its construction site was chosen as it overlooks the joining of two major rivers and was strategically sound for patrolling the surrounding areas establishing the NWMP territory.

In 1925 Fort Calgary was designated a national historic site of Canada. It was named by James F. Macleod after his Scottish ancestral home. This name would eventually go on to be the moniker for the present day city that surrounds the fort.

The fort was used originally as a base for patrols to native communities and ranches, and for policing the Canadian Pacific Rail railway. It was rebuilt as a district headquarters in 1882 by seventy men of F troop of the NWMP service.

The present incarnation of Fort Calgary sits on a 40 acre plot within Calgary city limits and was converted to a historical tourist attraction in 1978. 

Today Fort Calgary is operated by the Fort Calgary preservation society. Their job is to protect the site and preserve all archaeological finds intact to preserve our Alberta heritage.

Rumors abound that there is a burial ground around the Fort as parking lot expansion work unearthed many human remains. Eventually expansion was halted and the site stands today as is without further development.