Canada has an incredibly rich history. Luckily, for those eager to learn more about the good, the bad, and the unusual, there are plenty of places to educate yourself.

From provincial parks to museums, there is no shortage of informative destinations and in Alberta, Fort Vermilion is among them.

Established in 1788, the hamlet is Wild Rose Country’s oldest settlement and is where visitors can find 25 historical sites and buildings including a church and cemetery that dates back to 1877.

According to its website, the area was a popular meeting place for those in Great Noth, however, the Beaver and Cree Nations were the first to call it home.

Photo via Fort Vermilion Heritage Centre / Facebook

A while later, fur traders moved in and set up Boyer’s Post 5 miles downstream which caught the attention of a well-known operation.

“In 1821 Fort Vermilion was taken over by the Hudson’s Bay Company and about 10 years later, the post was moved to the present location of Fort Vermilion,” they explain.

“The old Bay House was built in 1906 near Fort Vermilion near the riverbank. It was where the Chief Factor lived. He was the one who organized the operations of the company. In 1907 Fort Vermilion Experimental Farm was established and moved to its current site in 1935.”

Since then, several momentous things have happened, the most notable being its bicentennial celebration and its designation as a national historic site.

Interested in a self-guided tour? Pack your bags and get comfortable, because it’s nearly a 7-hour drive from Edmonton.

Our advice? Consider checking it out in July or August when the town holds its big Rodeo, a Canada Day celebration and a country fair.

While there, don’t forget to visit the heritage centre and the golf course or take in the view. There’s really no place quite like it.

Happy travelling!

Fort Vermilion, Alberta 

Where: Directions here

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Parts of Alberta are currently facing significant fire activity. If you’d like to help the many communities affected, please head to the Canadian Wildfire Fund

Cassandra Stefanic

Regional Editor, Prairies –Cassandra is a Calgary-based journalist with a deep appreciation for music, film, food, travelling, and storytelling. When she’s not chasing a story, writing, or editing, you’ll likely find her in the mountains, binge-watching a new series, at a speakeasy, cooking, or getting lost in a Taylor Swift re-record.

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