Pincher Creek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pincher Creek
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Town
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| Town of Pincher Creek | ||
Pincher Creek as seen from the North, with the Canadian Rockies in the background
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 Pincher Creek
Location in Alberta
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| Country | Canada | |
| Province | Alberta | |
| Region | Southern Alberta | |
| Census division | 3 | |
| Municipal district | Municipal District of Pincher Creek No. 9 | |
| Incorporated | ||
| • Village | August 18, 1898 | |
| • Town | May 12, 1906 | |
| Area
(2021)
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| • Land | 9.87 km2 (3.81 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 1,130 m (3,710 ft) | |
| Population
(2021)
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| • Total | 3,622 | |
| • Density | 367.1/km2 (951/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (MST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) | |
| Postal code |
T0K 1W0
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| Area code(s) | 403 / 587 | |
| Highways |  Hwy 3 (Crowsnest Highway) Hwy 6 Hwy 507 |
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| Waterways | Oldman River Reservoir | |
Pincher Creek is a cool town in southern Alberta, Canada. It's right next to the amazing Canadian Rockies mountains. The town is about 101 km (63 mi) west of Lethbridge and 210 km (130 mi) south of Calgary.
Contents
Discovering Pincher Creek's Past
For many centuries before European settlers arrived, Indigenous groups like the Blackfoot, Peigan, and Kootenai lived in or traveled through this area.
How Pincher Creek Got Its Name
The town got its unique name in 1868. A group of gold prospectors were exploring the area and lost a tool called a pincer in a small creek. These pincers were important for trimming horses' hooves. Later, in 1874, the North-West Mounted Police came to southern Alberta. One of their officers found the rusty tool in the creek. Because of this discovery, they decided to name the area Pincher Creek. The name was officially written down in a Geological Survey Report in 1880.
Early Days and Growth
In 1876, the NWMP set up a horse farm here. It closed in 1881, but many officers chose to stay and help the town grow. Pincher Creek's first store opened in 1884, started by James Schofield. By 1885, it was known as Schofield & Hyde General Store. Harry Hyde became the town's first postmaster. Pincher Creek became a village in 1898. Then, in 1906, it officially became a town. Many people living in Pincher Creek today are related to the first families who settled there over 100 years ago.
Pincher Creek's Natural Environment
The Windy Climate
Pincher Creek is famous for its strong Chinook winds that blow off the mountains. These winds can make the area incredibly breezy. The valleys of the Oldman River and Castle River seem to guide the air, making Pincher Creek one of the windiest places in Alberta. It's common to have winds blowing at 50–90 km/h! The strongest wind ever recorded here was 177 km/h.
Because of these powerful winds, you'll see many wind farms around Pincher Creek. The tall wind turbines are now a key part of the landscape. All this wind also means the weather is usually sunny and dry, as the wind helps clear away clouds.
In 1995, the town experienced a big flood. The creek that gave the town its name had a huge amount of water flowing through it, about 271 cubic meters per second.
A very interesting weather event happened on January 10, 1962. The temperature in Pincher Creek rose by a huge 41 °C (74 °F) in just a few hours! It went from -19 °C to 22 °C (-2 °F to 72 °F).
Fun Things to Do in Pincher Creek
Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village
The Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village is a popular place to visit all year round. It's named after Kootenai Brown, who helped protect the land that is now Waterton Park. This six-acre site has over thirty historical buildings that you can explore. Every July, the Village hosts a big Canada Day celebration. They also have other community events throughout the year. You can see over 18,000 old items and look through historical records there.
Nearby Parks and Resorts
Pincher Creek is a great base for exploring nature. It's about 57 km (35 mi) north of the beautiful Waterton Lakes National Park. If you like skiing, Castle Mountain Ski Resort is about 49 km (30 mi) to the southwest. For a different kind of outdoor fun, Beauvais Lake Provincial Park is a 20 km (12 mi) drive southwest. You can also visit the Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump World Heritage Site, which is about 47 km (29 mi) to the northeast.
Getting Around and Staying Connected
Pincher Creek Airport
The town has its own airport, the Pincher Creek Airport. It's a general aviation airfield, which means it's mostly used for private planes and small aircraft. There are no regular passenger flights from this airport right now.
Local News and Radio
Pincher Creek has two local newspapers. The Pincher Creek Echo has been around since 1900 and comes out on Wednesdays. The other is the Shootin' the Breeze, which started in 2011 and is owned locally. You can also find news online at the Pincher Creek Voice, which began in 2011. For music, you can listen to Mountain Radio, a country music station. Its Pincher Creek transmitter broadcasts on 92.7 FM.
Pincher Creek's Population
| Historical population | ||
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| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1916 (est.) | 1,050 | — |
| 1921 (est.) | 1,200 | +14.3% |
| 1926 (est.) | 1,100 | −8.3% |
| 1931 (est.) | 1,000 | −9.1% |
| 1936 | 999 | −0.1% |
| 1941 | 985 | −1.4% |
| 1946 | 1,139 | +15.6% |
| 1951 | 1,456 | +27.8% |
| 1956 | 1,729 | +18.8% |
| 1961 | 2,830 | +63.7% |
| 1966 | 3,051 | +7.8% |
| 1971 | 3,337 | +9.4% |
| 1976 | 3,634 | +8.9% |
| 1981 | 3,825 | +5.3% |
| 1986 | 3,800 | −0.7% |
| 1991 | 3,660 | −3.7% |
| 1996 | 3,659 | −0.0% |
| 2001 | 3,666 | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 3,625 | −1.1% |
| 2011 | 3,685 | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 3,642 | −1.2% |
| Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] | ||
In 2021, a study by Statistics Canada showed that Pincher Creek had 3,622 people living there. This was a small change from its population of 3,642 in 2016. The town covers an area of about 9.87 km2 (3.81 sq mi).
Famous People from Pincher Creek
Many interesting people have connections to Pincher Creek, including:
- White Bird, a leader of the Nez Perce people.
- Dustin Flundra, a talented rodeo cowboy.
- Matthew Halton, a famous news reporter during World War II.
- Beverley McLachlin, a judge for the Hong Kong Court of Appeal and a former Chief Justice of Canada.
- Andy Russell, a well-known author and conservationist.
- Gordon Walter Semenoff, a theoretical physicist.
- Darcy Wakaluk, a former professional hockey player.
- Warren Winkler, a former Chief Justice of the Ontario Court of Appeal.
- Charlie Russell, a naturalist and artist.
- Ernest Sands, an American politician.
- Ruth Collins-Nakai, an educator, researcher, doctor, and healthcare advisor.
- Fred Stinson, a writer.
- Ray Cote, a former professional hockey player.
Images for kids
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Looking south at Pincher Creek on Alberta Highway 6
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Panorama of Pincher Creek from Alberta Highway 3
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Looking south at the business district in Pincher Creek on Alberta Highway 6
