Fort Calgary, AB, Canada
Downtown Site is Part of Canadian Mountie History
Fort Calgary is the site where the North-West Mounted Police built their fort. Over time the city of Calgary, Canada grew up around the fort. Open daily for visitors
About Calgary
Calgary is a western Canadian city of about one million people, about 100 km (66 miles) east of the Rocky Mountains. Well known for cowboys and the Calgary Stampede, Calgary has many interesting and accessible attractions.
Fort Calgary in Calgary's History
Fort Calgary is a historic site located at the spot where permanent European settlement in Calgary began. At the confluence of the Elbow and Bow Rivers, the North West Mounted Police (NWMP) built a fort out of logs in 1875. The NWMP changed their name over time. Today we know them as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, RCMP, or Mounties. Their temporary, leaky old fort was replaced in the 1880s by a spacious barracks building.
The city of Calgary, then just a town, grew out in all directions from Fort Calgary. Over time, the old fort site became a railway and warehouse yard. Luckily for Calgarians, Alderman John Ayer and other far-sighted leaders successfully led a campaign in the 1970s for the City to acquire the fort site because of its historic value.
Flash forward to today.
Fort Calgary Today
Visitors to Calgary will find Fort Calgary where it's always been, at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers. It is just east of the downtown core, on the south side of the Bow River and the west side of the Elbow.
Getting there
There is ample parking at Fort Calgary, including marked disabled parking spaces. Calgary Transit bus route number 1 has a stop right out front. During the tourist season, some tour companies bring parties of visitors to Fort Calgary by bus. The nearest C-train (Calgary's light rail transit) stop is at City Hall, about one-half mile away, with paved streets and sidewalks linking the two.
Calgary's extensive river pathway system goes right by Fort Calgary. Many cyclists and walkers use these paths by day. They are less well-used at night.
Accessibility
There are wheelchair accessible washrooms and all of the public spaces of the museum are wheelchair accessible.
There is no Braille or large print signage specifically for people with poor sight. The staff and volunteers are generally available to assist any visitors in enjoying their time at the fort.
The Fort Calgary museum covers a small area, and has a number of places to sit down while visiting. Slow walkers will find they do not have to go very far between seats.
The Fort is much busier in the summer (July, August particularly) than the rest of the year. If you are concerned about access, it would be prudent to call ahead and ask for information about the day of your planned visit.
Fort Calgary is open from 9 to 5, seven days a week, except New Year's Day, Good Friday, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day. Even when the buildings at Fort Calgary are closed for the night, the old fort and the land surrounding it are open. The parking lot may be locked when the buildings are not open.
More information: What to See at Fort Calgary.
Interested in more accessible Calgary attractions? Try Wheelchairs at Heritage Park.
