40419 AB-20

Rural Lacombe County Rural Lacombe County T0C 0J0

Rocky Mountain House Alberta Information

Rocky Mountain House is a town in west-central Alberta, Canada. It is approximately 77 km (48 mi) west of Red Deer at the confluence of the Clearwater and North Saskatchewan Rivers, and at the crossroads of Highway 22 (Cowboy Trail) and Highway 11 (David Thompson Highway). The surrounding Clearwater County’s administration office is located in Rocky Mountain House. _x000D_ The town has a long history dating to the 18th century with the presence of British and Canadian fur traders during the westward Canadian expansion. In 1799, the Hudson’s Bay Company and the North West Company each established the Rocky Mountain House and Acton House fur trading posts. Trade with the local aboriginal peoples continued until 1821 when the companies merged, they continued to trade until 1875 and closed the Rocky Mountain House post. The name of the settlement however remained. _x000D_ The Rocky Mountain House settlement also served as a launching point for many explorers such as David Thompson, in search for a passage west to the Pacific Ocean. Many travellers used this location as a stop on their way further west or northwest, just as they do into the 21st century. _x000D_ The next wave of adventurers entered the region at the beginning of the 20th century in search of opportunities presented by lush farmland and the abundance of natural resources. Rocky Mountain House became a firmly established town by 1912. Settlers of Scandinavian origin made up a significant part of early 20th century settlement in the region. _x000D_ The town was hit by a magnitude 5.0 earthquake on October 20, 2021, just after 9:20pm MDT. It was the second-strongest earthquake in the province’s history. _x000D_ Rocky Mountain House and Acton House were a pair of fur trade posts from 1799 to 1876. Rocky Mountain House belonged to the North West Company (NWC) and Acton House to the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC). When the two companies merged in 1821, the name Rocky Mountain House was retained. The posts were opened and closed seven times. _x000D_ Rocky Mountain House was the westernmost post on the North Saskatchewan and was within sight of the Rocky Mountains. The fort facilitated trade with the Blackfeet and Piegans as well as the Kootenays across the mountains. The Kootenays were prevented from reaching Fort Edmonton by the Blackfeet and Piegans who wanted to profit as middlemen and keep them from getting guns. The fort also served as a base for finding a pass across the Rocky Mountains. The post also produced pemmican and York boats. _x000D_ The posts were built at the confluence of the Clearwater River and the North Saskatchewan River. They were on the north bank just above the Clearwater and strongly built for protection from the Blackfeet. During low water there were rapids near the post. Around 1980, only two stone chimneys were standing. An interpretive centre was subsequently developed at this location. _x000D_ The North Saskatchewan River borders Rocky Mountain House to the west where the Clearwater River flows into the North Saskatchewan River. _x000D_ Crimson Lake is a lake approximately 17 km (11 mi) northwest of town. Crimson Lake is home to Crimson Lake Provincial Park. _x000D_ Rocky Mountain House has a subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification Dfc) that borders on a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb). Daytime temperatures are in general representative for the latter, but the larger diurnal temperature variation with the high elevation ensures frequent frosts. The January average high of around ?4 °C (25 °F) is actually much milder than clear continental areas further east in Canada on similar and lower parallels. _x000D_ The highest temperature ever recorded in Rocky Mountain House was 35.0 °C (95 °F) on 23 July 1928. The coldest temperature ever recorded was ?55.6 °C (?68 °F) on 12 February 1936. _x000D_ In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Rocky Mountain House had a population of 6,765 living in 2,693 of its 3,075 total private dwellings, a change of 2% from its 2016 population of 6,635. With a land area of 13.05 km2 (5.04 sq mi), it had a population density of 518.4/km2 (1,342.6/sq mi) in 2021. _x000D_ In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Rocky Mountain House recorded a population of 6,635 living in 2,599 of its 2,954 total private dwellings, a -4.3% change from its 2011 population of 6,933. With a land area of 12.71 km2 (4.91 sq mi), it had a population density of 522.0/km2 (1,352.1/sq mi) in 2016. _x000D_ The Town of Rocky Mountain House’s 2012 municipal census counted a population of 7,300, a 1.0% increase over its 2007 municipal census population of 7,231. _x000D_ The economy of the Rocky Mountain House area is driven by petroleum, agriculture, and forestry. Tourism also plays a role in its economy due to its location at the crossroads of Highway 22 and Highway 11, and its location midway between Red Deer and the scenic Alberta’s Rockies region. _x000D_ On the road, Rocky Mountain House is served by Highway 22 and Highway 11. _x000D_ In the air, Rocky Mountain House is served by its airport. _x000D_ The Recreation, Parks & Community Services Department hosts five annual sports tournaments. They include two slo-pitch, a sno-pitch, a volleyball and a hockey/slo-pitch combined tournament. _x000D_ Rocky Mountain House’s town council consists of Mayor Debbie Baich and councillors Dave Auld, Marley Capraro, Ken Moesker, Len Phillips, Dale Shippelt, and Tina Hutchinson . _x000D_ Rocky Mountain House is located within the Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre provincial electoral district, which is represented by Jason Nixon of the United Conservative Party. _x000D_ Rocky Mountain House is twinned with Kamikawa, Hokkaido, Japan. _x000D_ _x000D_ Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Mountain_House