Attractions

LSD 1-36-44-7-W4M

After the turn of the century, Howard Douglas, Superintendent of Buffalo National Park can be credited with pushing the Dominion government to purchase the largest and one of the last plains bison herds on the continent. In 1907, the government created Buffalo Park on 160 square miles of land adjacent to Wainwright and stocked the area with several hundred head of buffalo purchased from Montana rancher, Michel Pablo. Under protection, the herd grew to such an extent that annual round-ups began in 1922 to reduce the population of the herd. From 1922 until 1939, the herd was rounded up annually and culled and, from 1925-1928, shipped north to Wood Buffalo National Park. In 1923 the Hollywood movie “The Last Frontier” was filmed at Wainwright. The Park Riders were used as stunt men and extras. Buffalo were also shipped to zoos and parks all over the world.

The round-ups continued until 1939 when all the buffalo were removed and the park was turned over to the Department of National Defense (DND) for use as an army training facility. Today the DND maintains the “Bud Cotton Buffalo Paddock” located at the entrance to Camp Wainwright. Opened in 1980 four yearling bison were donated by the Superintendent of Elk Island National Park to commemorate the plains bison saving effort at Buffalo National Park (1909 – 1939). The military base continues to maintain this bison herd housing approximately 20 buffalo as a reminder of the history of the park.

1305 – 10 Street

Deemed ‘Canada’s largest buffalo', Wainwright’s Buffalo Statue and symbol was erected just off the highway on Main Street in July 1965 in memory of the great buffalo herds that roamed Buffalo National Park.

The statue was unveiled at a ceremony attended by many townspeople and visitors including a group of men who rode range in the buffalo park, or took part in its operations. Chief of these was Bud Cotton who came from Calgary and gave an interesting address and did the actual unveiling. Many dignitaries were introduced including the man who actually made the buffalo, Heiko Hespe.

200 – 10 Street

The Memorial Clock Tower was built to honor those who lost their lives in the First World War and later to include World War Two. Recently, recognition was added for lives lost in Afghanistan and Peace Keeping missions around the world. Each Remembrance Day, citizens of Wainwright along with the Royal Canadian Legion, gather around this memorial and pay tribute to those who fell in the wars. The Memorial Clock Tower was the only structure left standing after the worst fire in the history of small town Alberta swept through Wainwright destroying 70 businesses and 8 homes in the summer of 1929.

Described as a “Roman tower”, the monument was designed and built by Frank Bailey. The clocks in the tower were purchased from Gillett and Johnston, Croydon, England. The bronze tablet set in the masonry, which lists the dead, was designed by Morris Norburg, Edmonton.