Cardston, Alberta

Town of Cardston Location of Cardston in AlbertaCoordinates: 49°12′09″N 113°18′07″W / 49.2025, -113.30194Country Canada Province Alberta Region Southern Alberta Census division 3 County CardstonGovernment - Mayor Rick Schow - Governing body Cardston Town Council Area [1] - Total 8.64 km² (3.3 sq mi) Elevation1,121 m(3,677 ft) Population (2006)[2] - Total 3,452 Time zone MST(UTC-7) Postal code span Highways Highway 2
Highway 5Waterway Lee Creek
St. Mary River
St Mary Reservoir Website: Town of Cardston

Cardston is a town in southwest Alberta, Canada. Cardston was settled in 1887 by Mormons from Utah Territory who travelled to Alberta in one of the century's last wagon migrations. The official founder of the town is Charles Ora Card after whom the town is named. To this day most residents of Cardston are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[citation needed]

1 Geography and climate
2 Demographics
3 Economy
4 Education
5 Attractions
- 5.1 Local attractions
- 5.2 Regional attractions
6 Notable people from Cardston
7 See also
8 References
9 External links

Geography and climate

Cardston is situated in the low foothills of southwest Alberta, approximately 25 km (15 miles) north of the US state of Montana. On its north side, it borders the Blood Indian Reservation, one of the largest reserves in North America. Forty kilometres (24 miles) to the west of Cardston are the Rocky Mountains of Waterton Lakes National Park. Cardston is 77 km (46 miles) southwest of Lethbridge and 234 km (140 miles) south of Calgary.

Coordinates: 49°12′N, 113°18′W
Elevation: 3677 ft (1121 m)
Land Area (square kilometre): 6.90

Along with the rest of southern Alberta, Cardston is subject to chinooks, which often bring temperatures in mid-winter well above 10 °C (50 °F). This same pattern results in more than 200 days of wind a year.

Annual rain: 320 mm (12.62 in)
Annual snow: 229 cm (90.0 in)
Annual frost free days: 111
Annual hours of sunshine: 2370

Seasonal temperature averages:

January: -6C/21F
April: 6C/43F
July: 18C/65F
October: 6C/43F

Weather records:

Hottest Day: July 28, 1939 (38.9 C)
Coldest Day: January 28, 1929 (-41.7 C)
Most Rain In One Day: June 6, 1995 (106 mm)
Most Snow In One Day: May 4, 1919 (63.5 cm)
Deepest Snow Cover: April 29, 1967 (84 cm)

Demographics

The population of Cardston in 2001 was 3,475.[3] In 2006, it had a population of 3,452 living in 1,234 dwellings, a 0.7% decrease from 2001. The town has a land area of 8.64 km² (3.3 sq mi) and a population density of 399.3/km² (1,034.2/sq mi).[2]

2001 Population by Age and Gender Total Age Male Female Total 0–4 115 140 255 5–14 335 310 645 15–19 175 180 355 20–24 105 100 205 25–34 125 160 285 35–44 175 210 385 45–54 165 200 365 55–64 125 155 280 65–74 135 170 305 75+ 150 260 410 Totals 1600 1870 3470

Source: Statistics Canada 2001 Census (numbers may not add up due to rounding)

1996 2001 Total number of families 730 760 Average family income $53,750 $52,939 Median family income $46,503 $48,004

Source: Statistics Canada 1996 & 2001 Census

Economy

Primary industries are agriculture, service, and tourism.

Education

Schools include the Cardston High School, the Cardston Jr. High School (formerly Eastridge Elementary School), and Cardston Elementary School.

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 — including the gymnasium (near the current high school) — was torn down in the early 2000s as the junior high moved to the former Eastridge building.

Attractions

Cardston has ball parks, a golf course, an ice skating rink, a swimming pool, tennis courts, hiking trails, a skateboard park, several recreation parks, picnic areas and playgrounds. The local schools and LDS Church buildings have gymnasiums. St. Mary's Dam reservoir northeast of Cardston supports water sports in the summer months.

Local attractions

Cardston Alberta Temple: The Cardston Alberta Temple is one of southern Alberta’s most recognized landmarks. It was constructed by Mormon pioneers who settled Cardston in 1887. The temple became the centerpiece of the town, and it was the second temple constructed by the church outside of the continental U.S.

Remington Carriage Museum: The Remington Carriage Museum houses the largest collection of horse-drawn vehicles in North America, with more than 250 carriages, wagons and sleighs. The 63,000-square-foot (5,900 m²) feature video displays a fire hall, carriage factory, restoration shop, working stable, carriage rides, carriage rentals, a restaurant, and a shop. Guided tours are offered for free. On April 9, 2006, the museum was briefly mentioned on TV in Canada as a destination of Patty and Selma's vacation during the Kiss Kiss, Bang Bangalore episode of The Simpsons.

The Carriage House Theatre: This theatre was constructed in 1912 by Mark Spencer, and underwent renovations in 1937 and 1992. It seats 350 and hosts films, community theatre and professional summer theatre, which has produced such shows as Seussical, Oklahoma, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Card Pioneer Home: A genuine "Little House on the Prairie", it 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 as a Registered Provincial Historic site.

Courthouse Museum: The Courthouse Museum shows how a rough country changed dramatically. The unique sandstone structure was built in 1907 from stone quarried near Cardston. The building’s profile and interior stand as a monument to Cardston’s early pioneer artisans. It was used longer than any other courthouse in Alberta. The building displays the judge's bench, witness box, and other artifacts. Original jail cells, including graffiti, can be found. The Courthouse Museum is a Registered Provincial Historic site

Museum of Miniatures: This museum features miniature covered wagons on the move, Indian villages, buffalo, wild animals and an active western town, on a 1/12 scale. Featured also are Indian carvings and paintings, 150 1/24 scale model cars and trucks, shadow boxes, antiques, a marine scene, and a logging scene.

Regional attractions

Waterton Lakes National Park

Waterton Lakes National Park is a national park in the southwest corner of Alberta, 40 km (25 mi) west of Cardston, and borders Glacier National Park in Montana, USA. Waterton Lakes was Canada's fourth national park, formed in 1895. Amid the peaks are the lakes of Waterton Lakes National Park, carved out of the rock by glaciers.

Frank Slide Interpretive Centre

On April 29, 1903, at 4:10 a.m., the mining town of Frank, Alberta, was devastated by 82 million tonnes of limestone crashing down from Turtle Mountain. The Frank Slide Interpretative Centre in the Crowsnest Pass, 130 km (81 mi) northwest of Cardston, tells of one of the geatest natural disasters in Canadian history.

Castle Mountain Ski Resort

Castle Mountain Resort 90 km (56 mi) west of Cardston has kilometres of groomed skiing runs, natural half pipes, deep fresh powder, short lift lines and wide open spaces.

Writing On Stone Provincial Park

Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, 125 km (78 mi) east of Cardston, is one of the largest areas of protected prairie in the Alberta park system, a nature preserve and protection for rock art created by Plains People. There are 50 rock art sites, with thousands of figures, as well as archaeological sites.