At first glance Fort Macleod may look just like any other southern Alberta town – quaint and quiet, with a leisurely approach to living. But when you’re walking down Main Street, perusing through brightly adorned picture windows, one after another on the fronts of beautiful brick and sandstone buildings that exude echoes of a long ago era, it’s easy to see that Fort Macleod is a place on the map unlike any other. 

Fort Macleod was once a place of Indian encampments, wagon trails, and massive herds of buffalo. It is where the Northwest Mounted Police established one of the first and most important forts in the region, which was the keystone for the settlement of southwestern Alberta. This last bastion of Alberta’s wild west upholds a proud history in a number of culturally significant attractions that aren’t to be missed.

In 1982, Heritage Canada and the Town of Fort Macleod started a restoration project to preserve the town’s unique heritage and historic buildings – some of which date back to 1878. Fort Macleod is now the only Designated Historic Area within the province, and a must-visit destination for those with a penchant for the past.